University of Sydney's AI assessment policy: protecting integrity and empowering students

Students will be equipped to use generative AI responsibly in their education and future careers under the sector-leading new assessment policy at the University of Sydney.

From Semester 1 2025, the University will change its default to allow the use of AI for assessments, except for exams and in-semester tests or if teaching staff choose not to.

From Semester 2, the University will move to a realistic and forward-looking ‘two-lane approach’ to assessments comprising:

• secure, in-person assessments to ensure graduates can demonstrate the knowledge, skills and attributes detailed in the course learning outcomes without external aids
• appropriately designed 'open' assessments that support the use of all available and relevant tools, to ensure students can learn and prosper in the contemporary world.

Students will be required to apply critical thinking and analysis to produce original work aided by appropriate learning tools, including acknowledging how they use AI.

Professor Joanne Wright, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education), said the University of Sydney is leading the way in integrating modern AI technologies within education.

“This is a substantial change to our teaching, assessment and program design, and it is absolutely necessary to ensure our graduates are equipped with the tools they need for the modern workforce.

“Generative AI has already had a profound impact on workplaces and our graduates are expected to demonstrate skilled use of the relevant tools in job interviews. The changes we’re making to teaching and assessments ensures we are preparing students for their careers, without compromising their learning or the integrity of our world-class education.”

Two academics from the University of Sydney were recently asked by TEQSA, the national quality assurance and regulatory agency, to show the risks and opportunities of AI in assessment. The resulting videos reveal just how easy it is for a novice to complete many traditional assessments, and equally how helpful AI can be to accelerate learning and enhance productivity.

Professor Adam Bridgeman, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Educational Innovation), said universities have needed to adapt rapidly to the significant advancement in the capability of generative AI tools over the past two years.

“It’s no secret that any take-home assessment can be completed to a high level by AI, and it’s not practical, enforceable or desirable to implement a blanket ban on these tools, or even to restrict their use.

“We have worked closely with the regulator, educators and students to chart a way forward in a world where AI is ubiquitous and that satisfies the principles and purposes of higher education.”

Training has been developed for staff to support the transition alongside workshops, resources and ongoing communications for students and staff.

The changes are the latest in a range of University initiatives helping students and staff use generative AI equitably, effectively and ethically. These include a partnership with Microsoft to make the generative AI tool Copilot for Web available to students and staff for free, with regular training sessions.

The University’s AI in Education Working Group of staff and students recently co-designed and launched a publicly available online guide AI in Education showing how generative AI can be used productively and responsibly in assessment and learning.

The University has also developed an AI assistant for students called Cogniti, which allows teachers to create customised AI agents that can be steered with instructions and subject-specific information, answer students’ questions about content and syllabus, and provide instant personalised feedback, guidance and support, 24 hours a day.

At Sydney, over 1000 Cogniti agents have been developed. Cogniti has won many awards and has been adopted by many other institutions in Australia and beyond.

The University was named AI University of the Year in the 2024 Future Campus Awards, in recognition of its leadership in the field.