Championing Academic Integrity in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Warwick Business School's Approach
The principles that guide us: reacting to AI
Warwick Business School (WBS) is the business school of the University of Warwick and an academic department within the Faculty of Social Sciences. While each department is characterised by independence and freedom in their decision making, in response to the development in AI tools, WBS decided to build upon recommendations of the central University.
The first action point was to craft guidelines explaining advantages and limitations of AI tools. These were then disseminated in the form of a university-wide website, which offered advice and resources for both staff and students, creating a holistic teaching and learning experience and information resource.
The next step was to consider possible uses of AI in assessment. The University determined that there are three potential assessment design strategies:
Design AI into the assessment
Design AI out of the assessment, or
Do neither and accept its use by students.
As a result, the new assessment template was created, empowering Module Leaders to decide on how AI could or should be used by students when approaching their assignments. Module Leaders are now given three options to choose from: permit, prohibit or require the use of AI. When permitting AI, the new assessment coversheet requires from students to explain why, where, and how AI was used (e.g., by including a clear paragraph in the submission). Students are also encouraged to keep a good record of all interactions with any AI, which can be done via screenshots, or other recording techniques.
For assessments designed to include the use of AI, the University advises assessors to ensure that no advantage can be gained from using a paid-for rather than free at point of use AI to keep parity. Module Leaders are also reminded to be mindful of the inherent AI bias from its learning set, and potential for the misuse of copyright material within that training data.
Students as partners: engaging students in a debate
Since 2021, Warwick has undergone a transition from a reactive approach to academic misconduct to a proactive stance, focusing on celebrating academic integrity and creation of communities of learners. As part of this transformation, each department was encouraged to appoint an Academic Integrity Lead with a responsibility in promoting ethical behaviour and academic integrity standards.
Being keen to work collaboratively with other Academic Integrity Leads, WBS began cooperation with Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) on a university-wide initiative to support academic and ethical aspects of student learning while responding to the development in AI tools. The two departmental leads quickly realised that academic integrity requires a shared vision and holds importance across academic and professional services functions and decided to seek input from representatives of the entire University community. The team was joint by members of staff from diverse units interested in academic integrity, including representatives from Education Policy and Quality (EPQ), Warwick International Higher Education Academy (WIHEA), Students’ Union, Dean of Students, Library and Student Communications, providing a forum to collaborate and share ideas.
The outcome of this cooperation was a weeklong series of events to celebrate academic integrity across the University. ‘Academic Integrity in the era of Artificial Intelligence’ week included events such as student, staff and external experts panel discussions, Students’ Union stands, Library academic writing and referencing sessions, as well as localised activities organised by individual departments.
To enhance student engagement, the team run a competition for submitting creative entries on the topic of the week. The initiative proved to be successful in creating active and inclusive learning opportunities and resulted in 27 inspiring submissions. Many competition entries demonstrated students’ maturity and understanding of their journey from being a student to becoming a professional, making connections between students' lives, experiences, and their academic studies, highlighting the link between academic and professional integrity.
To engage students further, enhance their sense of institutional belonging and develop disciplinary identity, the team introduced the concept of departmental ‘academic integrity champions’. These champions collaborate with fellow students to promote involvement in academic integrity initiatives. They can serve as members of academic committees within departments, offering feedback, forward-looking insights, and improving communication with the student body. The team believes that this role would enable students to develop their transferable skills and would be a positive addition to any job or further study application.
Another initiative introduced by WBS was the utilisation of screens located around the building, running a series of ‘Let’s talk about Academic Integrity’ campaigns, focusing on issues like online and face-to-face exams, academic writing and referencing, the use of AI in assessment – with the focus on highlighting the role and importance of academic integrity.
AI and assessment design: recognising AI is here to stay
Becoming familiar with different AI tools, WBS recognised advantages of using AI in education, such that it can be adapted to support teaching, learning and assessment, as well as assist independent learning, student equity and help closing attainment gaps for different learner groups. WBS encourages assessment design that not necessarily “designs out” AI, but rather promotes and enhances academic integrity. We focus on innovation and inclusion of AI, while creating assessment that inspires students.
WBS also acknowledges that AI becomes an important employability consideration with its increasing role in the workplace. We therefore began to educate our students on how to use AI to develop their AI literacy skills.
Dealing with cases: detection and evidence gathering
Of course, AI can also be misused which might lead to academic misconduct. WBS has been taking a pragmatic approach, recognising that students are learning as well as staff. We started by benchmarking cases and getting advice from other departments and the central University.
When considering detection, many software providers claim that their tool can spot the use of AI in students’ work. Unfortunately, current research suggests that these AI checkers do not work as advertised and lead to many ‘false positive’ cases, which can negatively impact students’ academic experience and wellbeing. Hence, WBS decided not to rely on any AI detectors, believing that the “naked eye” is still the best approach in identifying suspicious cases. Such cases are then thoroughly investigated, using a range of evidence gathering techniques, including oral vivas.
Dealing with cases: consequences of AI misuse
When dealing with alleged cases, WBS follows guidance issued by the University which indicates that students can use AI but must follow any requirements set out in assessments and must disclose any use of AI. The use of AI when it has been prohibited, or a failure to disclose should then be considered as potential Academic Misconduct, representing “acts or omissions by a student which give or have the potential to give an unfair advantage in an examination or assessment”. Repeated misuse after a student has been given the opportunity to follow suitable disclosure procedures indicates an intent not to engage, and therefore gain an unfair advantage.
Types of cases and emerging issues
Since introduction of the new guidance, WBS has encountered several cases of AI misuse, which led to many interesting discussions. We became aware of a fine line between poor academic practice and academic misconduct, noticing differences between generative and non-generative AI. Many students use AI to improve their writing or proofread their work and we often debate on the tipping point between correcting and editing the work with the help of AI. Students claim to use AI to improve the ‘language’, i.e., to make their work sound more academic. However, in doing so, they typically lose their voice and often the meaning of what they are trying to say - losing their personal authenticity.
We have identified many cases of “hallucinated references” as well as using AI for language translations. Interestingly, some students choose to admit to using AI as an excuse to mask other mis-practice, such as collusion or coding issues - believing that an inappropriate use of AI is a “lesser evil”, which might result in less severe penalties.
WBS also recognises opportunities to work with Foundation Year students, to engage them at the beginning of their Higher Education journey. We prepared an academic integrity video as part of their Academic Practice module to embed good practice early on in their academic careers.
All in all, we believe that the most appropriate solution to the increasing use of AI and its threat to upholding academic rigour is to foster the culture of academic integrity. Together with the University of Warwick, WBS acknowledges and respects advice issued by the Russell Group universities, focusing on five principles of the use of AI tools in education:
“Universities will support students and staff to become AI-literate.
Staff should be equipped to support students to use generative AI tools effectively and appropriately in their learning experience.
Universities will adapt teaching and assessment to incorporate the ethical use of generative AI and support equal access.
Universities will ensure academic rigour and integrity is upheld.
Universities will work collaboratively to share best practice as the technology and its application in education evolves.”
