<p>Universities exist to cultivate graduates who are ethical and worthy of public trust. Achieving this objective is not a matter of mere procedural compliance, but rather depends on the deliberate, holistic integration of integrity throughout governance, pedagogy, and institutional culture. This comment draws together the history of universities, a summary of values, ethics and governance and critically examines contemporary challenges in higher education in order to conclude that a return to integrity as the very foundation of our work.</p>