I was recently asked by the QAA for a brief piece of advice for HEIs. Here it is (in brief):

[I will expand on these later]

* What practical AI development should universities prioritise in the next 12 months and why?

Training for staff (esp. academics) is vital; know your enemy as well as your friend. Use GenAI with support to build AI literacy.

* One thing I wish every university would do / knew / would prioritise about AI

Emphasise the Three Vs (my creation): Validity, Veracity and “Verifity” (sic. i.e. verification); GenAI users (students and tutors) need to be able to independently assess the quality of GenAI results. Are they relevant, factual and supported by real sources? Fact checking is a valuable skill!

* What’s one high-impact, low-cost change HEIs could implement now?

Make sure only FREE tools are investigated. Expensive subscriptions are not justified by what is essentially an automated, mechanical plagiarist. Also, be aware of the environmental costs and weigh up the pros and cons.

* Three tips for HEIs on [using AI in a particular area]

1) Emphasise (and, more importantly, JUSTIFY) the use and value of traditional learning and assessment skills.

2) Show transparency in investigating and evaluating GenAI tools. Students need to “know we know” about them and aren’t afraid to use them.

3) If GenAI is allowed or encouraged in assessment HEIs need to explicitly teach these skills.