In the media

Abdul Kalam Technical University (AKTU) will award around 50,000 engineering and management degrees using blockchain technology. The system enhances security, prevents fraud, and streamlines degree issuance, supporting institutional credibility and student trust, and allows secure access to print, and validate degrees.

The Ondo State Government praised the Federal Government’s launch of the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD), calling it a landmark reform against certificate racketeering and academic fraud. NERD digitizes Nigeria’s academic output and standardized credential verification. It also introduces the National Publication Index to enhance academic integrity, and indigenous knowledge governance.

University of Zimbabwe lecturers raised alarms over widespread academic irregularities, including unqualified teaching, inadequate contact hours, unsupervised research projects, and manipulated exam results. Despite ongoing strikes over salary disputes, the university proceeded with graduation, prompting concerns over academic integrity, student outcomes, and institutional governance.

Eight publicly funded Hong Kong universities have signed three-year accountability agreements with the government, increasing oversight of budgets and university operations. Experts warn that, while the agreements aim to improve transparency and performance indicators, they may also reduce university autonomy by pressuring institutions to align with government priorities.

Nigeria’s federal government has introduced reforms to enhance integrity in higher education recruitment and leadership appointments. New policies, such as publicly advertising vacancies, aim to promote transparency and equity. A recent report revealed that over 1,800 of more than 3,000 staff at the University of Lagos resigned within five years. The updated criteria also prevent acting heads from influencing selection processes, ensuring fairer outcomes and minimizing political interference.

A ministerial committee has been appointed to investigate alleged regulatory violations in the awarding of state-funded national and international scholarships to Libyan students. The Administrative Control Authority has suspended the allocation of full state scholarships until all financial obligations to the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research are settled. Meanwhile, the Higher Committee for Academic Scholarships will review past decisions to assess their compliance with legislation and monitor scholarship recipients.

This article exposes corrupt practices in South Africa’s education system, particularly the misuse of social grants to gain university admission. Students with strong academic records are often denied entry to top universities, while others secure placements by using their grants to bribe university staff. This issue underscores the urgent need for reform and stricter oversight of grant distribution to ensure fairness and merit-based admissions.

The University of Botswana faces allegations of maladministration and academic dishonesty, including fake master’s degree credentials, favoritism, and academic fraud. The University's Vice Chancellor has dismissed these claims as malicious attempts to tarnish the institution's reputation.

A Professor from the University of Fort Hare faces accusations of failing to address plagiarism in the theses of nine postgraduate students under his supervision. A confidential report revealed that he knew about the plagiarism but only advised students to 'reduce' it. This has sparked concerns about the University's commitment to academic standards and raised questions about the quality of the supervision. Despite the findings, the professor remains employed, leading to debate.

The council of Stellenbosch University in South Africa has appointed a three-person committee to investigate allegations of nepotism against the vice-chancellor. A motion to remove him from office, in accordance with the university's statutes, has also been confirmed. The committee will investigate the facts underlying the motion, including allegations of nepotism and a possible breach of rules concerning the Vice-Chancellor’s discretionary placement of family members within the University.