UK regulator urges paper exams and vivas to limit AI cheating

In short: England’s higher education regulator is telling universities to rely more on in-person, AI-free assessments like paper exams and oral exams to reduce cheating.

What happened

The Office for Students, which regulates universities in England, warned that artificial intelligence tools are making it too easy for students to cheat on coursework done outside the exam hall. It said this is a “generational risk” to universities’ integrity and reputation.

In a report published on Wednesday, the regulator said universities should increase the use of “secure assessments.” These include in-person exams, presentations, and viva voce oral examinations (an exam where a student answers questions out loud, like a long interview about their work).

The regulator said some universities still rely too much on unsupervised coursework. Student surveys cited in the report suggest more than 90 percent of students are using AI to help with assignments. The report also said students sometimes see classmates complete work with AI in minutes and receive similar grades to those who did the work themselves.

The Office for Students said AI detection software is not reliable enough to use for disciplinary action. Instead, it argues universities should design assessments so using AI to cheat is not a realistic option, like setting exams that happen in a room with supervision.

Why it matters

For students and employers, grades are supposed to show what someone can really do. If universities cannot tell whether work was written by a student or by an AI tool, trust in degrees can weaken. The regulator says universities will need to prove their assessments can stand up to AI, or they could face fines and other action.

Source: Financial Times