Rwanda strengthens ethics in higher education

A landmark training workshop on Ethics in Higher Education concluded on 13 February 2025, at Hotel Villa Portofino in Kigali, Rwanda. The 2.5-day event, organised by Globethics Eastern Africa Regional Centre (Nairobi), Transparency International Rwanda, and the Adventist University of Central Africa, brought together 34 participants from 25 institutions of higher education in Rwanda. The workshop aimed to address ethical challenges and reinforce the role of integrity in academic institutions.

Addressing ethical challenges in higher education

The workshop focused on critical ethical issues affecting higher education institutions, including academic dishonesty, grading bias, procurement fraud, recruitment misconduct, and conflicts of interest. Discussions also emphasised the importance of leadership and governance in fostering ethical practices.

At the opening ceremony, Prof. Jacques Kayigema, AUCA Director of Research & Publications and Language Centre, emphasised that "Ethical practices in higher education are not only policy and procedure, but they must also be actively practiced and regularly discussed. This interactive session provides a useful platform for the sharing of experiences, reaffirming our dedication to ethical action, and designing practical recommendations for building a sustainable and ethical higher education environment."

Rev. Prof. Viateur Ndikumana, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academics and Researcher at Kibogora Polytechnic, speaking on behalf of the participants pointed out that, “Ethics must underpin every research and academic activity because ethical problems compromise the quality of education. Under Vision 2050, Rwanda is committed to making Rwanda a centre of excellence in education. Internationalisation of higher education in Rwanda needs to be supported by an ethical environment. It is our collective duty to foster and promote ethics.”

Key resolutions and commitments

The workshop culminated in a series of resolutions to strengthen ethical frameworks within higher education institutions. These include:

• Developing a clear ethical framework: Institutions committed to aligning their core values with principles of integrity, accountability, transparency, quality, equity, and sustainability.
• Strengthening ethical policies: A comprehensive review of existing policies will be conducted to address current challenges, such as corruption and academic dishonesty.
• Integrating ethics into curricula: Higher education institutions pledged to introduce mandatory ethics courses and interdisciplinary discussions on ethical dilemmas.
• Enhancing accountability mechanisms: Institutions will establish peer review processes and anonymous reporting channels to encourage self-regulation.
• Promoting ethical leadership: Regular training programs will be introduced for faculty and administrative professionals to strengthen ethical decision-making and governance.
• Fighting corruption: Collaboration with organisations such as Transparency International Rwanda will continue to enhance best practices and anti-corruption initiatives.

At the closing ceremony, Mr. Apollinaire Mupiganyi, Executive Director, TI-Rwanda acknowledged and remarked that participants of the workshop are social economic game changers. He noted that role-modelling ethical practices should be at the heart of everything happening in the institutions and urged the participants to be ambassadors of transparency in their institutions.

In a like manner, Herbert Makinda, Globethics Eastern Africa Centre Manager urged each of the participants to carry the lessons learned and the insights gained back to their institutions by sharing their knowledge with colleagues, engaging in discussions about ethics, and taking action to instil an ethical culture within their communities.

Looking ahead: Expansion to Ghana

Following the success of the Rwanda workshop, Globethics has announced plans to expand the training programme to Ghana, organised by the Western Africa Centre (Accra), in April 2025. This initiative aims to further its mission of embedding ethics in higher education institutions across Africa, fostering integrity-driven academic environments.

As the workshop concluded, participants committed to implementing the lessons learned within their institutions. With growing recognition of the importance of ethics in higher education, stakeholders remain hopeful that these initiatives will shape a future where academic integrity and ethical leadership become the norm in Rwanda and beyond.