Ethics in the Governance of Public Universities: A Systematic Review

This article analyzes ethics in the governance of public universities across diverse geographical contexts. Through a systematic review conducted in accordance with the PRISMA protocol, 318 initial records were identified, of which 20 studies met the inclusion criteria. The findings show that ethics is conceived not only as a formal normative framework, but also as a cultural and institutional support that articulates leadership, transparency, accountability, and social responsibility within university governance models. However, a significant dissonance persists between strategic discourses and their practical implementation in decision-making and administrative processes. It is concluded that ethics constitutes a structural axis of legitimacy and organizational coherence, whose effective institutionalization requires its consistent materialization in university governance practices.