In the press

Academics need to publish in order to advance professionally, get better jobs or secure tenure. Even within the halls of respectable academia, the difference between legitimate and fake publications and conferences is far blurrier than scholars would like to admit. Some canny operators have now realized that when standards are loose to begin with, there are healthy profits to be made in the grey areas of academe.

South Korea’s National Assembly last week focused on the role of the prestigious Ewha Womans University as part of its fourth round of hearings into an influence peddling scandal surrounding embattled South Korean President. Since early December the assembly has held four rounds of hearings, to gather evidence on whether the presidents close confidante used her friendship to influence policy and wrongly secure millions of dollars in funding for her foundations from South Korean conglomerates.

Egyptian authorities recently busted what they said was the biggest illegal organ trafficking ring in the country’s history. The suspects include medical professors at the universities of Cairo and Ain Shams, Egypt’s two main public academic institutions, the Health Ministry said. Investigations by Egypt’s Administrative Control Authority and the Health Ministry focused on private hospitals and health centres. Authorities found “millions of dollars and gold bullion”, at the 10 centres.

A large number of universities, colleges and schools organised walks, seminars and debating competition to raise awareness among students, faculty and other staff. The Student Affairs Director at the University of Engineering and Technology (UET), speaking on the occasion of a debating competition organised to mark the day, said that zero tolerance would be shown against corruption and malpractices.

Stakeholders are still awaiting a response from the education cabinet secretary to a World Bank report released earlier this year which put Kenya’s Higher Education Loans Board on the spot for mismanaging its funds at the expense of needy students. The report, indicates that the Higher Education Loans Board is spending excessive money on administrative costs that could be added to students’ loans. It recommends an overhaul of the loan disbursement and recovery mechanisms.

The maker of the ACT college-entrance exam, which has been struggling to contain an international cheating epidemic, is raising its fees for overseas test-takers by $10 to pay for enhanced security. ACT, an Iowa-based not-for-profit, has suffered major security setbacks in recent months. After the October sitting of the exam, ACT cancelled scores for an unspecified number of students in Asia and Oceania on the writing section of the test because of a leak.

Following 2013 Cabinet’s approval for the funding framework to ensure equity and transparency in the allocation of financial resources to public higher education institutions, the National Council for higher Education (NCHE) says budgetary submissions are being finalised for the 2017/18 financial year. The funding framework was for the first time implemented this current financial year for the country’s only two public higher education institutions.

Universities across the country may now have to resort to cashless means like bank transfers, cheques and credit/debit cards while making use of periodic funds from University Grants Commission (UGC). The commission said the move was in order to bring in accountability, transparency and seamlessness in the process of transfer of grants. The commission said it has virtually made payments cashless and decreased the interface between stakeholders and employees of the organisation.

The Education Ministry recently appointed 157 new secondary school head teachers and 594 deputy head teachers. The State minister for higher education has asked the newly appointed secondary school head teachers to spearhead the war against corruption in the schools they will be leading. Speaking at the start of a two day induction of newly appointed head teachers at Kitante hill secondary school, Kampala, he challenged teachers to be honest and prudently manage resources at their disposal.

Experts from many African and European countries have blamed lack of transparency and unethical practices as some of the reasons preventing Nigerian universities from making the list of best global institutions. Transparency in admissions, teachings and university administration were some of the criteria used for judging the best universities worldwide. They further said that Nigerian universities must train students on character and integrity for them to compete globally.