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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.

Corrupt offences committed in the education sector in Madagascar involve professional abuse, abuse of influence, unlawful gifts, favoritism, and conflicts of interest. Students bribe their teachers to obtain better grades or admission to a higher class. The conference on ‘Strengthening integrity and fighting corruption in higher education’ organized by the Graduate School for Economic and Social Development, and the Independent Anti-Corruption Bureau is a call for students, directors, and teachers to be made aware and educated about the fight against corruption.

To ensure academic integrity and prevent plagiarism, the Paris Institute of Political Studies has banned the use of ChatGPT, the new chatbot capable of instantly writing essays. Without transparent referencing, students are forbidden to use the software for any written work or presentations, except for specific course purposes. The sanctions for use of the software may go as far as exclusion from the institution.

14 academic and administrative staff members from the Official University of Bukavu in Congo have been dismissed after an internal audit revealed they possessed forged certificates and academic titles. The former rector has been accused of nepotism, after hiring several family members based on family acquaintances while violating normal recruitment processes.

A survey of 2,000 university students and 500 employees conducted by the Center for the Development of Youth Activism (CROA), found every fourth student has had an encounter with corruption - such as paying for a better grade. In addition to bribes and coerced textbook purchases, some students were pressured to join political parties and extorted for sexual favours. CROA is not only passing on the complaints to universities for a follow-up investigation, but is also planning anti-corruption training for professors, staff, and students. And it is working to include conflict of interest in universities’ codes of ethics.

A petitioner accused Adesh Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Bathinda of unethical practices and alleged employment of at least 12 ghost teachers. The employees would just come to the private institute and mark their presence and then return to their own institutes. The high court directed medical bodies to investigate the complaint and take appropriate action.

An audit has been launched last November to investigate alleged corruption in all accounts at Delhi University’s college. 180 books purchased for a lakh never reached the college. The principal misused his position and engaged in various irregularities, including UGC examinations.

Six vice-chancellors from Cambridge, Exeter and UCL have signed up to a pledge which commits universities to stop using legally binding non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) against students and staff who report sexual harassment. The Higher Education Minister stated that universities should end the use of NDAs which “buy victims’ silence” in sexual misconduct cases.

Following the arrest of a lecturer at the University of Kigali over allegedly forging academic documents, Rwanda’s Higher Education Council (HEC) decided to withdraw recognition for PhD degrees obtained from the United States Atlantic International University. The university has an accreditation from a UK based independent international educational agency, however, dismissed by HEC, because it is not a government agency in charge of accreditation in the UK or elsewhere.

Nigeria’s National Universities Commission (NUC) had discovered fake institutions in Benin awarding PhD degrees after students completed bogus studies in less than one year. According to NUC, academic projects and theses were sold for about NGN3,000 (about US$7.32) per copy, and sexual harassment was prevalent. Many of these fraudulent institutions are run by Nigerian proprietors who target students from Nigeria, where public universities struggle to accommodate a high number of qualified students seeking admission.