Students urged to oppose corruption in universities

05.03.2012 15:52
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The students are advised to oppose corruption in higher education institutions by becoming involved in the Universities without Corruption Project that was launched by the National Center for Transparency and Human Rights. Such a call was made by the Center’s executive director Artiom Maister in a news conference on March 5, Info-Prim Neo reports. The project aims to sensitize the students. “According to a study made by Transparency International last year, about 50% of the students admitted that the students commit corruption attempts, while a study carried out by our Center shows that approximately 70% of the students know or heard about cases of corruption in the institutions where they study. This fact shows that the subject is topical and the problem is spread,” said Artiom Maister. The project has three components: training, within which 20 students will be taught the specific features of corruption; research, within which a sociological study will be conducted in two state universities of Moldova (ASEM and USM); and mobilization, by which awareness of corruption will be heightened. The training course will start with a module based on a practical research guide for students. “It describes the method of organizing a research and its stages and contains detailed information about how to work with a focus group and to prepare a research and monitoring report on corruption. An important fact is that the system of research methods is adjusted to the education system of Southeastern Europe,” said Natalia Covrig, research coordinator at the National Center for Transparency and Human Rights. Communication coordinator Tina Malaniuc said that this project is adjusted at international level, with the Center forming part of a student anticorruption network. “It includes five countries - Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, and Moldova – and focuses on the studying and combating of corruption. A number of projects were designed in this respect,” she stated. According to the organizers, the project will last from January 1, 2012 until February 1, 2013 and will involve 20 students who will take part in flashmob and roundtable meetings that will be aimed at educating other students as well. The National Center for Transparency and Human Rights is an NGO that promotes the democratic values and good practices based on principles of transparency, civil participation and respect for human rights.