Information for Development (I4D) and Governance related issues touch on many aspects of the utility of information as articulated by the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS, 2005), the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UNDHR, 1948) and Sustainable Development Goals United (Nations, 2015). These aspects include but are not limited to; intellectual property, academic honesty, financial risks, data protection, privacy and confidentiality, integrity and information ethics. Sustainability of institutions of higher education is not limited to funding but also information and research output and teaching innovations that the institutions generate which impact their core mandate of teaching, research, and community service.

Academic honesty is an area of great concern among practitioners in the knowledge industry within universities and other institutions of higher learning. Anecdotal evidence show that some students engage ‘online’ researchers to write for them academic projects, theses and dissertations. This unethical practice sometimes happens with full complicity of the academic staff thus presenting serious ethical challenges to the integrity of the intellectual output. Many institutions are deploying new digital technologies to help address these challenges.

The global ranking of universities is predicated on credible academic enterprise especially regarding quality research output, teaching outcomes and innovations. Academic dishonesty and misconduct can irreparably impair the reputation of the university and negatively affect the capacity to attract grants and endear its graduates to the job market. This presents a challenge that IHL must confront.

Academic institution should handle students’ records such as course registration, examination processes, results, certifications inter alia in a well-structured manner that adheres to best practices and good governance. In this regard, data management and accountability should be faithful to frameworks of good governance such as KING IV. Mangers of IHL must be at the forefront in espousing good governance practices.

The COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in ‘online teaching’ and ‘working from home’ for HEI communities. This has occasioned many challenges related to digital divide, including management of online classes and examination. The requisite skills in such an environment has badly exposed universities vulnerability in the face of disasters and put into question the resilience of IHL.

This Webinar seeks to interrogate these challenges including but not limited to:

1. Intellectual Property; research output, institutional repositories, and e-learning resources in IHL: Pre and Post COVID-19
2. Data Protection Laws, Privacy, and confidentiality rights in IHL
3. Merit, Diversity, and Inclusiveness in IHL
4. Effective Quality Assurance in IHL
5. Academic honesty and Information Ethics
6. Contribution of IHLs to achievement of SDGs