Forum on Academic Integrity Held in Astana
On December 9th, International Anti-Corruption Day, the Agency, in collaboration with the UNODC and the project office of the League of Academic Integrity, hosted a national forum to promote a culture of integrity in education. It is important to note that the campaign for International Anti-Corruption Day 2024-2025 highlights the role of young people as the foundation of a future society where corruption has no place. The forum gathered about 200 leading representatives from the country’s educational and scientific sectors. The event was attended by the UNODC Regional Representative for Afghanistan, Central Asia, Iran and Pakistan O. Shtolpe, the First Vice-Minister of Education N.V. Zhumadildaeva, the Vice-Minister of Science and Higher Education, T.I. Eshenkulov, the Chairman of the Board of Maqsut Narikbayev University T.M. Narikbaev, members of the Public Council of the Agency, and around 60 university rectors.
Opening the event, the Chairman of the Agency A. Zhumagali, emphasized that academic integrity is the foundation of quality education and successful professional development. The League can become a key tool in fostering a culture of integrity and transparency for educational institutions, both at the higher and secondary education levels.
The League of Academic Integrity is an association of educational institutions aimed at promoting the principles of fairness and incorruptibility, developing ethical standards, and preventing violations within the education system.
The League was founded 5 years ago and unites 18 universities, including Maqsut Narikbayev University, the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kazakhstan-British Technical University, the Karaganda University named after Academician Buketov, and others.
In his speech at the forum, the Chairman of the Board of Maqsut Narikbayev University Talgat Narikbayev emphasized that the future of the League of Academic Integrity is tied to covering all levels of the educational process and adopting a systematic approach to forming values of integrity.
To assess universities, the League has developed 10 principles and 105 criteria for evaluating compliance with academic standards.
Examples of successful similar organizations include the Ivy League in the USA, the Red Brick League, and the leading research universities of the Russell Group in the UK. These associations bring together universities striving to meet high academic standards.
The forum presented the results of the League of Academic Integrity’s work, measures taken in secondary and higher education, the digital transformation of the educational process, and the experiences of leading universities in the country.
Ahead of the forum, the Civil Aviation Academy, Arkalyk Pedagogical Institute, and the West Kazakhstan Medical University expressed interest in joining the League.
The forum became one of the platforms to promote the principle of “Law and Order” in society, exchange experiences, and discuss key areas of work to strengthen integrity and honesty in education.
The Forum also provided a platform to explore the gender dimension of corruption and its impact on the quality and effectiveness of education. At the panel discussion on the gender dimensions of corruption, the Russian version of the UNODC flagship publication "The Time is Now: Addressing the Gender Dimensions of Corruption" was presented for the first time. The discussion explored its key messages through the lens of educational integrity, highlighting the interplay between gender, corruption, and equitable access to quality education.
The Anti-Corruption Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan and UNODC have a longstanding partnership focused on strengthening the anti-corruption framework. This includes promoting anti-corruption education and fostering a culture of integrity within academic institutions by utilizing materials from the UNODC Global Resource for Anti-Corruption Education and Youth Empowerment (GRACE Initiative).
