From “Diploma Mills” to Strong Regulation: Why Integrity Matters at HEA
The Higher Education Authority (HEA) has reflected on the historical challenges that led to its creation, as it moves to strengthen integrity systems within the institution.
During a meeting with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) held on Friday, 17th April, 2026, HEA outlined how the liberalisation of the higher education sector in the late 1990s created both opportunity and risk.
Speaking when he met the ACC delegation, HEA Director – Quality Assurance, Dr. Martin Mushumba, stated that at the time, the ease of establishing institutions led to the emergence of unregulated providers, some of which operated as “diploma mills,” issuing qualifications without meeting minimum standards.
“It became very easy to open institutions, and some disappeared with people’s money, while others compromised quality,” Dr. Mushumba said, adding, “These challenges ultimately led to the establishment of HEA under the Higher Education Act of 2013, to regulate and safeguard the sector.”
Today, as the Authority oversees a rapidly expanding and more complex higher education landscape, the need for strong internal integrity systems has become even more critical.
The move to establish an Integrity Committee is therefore not just administrative, it is historical and a continuation of the same mission that led to HEA’s creation of protecting the integrity of higher education in Zambia.
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