ANTI-CORRUPTION ACADEMY OF NIGERIA INDEPENDENT CORRUPT PRACTICES & OTHER RELATED OFFENCES COMMISSION Workshop on Academic Integrity in Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria, July 6-7, 2015 THOUGHTS ON MOVING FORWARD PROFESSOR SOLA AKINRINADE, FNAL, FHSN PROVOST, ANTI-CORRUPTION ACADEMY OF NIGERIA

Outline 1.Contextualising Moving Forward 2.What Next: Defining Academic Integrity 3.Moving Forward: i.Issues to Considers ii.Questions to Ponder iii.Proposals for Moving Forward 4.Concluding Remarks

Contextualising Moving Forward  THE BACKGROUND TO THIS WORKSHOP IS THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEMS STUDY AND REVIEW (USSR) OF 2012, WHOSE KEY FINDINGS WERE PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC EARLY IN 2013 AND SHARED WITH TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS CHIEF EXECUTIVES AND REGULATORY AUTHORITIES DURING THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY AND ETHICAL VALUES IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT HELD IN MAY  THE FINDINGS WERE ALSO SHARED WITH PARTICIPANTS DURING THE OPENING SESSION OF THIS WORKSHOP.

Contextualising Moving Forward  THE USSR REPORT WAS IN THREE VOLUMES:  THE MAIN REPORT – THAT DISCUSSED THE KEY FINDINGS AS THEY RELATE TO THE PILOT INSTITUTIONS STUDIED;  THE PROCESS TEMPLATE – A DOCUMENTATION OF THE PROCESS OF CONDUCTING THE CORRUPTION RISK ASSESSMENT OR SYSTEMS STUDY WHEN EXTENDING THE STUDY TO OTHER INSTITUTIONS; AND  THE PREVENTION TEMPLATE – IDENTIFIES AND DISCUSSES VARIOUS STEPS TO BE TAKEN TO PREVENT CORRUPTION IN THE KEY AREAS NOTED IN THE MAIN REPORT.

Contextualising Moving Forward  A NUMBER OF FACILITATORS HAVE MADE COPIOUS REFERENCES TO THE FINDINGS OF THE USSR IN IDENTIFYING AREAS OF INFRACTIONS.  HOWEVER, A DOCUMENT THAT IS PROBABLY MORE IMPORTANT IS THE PREVENTION TEMPLATE  THE PREVENTION TEMPLATE CONTAINS RECOMMENDATIONS ON STEPS TO BE TAKEN BY KEY STAKEHOLDERS IN THE TERTIARY EDUCATION SYSTEM.

Contextualising Moving Forward  KEY STAKEHOLDERS IDENTIFIED INCLUDE:  THE UNIVERSITIES: MANAGEMENT, STAFF, STUDENTS  THE ICPC  THE NUC, NBTE & NCCE  THE JOINT ADMISSIONS AND MATRICULATION BOARD  OTHER STAKEHOLDERS INCLUDING PROFESSIONAL BODIES (E.G. MDCN, COUNCIL OF LEGAL EDUCATION, COREN, ARCON, ETC.; PARENTS, FEDERAL & STATE MINISTRIES OF EDUCATION, ETC.

Contextualising Moving Forward  ANOTHER NOTABLE FEATURE OF THE SYSTEMS REVIEW PROCESS IS THE REQUIREMENT FOR TARGET AGENCIES TO DEVELOP AN INTEGRITY PLAN`, THAT IS, HOW THE INSTITUTION (IN THIS CASE THE INSTITUTIONS THAT WERE STUDIED) WOULD ADDRESS THE VARIOUS AREAS OF INFRACTIONS IDENTIFIED IN RELATION TO THEIR INSTITUTION.

Contextualising Moving Forward  THE MAY 2014 NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY AND ETHICAL VALUES IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT WHICH HAD THE CHIEF EXECUTIVES OF OUR TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS PARTICIPATING ALONG WITH THEIR PRINCIPAL OFFICERS HAD AGREED THAT THE FINDINGS OF THE USSR WERE APPLICABLE ACROSS BOARD THE NIGERIAN TERTIARY INSTITUTION SYSTEM WITH ALLOWANCE FOR A FEW INSTITUTIONAL PECULIARITIES.

