England’s higher-education regulator warned that students can use generative artificial intelligence to complete unsupervised assessments in minutes, undermining the credibility of degrees. The Office for Students said many assignments and remote exams can be completed to a high standard with limited student engagement and are often undetectable, citing feedback from 244 staff and 91 students across at least 127 universities. The OfS urged a shift toward AI-free, closed-book and practical exams, and said assessments that can be passed with AI without demonstrating required knowledge should be replaced. Under separate proposals out for consultation, institutions that fail quality standards could face limits on tuition-fee increases or student numbers. Universities UK said many campuses have moved to more in-person exams, presentations and vivas, or are integrating AI under controlled conditions, while the National Union of Students argued traditional essay-based methods are outdated and should be redesigned. The report also calls for clearer rules on when AI use is permitted and improved AI literacy for both staff and students.
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