Directorate of Ethics

Godfrey Okoye University (GO Uni) was established by the Catholic Diocese of Enugu in 2009. It is properly known as the Catholic University of Enugu. A Catholic University is already by its name a values-driven establishment that has to be characterized by the ethical standards of the Christian faith. This explains why the Vice Chancellor of GO Uni, Very Rev. Father Professor Christian Anieke expressed the strong wish to establish a Directorate of Ethics in the University. The Directorate was intended to ensure that ethical standards are maintained at all levels and in ALL operations of Godfrey Okoye University, Enugu. Rev. Father Ikechukwu J. Ani was directed to prepare the necessary documentation for the new directorate.

Shortly before the decision to establish our Directorate, we had received the proposal from the National Universities Commission (NUC) highlighting that every Nigerian University was expected to establish a “Directorate of Research Administration”. This NUC’s proposal was to influence the naming of the new directorate by the Management of GO Uni.

The preparatory documents passed through the scrutiny of the Vice Chancellor and principal officers before the formal application for the establishment of the Directorate was presented to the Senate for approval. With the approval of the Senate, the “Directorate of Ethics and Research Administration” was established in October 2017 (in the academic year 2017/2018). The Directorate was intended to assist Management in ensuring that ethical standards are maintained at all levels and in ALL operations of Godfrey Okoye University Enugu.

The following provisions were made for the Directorate:

1. Rev. Father Ikechukwu J. Ani, PhD, was appointed the Director of the new GO Uni Directorate.
2. Mrs Mercy Onuekwusi was deployed to serve in the Directorate asthe Administrative Officer.
3. A well-equipped office accommodation has been provided on the top floor of Uno-Ezumezu of the University.
4. In the academic year 2021/2022 Rev. Father Dr Anacletus I. Ogbunkwu was appointed Deputy Director of the unit.

There is an unfortunately wide celebrated opinion that Nigerian universities have degenerated into institutions where lots of evil are generated and nurtured. Indeed, evidences of a high proportion of unethical practices have been recorded in Nigerian universities. Although we may prefer to paint a more positive picture of universities in Nigeria, it is regrettable that in the Nigerian education sector fundamental values and virtues are being constantly violated. There are several shades of cheating, plagiarism, unethical research, nepotism in staff recruitment often devoid of competency considerations, self-centred neglect of staff and student welfare, multidimensional corrupt practices, sexual harassment, abysmal neglect of duties for which one regularly receives salaries, etc. In the words of Singh and Stückelberger, these ethical behaviors and operational practices “give the young people the wrong signal that this is how the world functions and that only with unethical behaviours could one achieve professional success”.

In Godfrey Okoye University those unethical practices that have become tacitly accepted “tradition” in many other universities in Nigeria are tabus. The Directorate of Ethics stands out, among other directorates of GO Uni, as a momentous structural arrangement to make sure that best ethical practices are maintained in our University and popularized to be sources of inspiration for other universities in Nigeria.

If Christ expects His followers to be “salt of the earth and light of the world” (cf. Matthew 5:13-16), we are convinced that He would mandate the Catholic University of Enugu to be “salt of (higher) education and light of Universities in Nigeria”.

According to Fulton J. Sheen:

“When men believe in one God, education produces a university; when men believe in many gods, such as each individual sets up for himself, from Pleasure to Wealth, there are pluriversities. There is here no quarrel with specialization; the problem is rather, what is the basic goal of man even when he does become a specialist?”

We can agree with F.J. Sheen that there is really not much point in educating a man “unless we know the purpose of man”.

The Directorate will help to sustain a university that in all its activities, may never lose sight of the ultimate question of eternal union with God, who is indeed the unifying Authority of every knowledge. Our inevitable relationship with God invariably places an ethical searchlight on the manner in which we go about our daily duties in life. A catholic university is already by its name a values-driven establishment that has to be characterized by the ethical standards of the Christian faith.

The establishment of “GO Uni Directorate of Ethics” gives a clear signal that our University can distinguish itself as a values-driven academic institution. As articulated in the appointment letter given to me as the Director, the duties of the Directorate include:

1. Drawing up an ethics agenda for the University in line with the group of institutions under the Globethics.net.
2. Ensuring the upholding of the ethical standards in the University curriculum.
3. Ensuring that ethical standards are maintained in staff-student and student-student relationships.
4. Any other related duties that may be assigned by the Vice Chancellor from time to time.
5. Representing the University in the Steering Committee of Globethics Consortium for Ethics in Higher Education

Institutionalizing ethical decisions, attitudes and behavior in GO Uni includes, but is not limited to:

