Professional Doctorate Thesis

Integrating Ethical Corporate Governance in Educational Policy and Leadership: Policy Strategies for Accountability, Transparency, and Institutional Integrity

by Dr. Almighty Cortezo Tabuena

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Research Overview

This professional doctorate research examines the integration of ethical corporate governance (ECG) in educational policy and leadership, focusing on accountability, transparency, institutional integrity, and ethical leadership in educational institutions. The study explores how corporate governance principles—commonly used in business organizations—can be adapted to the education sector to improve institutional governance, leadership accountability, and stakeholder trust.

The research uses a qualitative document analysis approach, examining governance policies, institutional reports, and ethical frameworks from educational institutions across different regions. The study is guided by three major theoretical frameworks: Corporate Governance Theory, Stakeholder Theory, and Ethical Leadership Theory. These frameworks help explain how governance structures, stakeholder participation, and leadership ethics influence institutional performance and transparency.

The findings reveal that many educational institutions have codes of ethics and governance frameworks in place; however, implementation is often inconsistent. Ethical governance is more effective in institutions where leadership actively promotes accountability, stakeholder engagement, transparency in decision-making, and ethical training programs. The study also identifies gaps such as weak monitoring systems, lack of ethical audits, limited stakeholder participation, and insufficient leadership accountability mechanisms.

The research concludes that integrating ethical corporate governance into educational policy can improve institutional credibility, leadership effectiveness, transparency, and long-term sustainability. The study recommends policy reforms, leadership training in ethics, stakeholder participation mechanisms, ethical audits, and stronger governance frameworks aligned with national and international education standards.

Overall, the study contributes to educational policy and leadership research by demonstrating that ethical corporate governance can serve as a strategic framework for improving governance, accountability, and ethical leadership in educational institutions.