Introduction

High ethical standards are enshrined in the aims and objectives of most universities. But it is evident that many institutions do not necessarily behave ethically in every situation.

Perhaps there was a golden age when principled behaviour was the norm in universities and a defined code was unnecessary. Perhaps. But it is difficult to believe that human nature has altered so appreciably. What has changed - and belatedly needs to be recognised - is the impact of external pressures on higher education. Pressures from funders, policymakers and users are much greater, while the penalties for ethical lapses are more likely to have devastating effects on individual and institutional reputations.

Therefore, the “how to” guide on ethical behaviour to be published by the Council for Industry and Higher Education in the autumn is timely, if not overdue. The CIHE’s preliminary research uncovered a patchy network of institutional policies: some developed, others barely refined; some transparent, others confidential. Consistency achieved without squeezing policies into a common code across the sector is desirable, as each institution differs, but all face common ethical dilemmas. Addressing Ethical Issues in Higher Education: A Practical Guide sets out to create a level playing field by helping universities and colleges to develop and implement an ethics policy framework.

Universities and colleges cannot escape ethical considerations in every activity in which they engage. Although some situations are a straight choice between right and wrong on self-evident grounds, an increasing number are less sharply defined. Institutions that have adopted a sound, internally consistent ethical approach will have the tools to differentiate when solutions are not immediately obvious.

The CIHE identifies several areas where ethical questions arise. Where the law is silent, institutions must determine what is and is not acceptable behaviour. It was Lord Dearing’s 1997 National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education that implicitly defined higher education as an ethical activity. When it appears in its final guise, the CIHE guide will be the tool to make that explicit.

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