England Regulator Urges Return to In-Person Exams at 127 Universities as AI Threatens Degree Credibility
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Nov 11
England Regulator Urges Return to In-Person Exams at 127 Universities as AI Threatens Degree Credibility
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Nov 11
Summary
More than 300 students and staff across 127 universities and colleges told the Office for Students that AI use has made some coursework assessments unreliable, pushing the regulator to recommend more written exams, vivas and in-person presentations.
The OfS said unchecked AI use in essays, dissertations and open-book exams could breach registration conditions if institutions fail to create valid ways to test students’ knowledge and skills, exposing them to sanctions.
Lecturers reported near-identical submissions, repeated references and students unable to explain work they had just handed in, while some students said peers used AI to finish assessments in minutes and still received similar grades.
Many institutions have already shifted toward AI-resistant formats, including process-based assessments and tasks requiring students to critique AI output, as the regulator calls AI a generational risk to England’s higher education system.