Contextualising Moving Forward  THAT CONFERENCE HAD RECOMMENDED AS ONE OF THE WAYS FORWARD THE EXTENSION OF THE SYSTEMS STUDY AND REVIEW TO OTHER TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN THE NIGERIAN HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM, FIRST TO OTHER UNIVERSITIES THAT WERE YET TO BE COVERED AND THEN TO THE POLYTECHNICS AND COLLEGES OF EDUCATION.

Contextualising Moving Forward  A SECOND KEY DECISION OF THE CONFERENCE IS THE CALL ON THE ICPC TO CONDUCT MANAGEMENT LEVEL TRAINING FOR OUR TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS ON AREAS OF INFRACTION IDENTIFIED IN THE USSR REPORT. HENCE, THIS WORKSHOP.

 THE NEXT QUESTION NOW IS: WHAT NEXT?

WHAT NEXT? THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER, PROFESSOR PETER OKEBUKOLA, OFR, HAS PARTLY SET AN AGENDA FOR US: 1. AGREE ON A WORKING DEFINITION OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY AND DERIVE BY CONSENSUS AMONG STAKEHOLDERS, A SET OF INDICATORS FROM WHICH ALL HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN NIGERIA ARE MEASURED.

WHAT NEXT?  WE’VE HAD A NUMBER OF DEFINITIONS PROPOSED FOR ACADEMIC INTEGRITY.  THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER, PROFESSOR OKEBUKOLA DEFINES ACADEMIC INTEGRITY AS “ADHERENCE TO A STATE OF HIGH MORAL PRINCIPLES AND PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AND VALUES IN SCHOLARSHIP ESPECIALLY IN TEACHING, LEARNING AND RESEARCH.” EMBODIED IN THIS DEFINITION IS HONESTY AND RESPONSIBILITY IN SCHOLARSHIP.

WHAT NEXT?  PROFESSOR ADESEGUN FATUSI PROVIDES US WITH THE DEFINITION BY ALISON KIRK  ACADEMIC INTEGRITY IS THE MORAL CODE OR ETHICAL POLICY OF ACADEMIA THIS INCLUDES: AVOIDANCE OF CHEATING OR PLAGIARISM MAINTENANCE OF ACADEMIC STANDARDS HONESTY AND RIGOR IN RESEARCH AND ACADEMIC PUBLISHING

WHAT NEXT?  PROFESSOR FATUSI ALSO REMINDS US THAT ACADEMIC INTEGRITY EQUALS COMMITMENT TO FIVE FUNDAMENTAL VALUES: HONESTY, TRUST, FAIRNESS, RESPECT, AND RESPONSIBILITY. … -INT’L CENTER FOR ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

MOVING FORWARD WE WANT TO POSE A FEW QUESTIONS THAT WOULD GUIDE OUR REFLECTION ON MOVING FORWARD AS INSTITUTIONS AND AS A SYSTEM.

MOVING FORWARD 1.WHAT IS OUR WORKING DEFINITION OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY AND WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS DEFINITION FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF AREAS OF INFRACTION?

MOVING FORWARD 2.IS THERE A GENERAL ACCEPTANCE OF THE RELEVANCE OF THE CHALLENGES IDENTIFIED DURING THIS WORKSHOP AS APPLICABLE IN OUR INDIVIDUAL INSTITUTIONS?

MOVING FORWARD 3.IF WE AGREE THAT THE PROBLEMS EXIST AND CHANGE IS REQUIRED, HOW DO WE BUILD STAKEHOLDER SUPPORT FOR CHANGE IN OUR RESPECTIVE INSTITUTIONS? NOTE: USUAL RESISTANCE TO CHANGE AND THE NEED TO OVERCOME THE RESISTANCE.

MOVING FORWARD IDENTIFICATION OF STAKEHOLDERS: 4.WHO ARE THE RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS IN THE CONTEXT OF ENTHRONING ACADEMIC INTEGRITY IN OUR INSTITUTIONS?

MOVING FORWARD ON SEQUENCE OF SECURING CHANGE: 5.WHAT IS THE ROLE OF AWARENESS, CAPACITY BUILDING AND ENFORCEMENT IN SECURING CHANGE AND MOVING FORWARD?

MOVING FORWARD 6.HOW DO WE CARRY THE STUDENTS ALONG PARTICULARLY IN RELATIONS TO INTEGRITY ISSUES AFFECTING STUDENTS?

MOVING FORWARD CLEANING UP THE MESS: 7.WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES TO SANCTIONING AND ENFORCEMENT IN RELATION TO EXISTING INFRACTIONS?

