Integrity in the age of AI - a 'Students First' symposium with the Centre for Academic Integrity in the UAE
Last month Dr. Ashraf Mahate FRSA chaired a panel discussion with Dr. Zeenath Reza Khan, PhD , Dr. Muaawia Hamza , and Dr Mohammed Aljanahi, PhD . This was the first of our 'Students First' Symposia to be held for the Middle East region, and it was run in partnership with the ENAI WG Centre for Academic Integrity in the UAE .
The panel discussed the evolving relationship between #academicintegrity and the adoption of generative AI in universities. While this technology is not entirely new, it has become more prominent and accessible in the last 12 months, leading to concerns among academics and senior university leaders around degree integrity, assessment, and institutional validity. The Middle East as a region is generally more receptive to, and embracing of AI - the UAE government includes AI in its vision and strategic objectives, and wants to ensure that AI is used "ethically, fairly and safely". So the question remains, how can the sector keep academic integrity, human experience, and learning at the heart of the student experience?
Dr. Zeenath emphasized the importance of including students in the conversation about AI and academic integrity. She noted that early reactions to AI were often focused on policies and governance, sometimes overlooking the student perspective. She also highlighted the rapid shift in perceptions and approaches to AI in education from 2023 to 2025 - initially punitive, with institutions wanting to ban or prevent AI use, there's been a move towards understanding how to ethically integrate it into the classroom.
"I think it's very important that we put students first, literally, as this webinar says, and give them the platform to come forward and take ownership. And that will give them responsibility. The more champions that we have, the more they go and make more students into champions of integrity, because they believe in that message - and students listen to students." - Dr Zeenath Reza Khan
However, concerns remain among leadership and academics about students over-relying on AI, which could hinder critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Mohammed Aljanahi discussed how technology has always changed how students learn, from the introduction of computers and calculators to search engines like Google. He argued that AI, unlike a search tool, can significantly impact learning, both positively and negatively. He stressed the need for ongoing critical conversations about AI's appropriate use in education and the importance of developing agile policies. He also pointed out that different universities and even different courses within the same college may have varying AI policies, reflecting the lack of a "cookie-cutter" approach.
"...the cookie cutter approach to governance will not be present when we talk about AI policies. I think there will be an AI policy and then the rest will see discretion - based on the outcomes that we will need, or a certain course or program needs." - Mohammed Aljanahi
Dr. Muaawia shared his perspective, noting that institutions were initially unprepared for the arrival of generative AI tools like ChatGPT in late 2022 - however, they are now catching up by developing policies, revising assessment tools, and training staff. He emphasized the need to understand the complex relationship between AI, student learning, and academic integrity. He also spoke about the importance of training and raising awareness among both faculty and students.
"...they have to ... raise [staff] awareness and to try to bridge the gap between students and the faculty. As most of the faculty are digital immigrants, and students are digital natives, so that makes a big gap. Now, most of the institutions made the effort to educate their staff first and then address these issues and try to educate the students - because students themselves will be part of the policy-making in different institutions." - Dr Muaawia Hamza
Dr Zeenath firmly agreed with this approach, and mentioned the practice at the University of Wollongong in Dubai where they took a 'two-fold approach', with one fold being focusing on faculty development, and the other fold on students running genAI workshops for students. She pointed out that with integrity and these initiatives, the infrastructure is must be holistic, and include everybody, "not just the people in key places or key positions". It should be top-down policy, but grassroots level resources and infrastructure.
"It's very important that we understand how holistic that needs to be when we are thinking about managing integrity policies and practises, because it isn't just one person's job or one department's job. It is everybody's job on campus to uphold integrity." - Dr Zeenath Reza Khan
The discussion also covered the importance of ethics in AI integration. Panelists agreed that while ethical considerations are also not new, and these conversations have arisen since the time of Socrates and Plato, technology adds a new layer of complexity.
It is important that universities adopt AI wisely and ethically, with a focus on enhancing learning outcomes rather than simply automating tasks for increased productivity. When it comes to assessment, the panelists agreed that traditional methods need to be reevaluated: Dr. Zeenath suggested that faculty must ask themselves what they are assessing and why. She recommended alternative assessment models like oral exams, vivas, process-based grading, and even incorporating AI use into assessments in a controlled manner. Mohammed emphasized the importance of aligning assessments with course learning outcomes, and using innovative methods that engage students.
The panelists agreed that AI is definitely "here to stay" and that higher education must adapt. The way forward must involve a holistic approach to managing AI in education, with policy change, infrastructure development, faculty training, and student engagement. There is a pressing need for ongoing dialogue, collaboration between institutions, and transparency with students.
At the conclusion of the panel, Dr Ashraf announced that the annual Tracey Bretag Prize for Academic Integrity is now open for 2025. Nominations are more information can be found here:
#studentsfirst #studentsuccess #academicintegrity