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Student Advisory Panel
Students are central to TEQSA’s work to assure the quality of Australian higher education. When the quality of higher education is strong, students benefit. When quality falters, students are the first to feel the impact.
As such, students have a pivotal role in helping to identify emerging and enduring sector risks. Their lived experiences provide valuable and diverse insight that continues to inform TEQSA’s work.
Background
In recent years, the higher education sector has faced complex challenges and opportunities. TEQSA recognises our role has evolved and we are therefore rebalancing our regulatory approach. As part of this, TEQSA’s Student Advisory Panel seeks to support us in identifying and managing risks to assure quality across the sector.
TEQSA is expanding the student voices we engage, beyond elected student representatives. TEQSA will establish a Student Advisory Panel. Australia’s higher education sector is diverse and complex, and the Student Advisory Panel seeks to reflect this.
Selection process
The expression of interest (EOI) process closed on 30 April 2026.
The next steps, to review applications and conduct interviews, are now progressing. This process is being facilitated by an external agency, Elliott Gray.
Panel members will be appointed for a one-year term and invited to express interest in extending their term for a second year at the conclusion of the first year. They will be asked to commit to meeting 4 times a year (both online and in person) and will be paid an honorarium for their time.
More updates on the selection outcomes will be released in due course.
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Next steps in selection process
The process to find members for TEQSA’s first Student Advisory Panel attracted applications from across Australia.
The selection process is now underway.
The formation of the Student Advisory Panel is an important step in ensuring that the lived experiences of students and their perspectives continue to inform TEQSA’s focus on systemic and emerging risks in higher education.
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Consultation
We have developed key aspects of our regulatory approach in consultation with higher education stakeholders. We recognise that consultation influences the quality of our relations with the higher education sector and can be an important way of collecting evidence which allows us to meet the objects of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (TEQSA Act).
Current consultations
There are no current consultations at TEQSA.
Previous consultations
Regulatory Risk Framework consultation
(Closed 30 April 2026)
TEQSA is seeking feedback on updates to the Regulatory Risk Framework (RRF) to test sector understanding of the RRF as one of the key inputs informing our regulatory responses and decision making in relation to matters of higher education quality and provider-level risk.
TEQSA has developed a set of consultation questions to support focused feedback on the draft RRF. Respondents may choose to comment on any of the questions that are relevant to them and are also welcome to provide additional feedback.
- Download the draft consultation paper (PDF, 460 KB)
Fees and charges consultation
(Closed 26 September 2025)
TEQSA is proposing an updated version of the Cost Recovery Implementation Statement (CRIS) with adjustments to our fees and charges to take effect on 1 January 2026.
Guidance notes consultation
(Closed 22 August 2025)
TEQSA is working to improve the efficiency of our regulatory operations and support greater self-assurance within the higher education sector by continuing to enhance our suite of guidance notes.
To support this project, TEQSA opened consultation on the following 3 draft documents:
- Course approval and accreditation
- Orientation and progression
- Qualifications and certification.
Guidance notes consultation
(Closed 18 July 2025)
TEQSA is working to improve the efficiency of our regulatory operations and support greater self-assurance within the higher education sector by continuing to enhance our suite of guidance notes.
To support this project, TEQSA opened consultation on the following 3 draft documents:
- Information for prospective and current students
- Information management
- Representation.
Interim regulatory guidance
(Closed 27 March 2025)
TEQSA is seeking feedback on new regulatory guidance that has been developed to support safety and wellbeing in higher education.
TEQSA is consulting on 2 documents:
- Interim statement of regulatory expectations: Student grievance and complaint mechanisms (PDF, 183 KB)
- Interim guidance: Managing external actors (PDF, 148 KB).
Fees and charges consultation
(Closed 28 October 2024)
In accordance with the Australian Government Charging Policy, TEQSA annually reviews the operation of our Cost Recovery Implementation Statement (CRIS).
Following an internal review of the 2023 version of the CRIS, TEQSA has developed a consultation paper for the sector.
