As artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT become increasingly embedded in higher education, institutions are facing urgent questions: How do we maintain academic integrity? How can we use these tools ethically? How can we incorporate AI into our teaching and learning? And most importantly, how can we prepare students to navigate this rapidly evolving technological landscape?
AI Co-Creators Project
Our AI Co-Creators project was part of UCL’s broader ChangeMakers initiative. Its aim? To explore the implications of generative AI on coursework assessments and collaboratively develop evaluation strategies that respond to this new reality.
Rather than taking a top-down approach, the project embraced co-creation – a practice that empowers students to contribute meaningfully to curriculum and assessment design. Student-staff partnerships challenge traditional hierarchies in higher education by creating space for equal student-staff collaboration.
What the Project Did
The research focused on evaluating how ChatGPT 3.5 performed when presented with existing coursework assessments from an undergraduate medical sciences programme. The student partner, having completed the assessments herself, was ideally positioned to assess how well ChatGPT’s responses aligned with the learning objectives and marking criteria.
Together, the student and staff partner co-developed seven rigorous evaluation criteria, inspired by UNESCO and JISC guidance. These covered areas such as:
-
Academic integrity and the risk of AI-assisted plagiarism
-
Student experience and equity of access
-
Applicability of AI tools in formative versus summative assessment
-
Pedagogical alignment and ethical concerns
Key Findings: Highlights That Matter
1. No Assessment Is AI-Proof
A powerful finding: no form of coursework was immune to ChatGPT influence. Even well-structured assessments could be manipulated with AI support, raising important questions regarding academic integrity.
2. Students Offer Crucial Insight
The student partner brought firsthand knowledge and fresh perspective, particularly around how generative AI could create disparities in learning and grading. Her insights helped identify gaps that would likely be overlooked in a staff-only analysis.
3. Co-Creation Empowers and Educates
The student described the experience as “fulfilling and empowering,” noting that it made her more reflective in her own studies. Co-creation didn’t just benefit the research – it directly enriched the student’s learning journey.
4. Constructive Uses of AI Are Possible
Beyond concerns, the study uncovered promising roles for ChatGPT: as a formative feedback tool, a writing assistant and a scaffold for critical thinking. These applications suggest a future where AI supports, rather than replaces, authentic student learning.
Implications for Higher Education
This study’s impact goes beyond one programme or institution. It offers a model for how universities can approach the AI challenge with students as co-designers of the solution. Key takeaways include:
-
Re-framing Assessment: Institutions must revisit how assessments are designed, with an eye toward both AI resistance and AI integration.
-
Embedding Ethics and Equity: Training for both students and staff is essential to ensure AI is used responsibly and inclusively.
-
Empowering Students: Co-creation fosters assessment literacy and helps students understand the purpose and value of academic evaluation partnerships.
Recommendations for Institutions
- Establish student-staff partnerships focused on AI-related curriculum innovation
- Pilot new AI-informed assessment formats across disciplines
- Develop inclusive policies that ensure equitable access to AI tools
- Train educators in the pedagogical applications – and limits – of generative AI
- Encourage open dialogue between staff, students and institutional leaders
A Blueprint for the Future
In a rapidly changing educational landscape, one thing is clear: generative AI is not going away. But if we approach its integration collaboratively, drawing on the lived experiences, insights and creativity of our students, we can turn disruption into transformation.
The AI Co-Creators project shows that re-imagining assessment in the age of AI isn’t just possible – it’s already happening.
With thanks to Ellie Ingle (student partner)!
Reference:
Williams, A., & Ingle, E. (2025). Assessment design through co-creation: Student-staff partnership in evaluating the impact of artificial intelligence. International Journal for Students As Partners, 9(1), 214–226. https://doi.org/10.15173/ijsap.v9i1.5802
Images generated with ChatGPT4o and Fotor AI Image Creator.