Ethical leadership practices and corruption mitigation in the higher education sector: A systematic literature review
Abstract
Background: This study aimed to analyse the role of ethical leadership practices in corruption mitigation. Aim: This study aimed to identify the dimensions of ethical leadership that were most influential in reducing corruption. Setting: A systematic review on evidence of corruption mitigation spanning across Africa, Europe and Asia, focusing on higher education institutions operating within diverse regulatory and governance environments. Methods: This mixed-methods systematic review combines qualitative and quantitative data, with primary mixed-methods studies. Included studies were peer-reviewed, full-text, and in English, focusing on the relationship between ethical leadership practices and corruption mitigation. The studies were published between February 2016 and February 2026. Several electronic databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, Academic Search Complete, PsycARTICLES, PubMed, EBSCOhost and SA ePublications, were searched to find peer-reviewed research literature. Data extraction was conducted following four stages: identification, screening, eligibility and inclusion. Results: Results demonstrate that ethical leadership plays an integral role in mitigating corruption by fostering ethical cultures, reducing unethical behaviour, promoting altruism and strengthening governance practices. Leaders’ ethical role modelling strengthened moral development, while moral guidance alone showed no significant effect. Conclusion: Ethical leadership is integral to corruption mitigation when systematically embedded in governance systems, policy frameworks and anti-corruption mechanisms within higher education institutions. Contribution: This study provides a cross-national synthesis of evidence linking ethical leadership to corruption mitigation and contributes to corporate governance scholarship by emphasising the importance of integrating ethical leadership into institutional systems and policies.