Policy Exchange’s ‘Evidence of Learning Through Assessment: Protecting the Value of a Degree in the Age of AI’, by Professor Philip Newton, exposes that university assessment mechanisms are increasingly vulnerable to cheating by students using generative AI, due to their heavy reliance on take-home essays and unsupervised remote exams, instead of monitored, in-person assessment.

A Freedom of Information request sent to all UK universities revealed that:

• 78% of UK universities are using online, remote exams for summative assessment.
• 70% plan to carry on with this type of assessment
• Only 10% use online invigilation for all their online remote exams
• 67% of university policies for these exams did not mention Generative AI

In a Foreword to the report, Rt Hon Sir Vince Cable, former Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, said:

“Too many university assessment systems can currently be completely bypassed using AI, eroding the value of a degree and undermining the role of universities. Furthermore, those students who refrain from using AI in this way are placed at a serious disadvantage compared to those willing to use it to bypass the harder, but more worthwhile, path of genuine learning.” 

“To maintain public confidence in the value of a degree, and the societal benefits of higher education, the higher education sector must urgently and significantly overhaul its assessment system. In-person examination should replace remote assessment unless the latter is fully secure. Staff need rigorous training in the design of modern, AI-proof, assessment methods, which need to be transparent for students, employers and other stakeholders, so that everyone can be confident in how a graduate was assessed, and what that means.”

The launch of this report was covered by:

• BBC News
• Daily Mail
• The Telegraph
• The Spectator
• The Critic
• Times Higher Education
• POLITICO’s London Playbook
• MLex