Ethics in Higher Education: student’s perspective on the major ethical standards

Abstract

The importance of ethics and the compliance of the university code of ethics represents a fundamental dimension in the student's life, which offers him a new perspective of freedom but at the same time it is obliges him to know and respect this code. Along the education, a fundamental process of human life, ethics has a real role to play in the formation of the student. The code of ethics contains four categories of major standards that will underpin the student's attitudes, beliefs, and ethical behaviors. These elements include: freedom and personal autonomy, honesty and integrity, respect and tolerance and last but not least responsibility. The student, as a result of the social environment will not dissociate from the collective but will become an active part of the socio-cultural, economic, political environment and will take part in the progress and evolution of his community. This paper will address the student's perspective on the main ethical standards and will reveal how to prevent or correct any unethical attitudes, actions or behaviors. The chosen research strategy in this study was a qualitative one, namely the focus group technique was used and as a working tool it was used the interview guide. Ethics influences our way of thinking, our decisions, behaviors and actions in both personal and professional life and the fact that we are part of a global community forces us to contribute to the common good by choosing a lifestyle according to accepted ethical standards.