ANU Proposes 3 Assessment Options to Curb AI Cheating as 78.9% of Students Use GenAI
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jul 18
ANU Proposes 3 Assessment Options to Curb AI Cheating as 78.9% of Students Use GenAI
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jul 18
Summary
ANU has circulated a consultation paper with three responses to AI-driven cheating, including labeling tasks “secure” or “insecure” and requiring students to disclose where AI was used.
78.9% of secondary and tertiary students were using generative AI in 2025, according to the Australian Digital Inclusion Index, driving universities to tighten assessment integrity and prove graduates actually learned the material.
Less than two weeks before semester starts, some ANU academics backed the push but called the sector’s response panicked, under-resourced and too rushed to redesign assessments properly.
Critics inside ANU warned heavier on-campus testing could reverse gains for students with disabilities or caring responsibilities, while law professor Will Bateman argued stronger safeguards are needed to protect national intellectual capability.
UQ and the University of Melbourne are already shifting toward secure assessments, including oral exams, as Australia’s tertiary sector tests how to contain AI use without undermining access.
Will forcing students offline to prove knowledge protect Australia's intellect, or handicap its graduates in a world dominated by AI collaboration?
Can AI tools, the source of the cheating crisis, paradoxically offer a fairer and more reliable way to assess genuine student learning?
Beyond academic integrity, are universities ignoring the massive environmental footprint created by their rapid adoption of AI for learning?
Navigating AI Disruption: ANU’s Urgent Overhaul of Assessment Practices for Integrity, Innovation, and Inclusivity
Overview
The Australian National University (ANU) is urgently overhauling its assessment practices in response to the widespread use of generative AI by students, which challenges academic integrity and the value of university education. As AI becomes more integrated into academic work, ANU is re-evaluating how student learning is measured and validated. The university’s comprehensive reform proposals aim to ensure students genuinely acquire knowledge and skills, while also protecting the meaning of an ANU degree. This forward-looking approach reflects the need for robust strategies that address both the opportunities and risks posed by generative AI in higher education.