Integrity within the University Community. Its Ethical Values, Attitudes and Behaviors

• Author: Mirela Arsith
• Position: Danubius University of Galati, Faculty of Communication Sciences
• Pages: 258-262

European Integration - Realities and Perspectives

2010

258

Integrity within the University Community.

Its Ethical Values, Attitudes and Behaviours

Mirela Arsith

Danubius University of Galati, Faculty of Communication Sciences, arsith.mirela@univ-danubius.ro

Abstract. The hypothesis, that our paper is based on, is that the universi ty community plays an important role

both in the process of shaping the students’ professional and trans versal competences and in the shaping of

their moral dimension. Ethical values, such as credibility, respect, equity, correctness, tolerance, might

generate attitudes, such as participative interest, responsibility ass umption, moral norms, dialogue willingness

etc. The personal and professional development of the students from “Danubius” University of Galati, should

be conditioned both by their solid knowledge, their competences of their specialization, and by their interior

ethical behaviours. The future graduates should focus their future activity on a professional deontology and

on the projection of t he possible consequences of their actions and decisi ons within the individual, social and

natural environment they are going to work in. The aim of our paper is to identify and analyze the strategies

of ethicall y shaping the students who will be specialists in communication and public relations. Our paper

will demonstra te the i mportance of the ethical dimension within this specialization which will provide the

competences of the social influence. This has multiple outcomes within the social field, having significant

ethical implications.

Keywords: ethical values; communication ethics; higher education

1. Introduction

In the contemporary society it is increasingly imposed the fact that the universities have become active

social actors more and more involved in the social, economic and cultural development at local,

regional, national and global level. The mission of universities has diversified, not only they prepare

future professional elite, but they also have a great responsibility on training more and more students

to accede to higher education. In this context, the institutions of higher education can no longer be

governed only by traditional academic standards, being imposed an assumption of new roles,

responsibilities and ethical rules, which will be the basis of a society of knowledge and lifelong

learning.

2. Academic Ethos

2.1. The Role of Values that Define Academic Integrity

Higher education is based upon its activity of teaching-learning and training students, and also on the

academic community research demarche completed on the free exchange of ideas, creativity and