Is there corruption in public higher education institutions? Study of the HEIs of Minas Gerais

Corruption in the Brazilian public administration has gained centrality due to the successive scandals unveiled in the country. The public higher education institutions (HEIs) did not go unscathed, bringing attention to the fact that they are organizations aimed at promoting citizenship and intellectual education. This article analyzed how the organizational environment is configured to fight corruption through a case study of the 17 HEIs in Minas Gerais. We verified characteristics related to corruption in administrative disciplinary proceedings established between 2015 and 2019 and interviewed civil servants who participated in the conduction of these processes. Although most interviewees did not have a clear perception of corruption in the HEIs, the research findings indicated the main factors related to integrity that contribute to fighting corruption in the organizational environment. These factors are the complaints channels, external and internal control mechanisms, instruments for promoting ethics and rules of conduct, transparency, and access to information. In terms of structure, it was found that corporatism was the main obstacle to fight corruption in the organizational environment. The study points out the need for future research to verify the institutionalization of integrity measures in the HEIs as a strategy to combat corruption.