Ethical policy management processes research on the example of Ukrainian universities

Abstract

The article considers the processes of development and implementation of ethical policy in higher education institutions on the examples of Ukrainian universities. The aim of the study is effectiveness assessing of management processes for ethical policy implementation in domestic universities. The object of the research is the twenty top-rated universities in Ukraine, according to the 2021 Consolidated Rating of Higher Education Institutions. In the proposed study, the method of content analysis was used for analysis of regulatory documents in the field of ethical policy of selected universities. The analysis focuses on the proposed basic criteria that characterize the effectiveness of the ethical policy implementation, namely, on availability: approved ethical programs; an officials responsible for implementing programs; ethical training; feedback systems; developed motivational mechanisms; ethical audit procedures; procedures for reviewing ethical programs. As a result of the study, problems are identified related to the implementation of ethical policies that are specific to the universities in question, namely: the formalistic nature of ethical programs, the lack of responsible persons for the policies implementation (ethical officers), the focus of ethical trainings solely on improving academic integrity, the lack of effective feedback systems, refusal to use employee motivation systems to comply with ethical standards, the lack of ethical audit, the lack of procedures for verifying the ethical standards of new employees. The elements of ethical policy management, which will allow its effective implementation in domestic universities, are proposed. The study should help the university management corps to use ethics more effectively as a management tool.