England's higher education regulator has sounded an alarm over the growing use of artificial intelligence by university students to complete assessments in minutes, warning that it poses a significant risk to the credibility of qualifications.
The Office for Students (OfS) said that a substantial proportion of assessments are unsupervised and can be completed to a high standard with AI, often in a fraction of the time expected. This, the regulator warns, threatens to undermine the integrity of higher education.
Assessments at Risk
According to new research by the OfS and Advance HE, a charity that recognises teaching excellence, many assessments are conducted in unsupervised, non-controlled formats where students can easily access AI tools. The study, based on the views of 244 higher education staff and 91 students from at least 127 universities, found that it is frequently possible for students to use AI in ways that cannot be reliably detected.
The findings highlight that closed-book and practical exams are the most effective forms of assessment in preventing AI misuse. However, remote online exams, which were widely rolled out during the COVID-19 pandemic, remain in use at 93 universities across the UK, according to research from Swansea University last year.
Regulatory Action
The OfS is now consulting on proposals that could see universities failing to meet quality standards banned from charging increased tuition fees or having caps imposed on their student numbers. This move is part of efforts to ensure that assessments remain valid and that students are genuinely earning their qualifications.
Josh Fleming, director of strategy and delivery at the OfS, acknowledged that some universities have seized the opportunities presented by AI, but stressed the need for far greater use of AI-free assessment. He described the situation as a generational risk that threatens to undermine students' learning and institutions' ability to assess them.
Students and Staff Speak Out
Kathryn Harrison-Graves, deputy chief executive at Advance HE, noted that students want greater clarity about what is expected of them, while staff have varying levels of confidence and support in dealing with AI.
The research also revealed cases where students completed entire assessments within minutes using AI and received similar grades to those who did not use such tools. Some staff reported receiving numerous assignments that looked identical, raising concerns about the fitness for purpose of current assessment methods.
Furthermore, a polarised atmosphere has emerged between students who use AI and conscientious objectors who avoid it on environmental and other grounds.
The Way Forward
Universities UK, which represents more than 140 institutions, said universities are making significant progress in adapting to AI. A spokesperson stated that many have made substantial changes to assessment methods, including more in-person exams, presentations, vivas, process-based assessment, and assessments that integrate AI in a controlled way.
Lewis Wilson of the National Union of Students argued that AI is exposing traditional ways of learning that students and staff have long said are not fit for purpose, such as essay questions, handouts, and slideshows. He called for getting rid of outdated methods kept around in the name of tradition and instead encouraging innovative practice co-designed with students.
The OfS emphasised the urgent need to ensure that remote or non-secure assessments maintain their validity despite the availability of AI tools. It stated that if it becomes possible to complete an assessment using AI without the knowledge and skills being tested, the assessment should be replaced.
As AI continues to evolve, universities face the challenge of balancing its benefits with the need to preserve academic integrity. The outcome of the consultation and the response of institutions will be closely watched, as the sector grapples with this rapidly changing landscape.
