Exploring Ethical And Moral Education In Universities: A Mixed-Methods Study

Abstract

Exploring ethical and moral education in universities is essential for understanding how higher education shapes students’ character, values, and responsible decision-making. This mixed-methods study explores the current status, challenges, and effectiveness of ethical and moral education in universities. The research investigates how university environments shape students’ moral reasoning, ethical sensitivity, and character formation, while also examining the curricular and co-curricular practices used to instill ethical values. A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was employed, integrating quantitative survey data from 420 undergraduate students across three universities with qualitative insights gathered through semi-structured interviews with 18 faculty members responsible for ethics-related courses. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multiple regression to assess the relationships among students’ exposure to ethical education, moral reasoning levels, and perceived ethical climate. Qualitative data were thematically analyzed to identify faculty perspectives on institutional priorities, pedagogical challenges, and culturally embedded ethical frameworks. The findings indicate that while students generally acknowledge the importance of ethics education, significant gaps exist in the alignment between curricular intentions and lived campus experiences. Qualitative themes underscored inconsistencies in teaching approaches, limited faculty training, and a lack of integrated ethical frameworks across disciplines.