This paper outlines several proposed adjustments to ensure our fees and charges (to take effect from 1 January 2025) accurately reflect the cost of our regulatory activities.
Revised service charter
(Closed 20 May 2024)
TEQSA commenced a service charter review in early 2023. The first phase of consultation was a stakeholder survey about our service charter in August 2023.
We’ve now developed a revised service charter informed by the survey results.
This was the second phase of consultation and sought further feedback from stakeholders.
Draft stakeholder engagement strategy
(Closed 20 May 2024)
To support the development of a draft stakeholder engagement strategy.
- Draft stakeholder engagement strategy consultation paper (MS Word, 160 KB)
Fit and proper person requirements
(Closed 20 May 2024)
Consultation for a proposal to amend the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Fit and Proper Person Determination 2018 (Determination).
- Download the consultation paper (MS Word, 157 KB)
Guidance notes on diversity and equity, student grievances and complaints, and wellbeing and safety
(Closed 15 March 2024)
In 2023, TEQSA consulted stakeholders on the following guidance notes:
- Diversity and equity
- Student grievances and complaints
- Wellbeing and safety.
These notes focus on 3 sections of the Threshold Standards that are unified in their intent to protect and provide support to students. TEQSA sought further stakeholder feedback that identified:
- what additional information can be included in the guidance note to make it useful and up to date
- any points or areas that require clarity
- suggestions to assist providers in delivering effective self-assurance.
Guidance notes on Staffing, Corporate Governance, and Corporate Monitoring and Accountability
(Closed 9 February 2024)
To support TEQSA’s ongoing work to improve the efficiency of our regulatory operations and support greater self-assurance within the higher education sector, we are continuing to enhance TEQSA’s suite of guidance notes for higher education providers.
- Corporate governance
- Corporate monitoring and accountability
- Staffing
Guidance notes on course design, learning outcomes and assessment and learning resources and educational support
(Closed 20 November 2023)
To support TEQSA’s ongoing work to improve the efficiency of our regulatory operations and support greater self-assurance within the higher education sector, we are continuing to enhance TEQSA’s suite of guidance notes for registered higher education providers.
- Course design
- Learning outcomes and assessment
- Learning resources and educational support
Assessment reform for the age of artificial intelligence
(Closed 20 October 2023)
TEQSA invited feedback on the proposals outlined in the Assessment reform for the age of artificial intelligence discussion paper, including the principles and propositions.
At the end of the consultation period, TEQSA and the lead authors of this document will consider all feedback received before publishing the final guidelines in late November 2023.
If you have any questions about this consultation, or the guiding principles, please email us at integrityunit@teqsa.gov.au.
Fees and charges consultation
(Closed 25 September 2023)
In accordance with the Australian Government Charging Policy, TEQSA annually reviews the operation of our Cost Recovery Implementation Statement (CRIS).
Following an internal review of the 2022 version of the CRIS, TEQSA developed a consultation paper for the sector. This paper outlined several proposed adjustments to ensure our fees and charges for 2024 accurately reflect the cost of our regulatory activities and the changes we’ve made to streamline processes since the 2022 version of the CRIS was developed.
- Download the consultation paper (PDF, 1.3 MB)
See: How we consult on fees and charges for more information
Service charter review survey
(Survey closed 25 September 2023)
Insights from the survey will help us to develop a draft service charter, which we will release for further comment at a later date. Following this consultation, TEQSA will consider stakeholder feedback before adopting our revised service charter.
See: Service charter review for more information.
Guidance notes on facilities and infrastructure, academic monitoring and academic and research integrity
(Closed 10 August 2023)
To support TEQSA’s ongoing work to improve the efficiency of our regulatory operations and support greater self-assurance within the higher education sector, we are continuing to enhance TEQSA’s suite of guidance notes for registered higher education providers.
