“ANTI-CORRUPTION EDUCATION AS THE FOUNDATION OF STUDENT VALUES: A QUALITATIVE STUDY AT UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA PERLIS”

Anti-corruption education plays a vital role in fostering a culture of integrity among university students; however, its effectiveness largely depends on the level of students’ understanding, internalisation, and lived experience. This study aims to explore how university students interpret anti-corruption education as a foundation for developing moral, ethical, and integrity-based values in their personal and professional lives. Although various initiatives have been implemented at the higher education level, there remains a gap in understanding how these values are internalised by students. This research employed a qualitative case study approach involving 98 students from various faculties at Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal that students understand anti-corruption education through four main dimensions: (i) learning experiences and student exposure, (ii) the development of moral and ethical values, (iii) systematic societal efforts, and (iv) guidance for navigating professional challenges. This study contributes to a more holistic understanding of anti-corruption education among university students and has important implications for the design of higher education policies. The findings call for a more contextual and reflective teaching approach in instilling integrity values, ensuring that anti-corruption education is not merely a curricular component, but a transformative tool for shaping the character of the younger generation.