Ethical leadership plays a critical role in shaping institutional culture and influencing the everyday decisions of staff and students.

Dr Kelebogile Choice Makhetha, Executive Director in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor and Principal, and advocate for ethical leadership, reflected on the importance of ethics and the role of leadership in fostering a culture grounded in integrity, fairness, transparency and accountability during her interview with CUT FM. She emphasised that ethical behaviour begins with leaders who consistently model the values they expect others to uphold.

The conversation also highlighted that building an ethical institution is a shared responsibility. “Every member of the CUT community contributes to this culture through the decisions they make, the responsible use of university resources, speaking up when concerns arise, and treating others with dignity and respect,” said Dr Makhetha.

As universities navigate emerging challenges such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data privacy and research integrity, maintaining a strong ethical culture has become increasingly important. “For us, ethics is not simply an institutional initiative; it is a daily commitment that strengthens trust, promotes accountability and safeguards the university’s reputation. Ethical leadership is about more than compliance. It is about creating an environment where integrity is consistently demonstrated, valued and embraced by everyone across the university community.”