- Academic and research integrity
- Academic monitoring, review and improvement
- Facilities and infrastructure (Summary of external consultation on Guidance Note: Facilities and infrastructure, PDF, 173 KB)
Consultation for sexual harm good practice note
(Closed 13 July 2023)
Since the release of the Good Practice Note: Preventing and responding to sexual assault and sexual harassment in the Australian higher education sector (the 2020 good practice note), TEQSA acknowledges there has been significant work across the sector to embed strategies to prevent and respond to sexual assault and sexual harassment, however, the issue remains a key risk.
- Sexual harm good practice note consultation (MS Word, 159 KB)
Guidance notes on diversity and equity, student grievances and complaints, and wellbeing and safety
(Closed 13 July 2023)
To support TEQSA’s ongoing work to improve the efficiency of our regulatory operations and support greater self-assurance within the higher education sector, we are continuing to enhance TEQSA’s suite of guidance notes for registered higher education providers.
- Diversity and Equity
- Student Grievances and Complaints
- Wellbeing and Safety
Guidance notes on academic governance, recognition of prior learning, and delivery with other parties
(Closed 7 March 2023)
To support TEQSA’s ongoing work to improve the efficiency of our regulatory operations and support greater self-assurance within the higher education sector, we are continuing to enhance TEQSA’s suite of guidance notes for registered higher education providers.
- Summary of external consultation on Guidance Note: Academic Governance (PDF, 163 KB)
- Summary of external consultation on Guidance Notes: Credit and Recognition of Prior Learning and Delivery with Other Parties (PDF, 180 KB)
Consultation for proposed amendments to Register Guidelines
(Closed 16 December 2022)
TEQSA has commenced a consultation process for proposed amendments to the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (Register) Guidelines 2017 (Register Guidelines).
The reason for the proposed amendments is to promote transparency regarding TEQSA's regulatory decisions and actions and remove any doubt about which trading names the Register must include in respect of registered providers' higher education operations.
Summary of feedback
TEQSA received two submissions during the consultation period.
Both submissions supported the inclusion of the additional information proposed in the consultation paper. One submission opposed the removal of previous trading names and the other supported it (while noting that this information may be useful to future students).
Guidance Note: Research requirements for Australian universities
(Closed 7 September 2022)
To support TEQSA’s ongoing work to improve the efficiency of our regulatory operations and support greater self-assurance within the higher education sector, we are enhancing TEQSA’s suite of guidance notes for registered higher education providers.
This work will reinforce the role of guidance notes to provide guidance that focuses on a specific section of the Higher Education Standards Framework (2021) while drawing attention to connections with other sections and highlighting potential compliance issues.
Following sector feedback during consultation last year, this project will ultimately reduce the number of guidance notes from 32 to 28 to ensure each guidance note aligns with a section of the Standards framework. Sector feedback has also informed the development of a new, simpler template for guidance notes.
The draft guidance note outlines what TEQSA will look for when considering university research in relation to requirements outlined in the TEQSA Act and Higher Education Standards Framework (2021).
Summary of external consultation
- Download the summary of external consultation (PDF, 167 KB)
Revised Guidance Note: Research and Research Training
(Closed 6 July 2022)
To support TEQSA’s ongoing work to improve the efficiency of our regulatory operations and support greater self-assurance within the higher education sector, we are enhancing TEQSA’s suite of guidance notes for registered higher education providers.
This work will reinforce the role of guidance notes to provide guidance that focuses on a specific section of the Higher Education Standards Framework (2021) while drawing attention to connections with other sections and highlighting potential compliance issues.
Following sector feedback during consultation last year, this project will ultimately reduce the number of guidance notes from 32 to 28 to ensure each guidance note aligns with a section of the Standards framework. Sector feedback has also informed the development of a new, simpler template for guidance notes.
The Guidance Note outlines, with regard to the Higher Education Standards Framework, what TEQSA will look for and common issues associated with Research and Research Training.
Register and information guidelines
(Closed 26 November 2021)
The Register Guidelines is a legislative instrument that sets out the information that TEQSA must enter on the National Register in respect of each registered higher education provider.