1. Establishing ethical dimension and behavior as a norm, as the regular practice, (not a rare heroic excellence), in the organization and overall culture of GO Uni.
2. Enthroning “Service before self” as an attractive approach to decision making by individuals, management bodies and institutions in GO Uni.
3. Getting the endorsement and appreciation of all stakeholders for Ethics in GO Uni.
4. Making sure that the GO Uni Oath of Honour is administered to all members of staff, as well as to the governing bodies of GO Uni.
5. Ensuring that every student of the university attends and participates actively in the lectures on Moral Reasoning and Ethics, as already articulated in the General Studies Curriculum of the University.
6. Updating the course content for lectures in Moral Reasoning and Ethics.
7. Setting-up Ethics Committees to take care of particular responsibilities at the different units of the University, e.g. Research Ethics Committee.
8. Organizing regular training sessions for ethical performance in higher education for academic and administrative staff of GO Uni.
9. Providing templates for monitoring and measuring ethical performance in all units of the University.
10. Offering a complaint mechanism (with privacy protection) for whistle blowers to provide warning signals against unethical practices in GO Uni.
11. Establishing financial awards and other incentives to honour ethical behaviours.
12. Integrating ethical behaviour in the criteria for promotion and awards in the university.
13. Working out strategies for promoting ethical behaviour at all levels and units of the University.
14. Producing visible insignia to awaken awareness for ethical behaviour and practices.
15. Collaborating closely with Globethics.net to pursue consistent action plans towards achieving the noble aim of empowering young people for values-driven leadership.
16. Introducing our Directorate to the National Universities Commission (NUC) Abuja.
17. Articulating and pursuing many more strategies to sustain ethical behaviours in all operations of the University.

According to distinguished proponents of Ethics in Higher Education:

“Higher education is leadership education. The values and virtues practiced in universities heavily influence the future leaders.”

Godfrey Okoye University is taking the lead in facing the challenges of Ethics in Higher Education seriously and sincerely with clearly established structures. The humble contribution being made here will surely help to produce better leaders and so change the face of Nigeria and beyond.

May God grant success to the efforts being initiated and carried out in our University through the Directorate of Ethics.

Our Directorate was officially introduced to the National Universities Commission (NUC) Abuja, and collaborates directly with the “Research and Innovation” unit of the NUC. From 5-8 March, 2018, the Director had some familiarization interaction with the NUC office.

«Globethics.net is foundation registered under Swiss Law with its Head Office in Geneva. As a member in consultative status with the United Nations (ECOSOC), Globethics.net is a leading global stakeholder in the promotion of ethics across sectors. It is a global network on applied ethics with individual and institutional participants from all continents. It provides an electronic platform for ethical reflection and action. Its central instrument is the internet site www.globethics.net. It is committed to strengthening core values such as freedom, justice, sustainability, peace and responsibility in a globalised world by knowledge sharing, networking, empowering people and institutions, international research and training for responsible leadership.»

The activities of GO Uni Directorate of Ethics are implemented in close collaborating with Globethics.net and its partner institutions to pursue consistent action plans towards achieving the noble aim of empowering young people for values-driven leadership. The Directorate is being supported and supervised and supported by the Globethics.net Chair of GO Uni. Our Globethics.net Chair is Prof Dr. Dr. h.c. Christoph Stückelberger, Rev.

From 6th to 8th December, 2017 the Director represented the University at the “Multistakeholder Forum on Ethics in Education: Building Together an Ethical Environment for Educators”. This international conference was organized in Geneva Switzerland by the Globethics.net in collaboration with the Education Relief Foundation (ERF). The focus of the conference was “Balanced and Inclusive Education”. The Director made a presentation on “Rebuilding Children Victims of Conflict Situations”. It was an enriching interaction with experts and professionals from different parts of the world, which will further enrich our services in the new directorate.

On 7th December, there was a meeting of the members of the Globethics.net Consortium for Ethics in Higher Education at which the Director also represented the University. The major agenda of the meeting was the planning of activities that will take place in 2018.

According to distinguished proponents of Ethics in Higher Education:

“Higher education is leadership education. The values and virtues practiced in universities heavily influence the future leaders.”

We are therefore grateful to God that Godfrey Okoye University is taking the lead in facing the challenges of Ethics in Higher Education seriously and sincerely with clearly established structures. The humble contribution being made here will surely help to produce better leaders and so change the face of our country, Nigeria.

Ethics matter in higher education and are needed urgently. This was one of the conclusions made by members of the newly established Globethics Consortium on Ethics in Higher Education during its inaugural meeting in Geneva organised by Globethics.net from 21-23 June 2017.

Consortium members agreed that the topic of integrating ethics in higher education is key to tackling corruption, establishing research methodology, avoiding plagiarism and building up and forming the youth who are the future for governance in nations.

From 21-23 June leaders of higher education institutions and experts in the sector took part in the discussions at the meeting of the Globethics Consortium on Ethics in Higher Education facilitated by Prof. Arnold Smit, Head of Social Impact at the University of Stellenbosch Business School, South Africa

• strengthening the ethical reputation of higher education institutions; 
• promoting professional ethical awareness and providing support to teachers; 
• supporting students with tools and resources; 
• integrating ethical reflection and action in research; and 
• raising awareness of policy makers on the need to integrate values-based policies in education in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the UNESCO Framework for Action 2030 .

On the afternoon of the second day, 22 June 2017, the meeting was hosted by the INSEEC group of business schools at their newest campus in Chambéry, France. The INSEEC campus provided the perfect environment for presenters and delegates to discuss Consortium activities in a marketplace exercise. The last day of the Consortium meeting established the action plan and future perspectives of the Globethics Consortium and concluded with the signing of the Consortium Agreement and expressions of interest by participating institutions and individual experts. Obiora Ike, Globethics.net Executive Director, ended by expressing his gratitude to the delegates, sponsors, partners, the Globethics.net Board and team. “Your presence is an expression of your determination to engage meaningfully in the processes that support sustainable development and transformation of society through people – starting with the youth and students who are the future and primary beneficiaries of our work as teachers”. Obiora Ike, Globethic.net Executive Director addressing participants at the Globethics Consortium meeting