“A single lie destroys a whole reputation of integrity. Real integrity is doing the right thing with fairness, knowing even that nobody’s going to know whether you did it or not” (Stephen Denny)
How do we feel today during the interaction among the intellectuals in the global arena? We have often met some incidental friends through the social media. We might also have a long relationship with them. But, sometimes, we find something deviating from the standard of the stipulated norm people have decided fairly.
In the contemporary world, intellectuals play a crucial role in shaping knowledge, policies, and societal advancements. However, the ethical conduct and integrity of intellectuals are paramount in ensuring that their contributions are trustworthy and beneficial. The concept of global integrity among intellectuals refers to adherence to moral principles, honesty, and accountability in research, education, research publication, and public discourse. In connection with these issues, we better explore the significance of global integrity for intellectuals, the challenges they face, and measure to uphold integrity across different fields.
Global integrity among intellectuals fosters credibility and trust in knowledge dissemination. Intellectuals, including academics, researchers, and professionals, serve as the backbone of societal progress. This can be done by generating and sharing information that influences policies and decision-making (Altbach, 2015). Without integrity, the value of intellectual contributions diminishes, leading to misinformation and societal harm. Academic dishonesty, plagiarism, and data fabrication compromise the authenticity of scholarly work and hinder the development of reliable knowledge (Eaton, 2021).
Furthermore, intellectuals are role models for students and future generations. Their ethical conduct in research and education ensures that young scholars cultivate values of honesty, responsibility, and transparency (Fishman, 2019). Upholding global integrity strengthens academic institutions and enhances cross-border collaborations. Then, all these further wills ensure that international research partnerships remain credible and fruitful.
Despite its significance, maintaining global integrity among intellectuals is challenging. One major issue is the pressure to publish in highly ranked journals. It may lead the researchers and journal publishers to engage in unethical practices such as falsification of data or predatory publishing, and unfair standard being practiced among the articles being published (Shaw, 2020).
Additionally, political and economic influences often challenge intellectual integrity. Governments or private institutions may attempt to manipulate research findings for their benefit, leading to biased conclusions (Ziman, 2000). Intellectuals who expose unethical practices or challenge powerful entities may face censorship, legal threats, or loss of funding, further complicating their ability to uphold integrity.
Another challenge is the digital era, in which misinformation spreads rapidly. Intellectuals are sometimes misquoted or their work is taken out of context. This can lead to the distortion of academic findings (Lewandowsky et al., 2017). In such cases, maintaining integrity involves actively engaging in public discourse and clarifying misconceptions.
To promote global integrity, academic institutions and organizations must enforce strict ethical guidelines. For example, universities and research institutions should implement rigorous plagiarism detection systems. They fairly encourage open-access publishing to enhance transparency (Resnik, 2020). Ethical training programs should be integrated into academic curricula to instil the principles of integrity among students and early-career researchers.
International collaboration is another key aspect. Universities with their journal publishers should develop cross-border ethical and fair standards that ensure integrity in global research partnerships. Organizations such as the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) provide guidelines for responsible authorship and ethical research conduct (COPE, 2021).
In general, the global integrity for intellectuals in universities or campuses is essential. We have to maintain credibility, foster trust, and ensure meaningful societal contributions and fairness. By upholding integrity, intellectuals contribute to a more just and knowledge-driven world.
Dr. Djuwari is an Associate Professor at Universitas Nahdlatul Ulama Surabaya (UNUSA) Indonesia. Surabaya, the editor of some research journals in the Philippines and Indonesia. He is also a journalist in some newspapers in Indonesia; the President of International Association of Scholarly Publishers, Editors, and Reviewers (IASPER), business owner of Djuw Café
