ISSN 2239-978X ISSN 2240-0524 Journal of Educational and Social Research MCSER Publishing, Rome-Italy Vol. 5 No.1 January 2015 73 Circumstantial Ethics in Albanian Higher Education: Volitional vs Arbitrary Participation of the Bologna System Indrit Vucaj Oklahoma State University Doi:10.5901/jesr.2015.v5n1p73 Abstract Circumstantial ethics in Albanian higher education: volitional vs arbitrary participation of the Bologna system. Ethics and ethical behavior are major study topics (Banerjee, 1998) among business and academic circles (Bass & Hebert, 1995). Reports of unethical behaviors and the bypass of the societal code of conduct have drawn heavy criticism from the public and according to Bass and Hebert (1995) they have “led to a decline of public trust (pg. 727)”. Charitable philanthropic organizations such as Helping Hearts and Hands, International Humanities Center and private for-profit organizations such WorldCom, Enron, Lehman Brothers, Bernie Madoff etc., are some of the few names that people associate with when speaking about unethical behavior. According to Ho (2011), philosophically speaking, ethical behavior is ascribing oneself to “good” or “right” behavior. Moreover, ethical decision-making is determined by individuals using their moral base to determine what’s right or wrong (Ho, 2011). Congruently, Davis and Frederick (1984) define ethics as “the rules or principles that define right and wrong conduct (p. 76).” However, Grazioli (1990) states that even the most respected, sincere and brilliant minds can be wrecked on by the combination of “progressive humanistic logic and situational ethics (pg. 112).” In fact, Parsa and Lankford (1999) believe that ethical and unethical behaviors are a function of the person and the environment. Banerjee (1998) concluded, based on the work of Rosen (in Banerjee, 1998) that ethical/unethical behavior is some special occurring within the realm of human behavior. In other words, Banerjee (1988) states that ethical and unethical behavior is existent but simply is differentiated to the extent the kind of moral judgment that represents one’s aura and personal moral developments in different situations. Situational ethics, a term coined by Joseph Fletcher who is identified as the “Father of Situation Ethics” (McHugh, 2006) contends that the right and wrong depend upon the situation and there are no universal moral rules or rights and each case deserves unique solution. It can also describe “the situational factors associated with an ethical dilemma (Robertson, et al., 2002, pg. 328).” As such was the decision to adopt the Bologna-system of education in 2003 by the Albanian policy-makers and apply it to Albanian public and private universities. This paper attempts to explore the main cause for the adaptation of the Bologna higher education system. It is often assume that elected officials act on behalf of their constituents with good intentions. However, even decision makers who have good intentions can fall pray of unethical behavior in situational-induced biases circumstances (Kellaris, Boyle, & Dahlstrom, 1994). In fact, circumstances have always been a focus of analysis for scientists in many different social sciences–sociology, anthropology, economics, politics etc. (Todeva, 1997) 1. Paper’s Aim This paper theorizes that although in actionable plan Albania volitionally adopted the Bologna higher education system, the country was arbitrarily “forced” to adopt such system as a condition to join the European Union. The argument seeks to explain that policy makers confronted a circumstantial ethics decision to implement such system in the light of hope to join the European Union. It further elaborates and theorizes that the situational ethics decision facing the policy makers was amidst the choice of joining the “European dream” or bettering the higher education in Albania. 2. Literature Review For the purpose of understanding what meanings each studied component carries, I find it essential to define the difference between volition and arbitrary participation. Since adoptation of the Bologna system Albania has undergone several reformative changes in educational structures (Whitehead, 2000) and for that reason, I have drawn from the expertise of Ellis and Fouts (1994) to define volitional and arbitrary participation. Ellis and Fouts (1994) constructed two sets of perspectives in restructuring education. The first presents the “energizing forces (p. 26)”compiled by volitional and arbitrary participation. The second perspective focuses on the “outcome (p. 26)” of restructuring efforts. Although both sets of perspectives could be discussed in-depth while facing a situational ethics decision, I will focus solely on the energizing forces of restructuring. The second set of perspective