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The University hosts a day of talks and discussions to help it keep assessment authentic, fair and future ready in the age of generative AI.

By Dr Shamim Quadir (Senior Communications Officer), Published

In September, City St Georges, University of London held a full day of activities for colleagues and other stakeholders on the theme of AI and assessment at the University.

Assessment sits at the heart of academic integrity and standards, and generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is reshaping that landscape in real time. The day examined how the University can keep assessment authentic, fair and future ready for its students.

It involved a mix of keynote-style explorations, student-led debate, workshops and showcase sessions. Contributors spanned expertise in critical thinking, AI literacy, assessment design, academic integrity, policy implementation and digital transformation.

Professor Baba Sheba, Director of Digital Transformation, led on the organisation of the day which was hosted by The City Law School.

A welcome and introduction

Professor Juliet John, with Professor Richard Ashcroft (seated left)

Professor Richard Ashcroft, Executive Dean, The City Law School, Professor Juliet John (Vice-President, Education) and Professor Susannah Quinsee, Vice-President (Digital and Student Experience), provided its welcome and opening remarks.

Professor Ashcroft commented on some of the extremes of views of the potential disruptive influence AI’s increased use in education will have — as either ‘sending us back to the time of the quill’ or becoming so universal that there may be no more need for higher education as we know it.

He shared in part:

My first provocation is that neither of these things are true, and they’re not true for a very simple reason: technology does nothing.  Technology does not, you could say, even exist. What does exist is socio-technical systems. It’s kit, ideas, networks of people coming together to do things.  And so technological determinism is the first thing you need to meet at the door.

Professor John followed on from the debates that Professor Ashcroft highlighted, noting that they had their roots in the 19th century and the industrial revolution.

Quoting from the 1829 essay, Signs of the Times, she said:

The great thinker and philosopher Thomas Carlisle very famously called the 19th century the age of machinery, and he said, 'men have grown mechanical in head and heart,' which is a very a famous phrase. The big anxiety at the time was that machinery was going to take over from humans.’

She further added:

Carlisle says, 'our old modes of exertion are all discredited and thrown aside,' because the idea was that machines would take over from craft, from using your hands and your brain. So, what we’re seeing with AI at present is the continuation of a debate that’s been going on for more than 200 years.

She reminded her audience that AI can help free up those providing education from being ‘knowledge transmitters’ and instead provide opportunities for more time to help with understanding, producing and reconfiguring knowledge to support students.

Keynote talk

Dr Tom Chatfield

The event’s Keynote talk was delivered by tech philosopher and author, Dr Tom Chatfield, on critical thinking and AI literacy.

Beginning his wide-ranging talk he shared:

I'm lucky enough to be collaborating with City St George’s on a project around AI, critical thinking and education.  It’s a wonderful thing to do, because one can learn by doing.  But in order to learn, you have to be - so to speak - acquainted with your own ignorance from the past. You can’t learn about something if you come in assuming you already know what’s going on, or you know nothing about the context you are blundering into.

He later added:

When it comes to critical thinking, I always think we should start with the basics, as it’s a very overused phrase.  Everyone wants us to do it, fewer people are willing to put in the work, or define it. I often begin by when and where you don’t think critically, because in some ways this is easier to put your finger on — to measure experimentally, and cognitively and academically — than the ‘good stuff’.

The dangers of AI hallucinations in assessment

Further sessions from the day included a workshop on ‘reimagining assessment for the age of AI’ by led by Dr Salman Usman, Lecturer in Higher Education Practice and Development, along with Dr Anton Cox, Associate Dean Education, School of Science & Technology; Dr Julie Voce, Head of Digital Education & Deputy Director, LEaD; and Professor Guglielmo Volpe, Head of Department of Economics, School of Policy & Global Affairs.

In one talk, Dr Usman shared two identical articles that most AI tests had hallucinated there being differences between, identifying them as materially different. He also talked about AI search and review capabilities embedded in commonly used tools.

Further highlights gallery

  • Professor Susannah Quinsee

  • Dr Tom Chatfield

  • Dr Tom Chatfield

  • Dr Tom Chatfield

  • Dr Tom Chatfield

  • Dr Tom Chatfield

  • Dr Anton Cox

  • Tom Ellen and Snigda Nag

  • Professor Stian Reimers

  • Dr Julie Voce

Senior Lecturer, Snigda Nag and Tom Ellen, Subject Librarian, both of The City Law School, delivered the talk, ‘AI and fake cases – A Law School perspective on the Bar Course,’ in which they tracked down what turned out to be a fake law case hallucinated by AI out of the ether from a student’s improper use of it.

Students take the lead

A student led discussion was held on assessment and competencies in the AI era, led by the City St George’s Student’s Union. The students shared their views on these issues, including Roman Asghar, Deputy President Wellbeing and Equity, who commented:

In the same way you use references in your work, the same way you can use AI, but at the same time you have to be aware that some students have access to advanced forms of paid AI that aren’t accessible to other students – so that should be kept in mind.

Student led panel discussion

An introduction to the City St George’s AI Gateway was provided by Jots Sehmbi, Chief Information Officer, illustrating where staff can access cutting edge AI tools within the secure domain of the University.

Stian Reimers, Professor of Psychology and Behavioural Science, School of Health & Medical Sciences, delivered his talk on the design and implementation of what is permitted for the use of Generative AI in assessment.

Dr Voce delivered a spotlight talk on the University’s AI-Hub microsite, new mandatory training for staff and new pilot activities.

Evidence standard for academic misconduct

A session on applying the evidence standard for academic misconduct was provided by Professor Susan Blake (Barrister, and Associate Dean for Digital Learning at The City Law School; Co-Chair of AI Upskilling of AI Accelerator and Change) and Georgia Kirk (Quality & Standards Officer, Academic Services).

Professor Blake remarked on the issue of students being frightened and confused when using AI in their work. They are not clear on where that suddenly becomes a crime.

Professor Susan Blake with Georgia Kirk

Professor Eduardo Alonso, Director of City St George's CitAI hub, closed out the show with a talk on the research strand he leads across the university.

Find out more

Visit the Generative AI at City St George’s microsite

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