Since the end of the Cold War, a dramatic increase in global education has led to increased commercialization, as well as an increase in corruption. Corruption in higher education should not only be seen in terms of misuse of research funds, presentation and construction of fraudulent data, or inequitable admissions practices.

Private supplementary tutoring in pre-university education is defined as tutoring in academic subjects provided by tutors for financial gain in addition to the provision of mainstream schooling. A researcher from Lehigh University raises concerns about private tutoring and provides examples of situations where it is not used to complement mainstream schooling but instead replaces it.

A specter of corruption is haunting the global campaign towards higher education internationalization. New private actors have entered the sector, with the sole goal of making money. Some of them are less than honorable. Corruption is not limited to countries that may have a reputation for less than fully circumspect academic practices, but that problem occurs globally.