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Political interference in Africa’s universities is not new. Universities’ governance was seen as ‘captured’ for narrow political rather than academic ends during the 1980s and 1990s. The continent’s universities started changing from the middle of the 1990s. Strong governance structures were prioritised. Governments promised to help steady institutions so they could focus on their academic missions. But studies funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York and conducted by CODESRIA, suggest that not much has changed. The same tensions and crises associated with the old political order – student disturbances, harassment of academic staff and widespread academic corruption – persist.

The association representing Canada’s university professors has condemned Carleton University’s board of governors for a new policy that will ban board members from speaking publicly about the meetings they attend. The professors say the move is a violation of transparency and openness that is fundamental to academic freedom. The board has also moved to ban faculty and student union representatives from sitting on the board, claiming they are in conflict of interest.

The Council of Europe and European Union joint project “Strengthening Integrity and Combating Corruption in Higher Education in Armenia” was launched in Yerevan on 27 May 2015. The Project objective is to support the development of prevention and integrity mechanisms for practicing professionals and to increase good governance in the field of higher education in Armenia.

The second university ethics and good governance movement summit has kicked off yesterday in Jimma University. Federal ethics and anti-corruption commission Head said universities should pay equal attention to producing ethical graduates as much as training competent ones. The Head added major construction projects at universities, bids on purchases, student canteen services, etc. should be based on accountability and transparency.