In the media

Academic corruption exists in doctoral education even though this should reflect the highest standards of academic integrity. Doctoral degrees have become especially popular among politicians, state bureaucrats, civil servants and people seeking employment in academia. An entire market has formed in Ukraine that offers ghostwritten dissertations to order. This market consists of not only individuals but also officially registered firms. If in 2009, there were 16 such firms, by 2016 the number tripled, reaching 46.

In Russia and Ukraine, discussion of sexual abuse is not welcomed. Nevertheless, faculty and staff are involved in exploiting and abusing students in many different ways like offering positive grades in examinations in exchange for sex. It is not only students who suffer from sexual harassment but also faculty and staff recruitment. Promotion is influenced by bribes or sexual favours as well.

Corruption is spreading across most of the public Ukrainian universities, particularly education and administrative corruptions, due to low academic salaries, low motivation of students to prepare for exams, lack of law enforcement and punishment mechanisms and a corruption-prone culture, according to a new report. The report, entitled Combatting Corruption in Higher Education in Ukraine, has proposed a wide range of changes, from standardisation of examinations in the written form to structural changes in the higher education system.

The public has been raging in social networks throughout the weekend over the court ruling lifting a post-suspension from the head of a Kyiv-based medical university. Such cases are not uncommon in Ukraine when courts take the side of rectors, deans and professors who were not just involved in scandals and fights with government officials, but were caught red-handed in blatant corruption acts. Severe punishment for such an offense, including between five and ten years of imprisonment, does not seem to discourage bribe-takers, who all too often let off with no consequences.

The acting rector of one of Ukraine’s flagship technical universities was arrested in his office for taking a bribe of €170,000, which is roughly equivalent to US$200,000. In a country where the average salary is the equivalent of a meagre US$100 a month, this sum sounds astronomical. This is not the first incident where a university rector has been arrested in connection with a bribe. If there were a ranking that rated world higher education institutions based on how corrupt they are, Ukraine’s universities would doubtless take some of the top spots.

The acting rector of National Aviation University of Ukraine, was detained on 26 August on charges of taking a €100,000 (US$112,000) bribe for a job appointment. The accused was reportedly detained by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau detectives and Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s office and Security Service officers. The following day, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau reported on its website that during the search in his apartment, detectives found the cash, and also confiscated nine gold bars. In response, the acting rector claims he was set up.

Non-governmental organizations (NGO) have stated there are corruption schemes in the Ministry of Education and Science related to budget funds allocated for the needs of schools. According to the leader of NGO Maidan Information the Ministry of Education issued an order, according to which only one firm can supply school equipment. He noted that most equipment in schools have not been updated since the Soviet times, therefore it is unclear what happens with the UAH 200 million in state funds set aside for this purpose.

The minister for education and science is attempting to implement widespread reforms in a country where establishing university autonomy requires dismantling the legacy of Soviet-era state control, where raising quality requires overcoming widespread corruption and where conflict has uprooted 28 institutions.

The Head of the Department of Economic Crimes Prevention of the Ministry of the Interior said in July 2006 that there were 210 cases of bribery registered in higher education institutions in that year, of which 11 were in Kiev. He mentioned a departmental chair in Lugansk who demanded that students pay his bills from the electronics and construction stores and he accepted cash as well. The corrupt chair was arrested while receiving a bribe of $2000. In yet another case, deputy-director of the Kiev National University's college was arrested while receiving a bribe of $6000. The number of investigated cases appears to be the tip of the iceberg as corruption in education is believed to be widespread.

In spring 2004 interviews were conducted with 43 rectors, vice rectors, and administrators at five private universities. A consensus emerged that successful licensing or accreditation applications, with few exceptions, required some form of bribery. Licensing might require a bribe of US$ 200 about two months' salary for a typical academic - while accreditation might call for a 10 or 20 times greater "gratuity."