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In an unprecedented crackdown on academic misconduct, as many as 179 university professors from some 110 universities in South Korea were indicted on Monday after an extensive criminal investigation into a huge copyright scam. The professors have been charged with republishing existing textbooks written by others under their own names by modifying the covers with the alleged connivance of the publishing companies.

Having barely recovered from the protests over history curriculum in July, the Ministry of Education finds itself under heat again. This time, over failing to prevent the undue influence of high-ranking officials who serve in positions at private universities right after their retirement. Twenty-one officials who retired from the MOE allegedly assumed positions at private colleges in the past 20 years. Some are said to be receiving lucrative sums in addition to their retirement pensions, while others are said to be well past retirement age.

The spate of financial scandals that are rocking Chile have stirred a wholesome debate in the country on the importance of ethics in the teaching of economics. The Pontifical Catholic University of Chile’s economics and administration faculty has been under the spotlight since three of its former students, previously hailed as 'star students', were prosecuted and jailed for a week pending trial for tax fraud and other financial crimes

Student plagiarism help site? Academics and administration officials at Concordia and McGill universities are raising concerns over Course Hero, a note-sharing website for students which boasts more than just notes. Looking at only a few of its hundreds of pages, CBC Montreal Investigates found 35 chapters lifted from textbooks, and 56 professors' presentations.

A warning by German anti-corruption organisation Transparency International that links between higher education and business are becoming increasingly obscure has sparked an open debate. "We are observing corporate interests increasingly dominating teaching and research to a large extent,” said Director of Transparency International Germany.

Up to 80 state and private universities may be involved in selling teacher certificates or offering courses without accreditation, according to authorities. The Office of the Higher Education Commission (Ohec), which is investigating a university in Khon Kaen province found to have sold professional teacher certificates to graduates, said it would widen its probe to 77 other providers which had produced an unusually high number of teaching graduates.

In his years of teaching, chemistry senior lecturer said he has witnessed numerous forms of misconduct, discovering students listening to lectures, studying note cards and accessing course material on bathroom breaks during exams.

As a result of the increasing economic scandals, business universities and schools around the world are now interested in including ethics classes in their programs. They are concerned with idea that students are not equipped to deal with ethical dilemmas, therefore several activities that involve the analysis of the causes and consequences of the crises, visits to convicted of fraud and projects to change are taking place.