Professional Ethics in Higher Education: Dimensions and Constructs

Professional ethics in higher education is an abstract and ambiguous concept for which different definitions have been proposed. Analyzing this concept is essential to reach a united perception, setting behavioral standards and preparation of scales for evaluation. The purpose of this study was to propose a comprehensive definition of professional ethics in higher education and to identify its dimensions and constructs.
Walker and Avant’s eight-step model was used to analyzing the concept of professional ethics in higher education. After extensive review of all literatures, 38 relevant articles were included in the study. Data saturation was done by analyzing 21 articles and characteristics, dimensions, constructs, antecedents and consequents of the concept were derived.
The results of literature review and concept analysis showed professional ethics in higher education forms with regard to performing professional commitments of professors and has four essential characteristics which are professional etiquette, ethics in professional social behavior, ethics in professional technical functions and issues, intrapersonal professional values and beliefs, and needs ethical competencies in professors including ethical sensitivity, ethical knowledge, ethical reasoning and ethical self-regulation.
Identification of the elements and attributes of concept of professional ethics in higher education causes in common sense of this concept. As well, it contributes in planning the developmental strategies for optimization of professional ethics in professors as a necessity for high quality assurance of their professional performance and is a fundamental step in designing its evaluation measures.