The Information Guidelines is a legislative instrument that sets out the Commonwealth authorities and the State or Territory authorities to which TEQSA may disclose higher education information under sections 189 and 194 of the TEQSA Act.
Revised compliance guides
(Closed 10 November 2021)
On 1 July 2021 the new Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021 (HESF) came into effect.
TEQSA is reviewing the current suite of guidance notes to ensure they reflect the requirements of the new HESF.
As part of this review, TEQSA developed a new template to streamline our guidance materials.
TEQSA fees and charges consultation
(Closed 3 June 2021)
On 30 April 2021, TEQSA released the TEQSA Fees and Charges Consultation Paper for feedback from the sector. The consultation paper outlined the details of TEQSA’s proposed approach for transitioning to the new cost recovery arrangements.
Draft legislative instrument
(Closed 28 April 2021)
In February 2021, the Australian Parliament passed the Higher Education Legislation Amendment (Provider Category Standards and Other Measures) Bill 2020. The Bill gives effect to the Australian Government’s decision to implement all 10 recommendations arising from the Provider Category Standards review conducted in 2019.
Among other things, the Bill amends the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (TEQSA Act) to allow TEQSA to make a determination of the matters which it must have regard to when assessing the quality of the research undertaken by a provider which is registered, or applies to be registered, in the Australian University category. By approval from the Minister, this determination becomes a legislative instrument.
TEQSA proposes to make a determination which sets out a number of matters which are relevant to an assessment of research quality. The list is non-exhaustive and does not specify benchmarks or thresholds for quality; it is a determination of considerations in an assessment of research quality.
Discussion paper: Making and assessing claims of scholarship and scholarly activity
(Closed 14 December 2020)
TEQSA sought to review whether its current approach to assessing claims of scholarship and scholarly activity (as described in the Guidance Note on Scholarship) is adequate, or if the approach needs to be reconceptualised. The purpose of this discussion paper was to set out, for consideration by the sector and other stakeholders, draft principles that were proposed to guide providers in making claims related to scholarship, and to inform TEQSA’s assessments of such claims.
Information Guidelines
(Closed 27 March 2020)
TEQSA sought feedback on the Commonwealth, State and Territory bodies that we proposed to include in an update to our Information Guidelines.
The Information Guidelines is a legislative instrument that sets out the Commonwealth authorities and the State or Territory authorities to which TEQSA may disclose higher education information under sections 189 and 194 of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011.
Fit and proper person considerations
(Closed 1 December 2017)
As a consequence of the passing of the Education Legislative Amendment (Provider Integrity and Other Measures) Act 2017, TEQSA is able to specify matters that the agency may have regard to in deciding whether a person is a fit and proper person for the purposes of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011.
Sector consultation on proposed changes to the publication of TEQSA’s decisions
(Closed 14 March 2017)
TEQSA sought feedback, via a consultation paper, on the proposed changes to the publication of regulatory decisions.
The consultation focused on proposed changes to the frequency and way we published decisions.
Questions about whether we should publish more information, including rejections, involve an important balance between the interests of higher education providers, students and other stakeholders.
The developments in our practices and in the approaches of other agencies meant that it was timely to revisit these issues.
We proposed that a simplified set of principles be adopted, informed by approaches of other Australian Government agencies, to guide our future approach.
As part of the consultation process, we will carefully consider all feedback before we make any changes to our approach. We are committed to ensuring that all stakeholders have an opportunity to provide us with their views.
Summary of consultation
Principles of consultation
Our approach to consultation is guided by the regulatory principles of: reflecting risk, proportionality and necessity. Our consultations are also guided by the principles outlined in TEQSA’s approach to consultation.
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Protect yourself from illegal commercial cheating services
WEBSITE BLOCKED
Access to this website has been blocked because it has been found to facilitate a contravention of section of the provisions of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (TEQSA Act) regulating academic cheating services.
