England’s Office for Students and Advance HE published research on artificial intelligence in teaching and assessment. Participants described useful study support alongside risks from replacing students’ intellectual work. The regulator wants universities to establish what students themselves know and can do. Its response combines guidance and existing quality powers, with secure examinations and carefully designed AI-enabled tasks among the approaches discussed.
England’s higher-education regulator, the Office for Students, published research with Advance HE on November 11 about AI in education and assessment.[1], [2]
The work examines how institutions respond to changing student and staff use. It covers teaching, learning, assessment and AI literacy. Students described getting explanations of difficult ideas, document summaries, practice questions and help with revision.[1]
The research drew on conversations with more than 300 students and staff between June and September. It describes critical AI use as potentially helpful for learning, while replacing reading and problem-solving can bypass the effort needed to build skills. Some unsupervised assessments can be completed well using AI without demonstrating the intended knowledge. Detection tools do not reliably identify that use, and students described uncertainty about what their institutions allow.[1]
Some universities have increased controlled assessments, including closed-book examinations and presentations. The regulator wants accessible designs that show what students themselves know and can do; carefully designed AI-enabled tasks can also serve that purpose. It plans to use existing regulatory tools when students’ interests are at risk, clarify how quality requirements apply and share effective practice. Training access remains uneven, with staff participation often limited when courses are optional.[1]