MOVING FORWARD 8.HOW DO WE PROPOSE TO REPLICATE THIS PROGRAMME AT INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL AND BUILD INTERNAL CAPACITY FOR UNDERSTANDING AND TACKLING THE ISSUES AT OUR VARIOUS INSTITUTIONS?

MOVING FORWARD BUILDING SYSTEMIC INTEGRITY 9.IS THERE A PLACE FOR INSTITUTING AN INTEGRITY INDEX SYSTEM-WIDE? AND, 10.HOW DO WE GO ABOUT DEVELOPING THE INTEGRITY INDEX?

MOVING FORWARD BUILDING SYSTEMIC INTEGRITY 11.WHAT ROLE SHOULD BE PLAYED BY THE FOLLOWING IN BUILDING SYSTEMIC INTEGRITY? i.THE ICPC ii.REGULATORY AUTHORITIES: NUC, NBTE, NCCE, JAMB iii.OUR INSTITUTIONS: GOVERNING COUNCILS, MANAGEMENT, SENATE, ACADEMIC STAFF, NON-TEACHING STAFF, STUDENTS iv.OTHER STAKEHOLDERS: PARENTS, PROFESSIONAL REGULATORY BODIES

MOVING FORWARD  ON MOVING FORWARD, FACILITATORS HAVE IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF PROPOSALS WHICH, IF IMPLEMENTED WILL SET OUR INSTITUTIONS ON THE PATH TO INTEGRITY IN ACADEMIC PROCESSES. IMPORTANT ONES WHICH WE SHOULD TAKE WITH US INCLUDE:

MOVING FORWARD 1.INDIVIDUAL INSTITUTIONS TO ASSESS AND DOCUMENT THE INTEGRITY CHALLENGE IN THE CONTEXT OF INSTITUTIONAL PECULIARITIES AND NOTED CHALLENGES. THE ICPC/NUC STUDY HAS GIVEN US A TEMPLATE. WHILE THE ICPC/NUC TEAM MAY NOT BE ABLE TO VISIT EVERY HIGHER INSTITUTION IN THE NIGERIAN TERTIARY INSTITUTION NETWORK, EACH INSTITUTION CAN – AND SHOULD – ENGAGE IN SELF- ASSESSMENT, AKIN TO THE SELF-ASSESSMENT THAT PRECEDE ACCREDITATION.

MOVING FORWARD THE SELF ASSESSMENT SHOULD BE AS HONEST AS POSSIBLE IN ORDER TO PERMIT THE DEVELOPMENT OF APPROPRIATE RESPONSES AT INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL.

MOVING FORWARD 2.UPON COMPLETION OF INDIVIDUAL SELF- ASSESSMENT, BUILD & IMPLEMENT EVIDENCE- BASED & ROBUST INTERVENTIONS. 3.CULTIVATE THE CULTURE OF INTEGRITY

ON MOVING FORWARD  IN ADDITION, THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER SET US A TEN-POINT AGENDA FOR CONSIDERATION: 1.DEVELOP A UNIVERSITY POLICY/CODE ON ACADEMIC INTEGRITY. 2.WIDE DISSEMINATION OF THE POLICY. 3.CONDUCT UNIVERSITY-WIDE WORKSHOPS ON THE POLICY.

ON MOVING FORWARD 4.SECURE SIGNATURES OF STAFF AND STUDENTS AS ENDORSEMENT AND AGREEMENT WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE POLICY. 5.SET UP A UNIT ON ACADEMIC INTEGRITY. 6.REWARD AND CELEBRATE EXEMPLARY STAFF AND STUDENTS. 7.PROCURE, PERIODICALLY UPDATE AND WIDELY USE PLAGIARISM SOFTWARE.

ON MOVING FORWARD 8.CONFIRMATION OF NON-PLAGIARISM 9.INCLUDE CONCEPTS ON ACADEMIC INTEGRITY IN THE GENERAL STUDIES PROGRAMME. 10.SANCTION ERRING STUDENTS AND STAFF.

CONCLUDING REMARKS 1.THE RESPONSIBIITY FOR EFFECTING CHANGE IS PRIMARILY THAT OF OUR INDIVIDUAL INSTITTIONS AND ULTIMATELY THE SYSTEM AT LARGE. 2.WE CAN MAKE A LOT OF PROGRESS IF WE ALL MAKE UP OUR MINDS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR VARIOUS CORNERS.