At a time when democratic institutions across the globe are facing growing scrutiny, Dr Marianne Camerer believes universities have an increasingly important role to play in shaping ethical leadership and rebuilding public trust.

A senior lecturer at the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance at the University of Cape Town (UCT), Dr Marianne recently received the International Anti-Corruption Excellence (ACE) Award in the category of Academic Research and Education. 

This was in recognition of her research and teaching in the field of anti-corruption and democratic governance – a milestone she says has reinforced, rather than changed, her longstanding belief in the importance of governance education.

“If we are going to effectively address the huge challenges that we face, as a country, continent and global community, then we need, as academics and educators, to take governance and ethics seriously,” she said.

For Marianne, universities are uniquely positioned to prepare future leaders to make informed decisions that positively affect people’s lives and livelihoods. She believes ethics education should not exist in isolation but rather become embedded across disciplines and institutional cultures.

These principles form a central part of the Nelson Mandela School’s professional master’s programme, where mid-career public officials from across the continent engage with the challenge of leading ethically in complex governance environments.

“As university leaders, we need to model ethical behaviour and exemplary governance practices based on transparency, accountability and integrity.

“Our students appreciate both the tools and clarity the course gives them in navigating ethical dilemmas in their own high-pressure professional contexts."

The challenge of restoring public trust remains one of the defining issues facing democratic societies. According to Marianne, growing inequality and failures in service delivery continue to weaken confidence in public institutions and can drive citizens away from democratic participation.

“The absence of trust in our public institutions undermines our democracy,” Marianne said. “Citizens disengage from formal politics when their issues are not being listened to, and more importantly, addressed.”

She noted that UCT continues to play a leading role in research around inequality and development challenges such as corruption, encouraging students to critically analyse real-world corruption cases and examine how abuses of entrusted power arise, are detected, disrupted and ultimately resolved.

Despite the challenges, she remains hopeful about the next generation of public leaders. She describes hope as “a conscious effort not to give in to despair”, citing figures such as our late President Nelson Mandela as examples of principled leadership under difficult circumstances.

“Our role as faculty is to facilitate and to use the resources of the university to convene and curate innovative and relevant learning spaces,” she said.

Looking ahead, Marianne is particularly interested in the intersection between governance and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI). She believes AI presents important opportunities for applied policy research and anti-corruption efforts, while also requiring careful critical engagement from scholars and practitioners alike.

She is currently co-editing a forthcoming special issue on public ethics in South Africa and continuing research into anti-corruption policy reform, whistleblowing, and character-based leadership development.

The recent recognition also represents an opportunity for the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance to expand its impact across the continent through applied policy research, scholarships and executive education initiatives.

“Our students, who are mainly expert practitioners and public sector leaders, offer UCT insights that ultimately make our research and teaching more relevant and impactful."