UNIVERSITY AND INTEGRITY: AN ISLAMIC MODEL

The paper aims to explores the relationship between integrity and university education system. It proposes modelling contemporary Muslim universities along the pattern of past Middle Age period of Islamic rule and outlines why and how this can be done. The study aims to highlight the problem of integrity as one of the major concern of contemporary Muslim universities and university education system in general. The paper opted for a historical and textual analysis in addressing issues related to Islam, knowledge, university, aims of establishing a university, the idea of integrity and universities quest for it. A quantitative approach involving an interview of four Islamic university professors was conducted. The interviewees have taught in more than two higher institutions and are therefore acquainted with the issues addressed in this study. Themes were generated from the responses and explained. The paper provides insight into the issue of integrity in higher institutions of the past and present. It suggests that a successful and progressive university must take into consideration integrity in different aspects of its dealings in order to produce quality graduates. Since the research focuses on Muslim higher education system, the research results may lack generalisability. Therefore, other researchers in this area of study are encouraged to test the proposed conclusions further. The paper has implications for the development of higher institutions of learning and in portraying an image of stability and positive change through education. The paper shows that if the Muslim education system of Islamic golden period is examined, it can serve as a great motivator for University administrators of today in their quest for a university of integrity.