The relevant provisions in the TEQSA Act
- make it an offence for any person to provide or advertise academic cheating services relating to the delivery of higher education in Australia, whether that person is in Australia or elsewhere
- allow TEQSA to apply under section 127A to the Federal Court for an injunction requiring carriage service providers to take steps to disable access to websites found to contravene or facilitate a contravention of sections 114A or 114B of the TEQSA Act
- provide for financial and custodial penalties where an offence is proven of up to 500 penalty units, 2 years imprisonment, or both. The TEQSA Act distinguishes between cheating services provided on a commercial basis, and where the cheating service is provided without payment.
If you use academic cheating services you might not learn all the skills you need for your career. You also risk losing your money, your enrolment, and even your student visa. In some cases, you could be blackmailed by the cheating service providers who might threaten to tell your institution or a future employer that you cheated.
Cheating is never the right answer.
Why are we blocking academic cheating websites?
Australia’s anti-cheating laws make it an offence to provide or advertise academic cheating services in higher education, with penalties of up to 2 years’ imprisonment or fines of up to 500 penalty units ($111,000 on 30 June 2021) or both.
TEQSA is working to disrupt access to these sites to protect students and the integrity of higher education.
Which academic cheating services have been blocked?
Complain about a commercial academic cheating website
How to complain
You can help to stamp out academic cheating. Complete the form to complain about suspected commercial academic cheating services (cheating websites).
If you are unable to submit your complaint using the online form, you can make a complaint by emailing TEQSA at integrityunit@teqsa.gov.au.
TEQSA may use any information it receives from any person who contacts it about suspected commercial academic cheating services in taking enforcement action (including in the pursuit of civil penalty or criminal penalty proceedings pursuant to sections 114A and 114B of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Act 2011), either independently or in conjunction with other agencies.
Complain or raise concerns about the blocking of a website
You can tell us why you think a particular website shouldn’t be blocked (you don’t have to give us any personal details) or that you have concerns about the blocking, by submitting the form you can access using the link above.
If you are unable to submit your complaint or concerns using the online form, you can make a complaint by emailing TEQSA at integrityunit@teqsa.gov.au.
TEQSA may use any information it receives from any person who contacts it about the disruption of access to an online location in taking enforcement action (including in the pursuit of civil penalty or criminal penalty proceedings pursuant to sections 114A and 114B of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Act 2011), either independently or in conjunction with other agencies.
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Upcoming webinar: Assuring online degrees in the age of gen AI
Registrations are open for TEQSA’s upcoming webinar, Online degrees in the age of gen AI: what credible assurance requires.
This free webinar brings together researchers and sector experts to consider what is required to deliver credible assurance of learning in an online environment. Presenters will draw on recent research, institutional experience and industry perspectives to discuss practical approaches that benefit students while assuring the integrity of their qualifications.
The webinar will be held on Thursday 4 June at 2pm (AEST).
In recent years, as generative artificial intelligence (gen AI) technologies have become more prolific and accessible they have presented challenges to traditional assessment methods. Wholly online programs support equitable access goals and offer students flexibility, but with these opportunities come risks.
To support the sector in managing these risks, this webinar considers how to design assessment to assure students are acquiring the knowledge their qualifications reflect, regardless of the mode of study.
The webinar will be hosted by Prof Mollie Dollinger (Curtin University), and panelists will include Prof Phillip Dawson (Deakin University), Amanda Ford (Online Education Services), Prof Danny Liu (University of Sydney) and Dr Suneeti Rekhari (AIM).
The webinar is suitable for senior leaders and academics involved in online teaching and learning, quality assurance and academic integrity.
Questions can be directed to: integrityunit@teqsa.gov.au
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Gen AI – academic integrity and assessment reform
This page contains resources to support institutions, staff and students in considering the potential impacts and benefits generative artificial intelligence (gen AI) tools pose for teaching, learning and assessment. TEQSA understands the uniqueness of each provider’s circumstances and therefore offers the following case studies and resources as examples of approaches being taken, both in Australia and beyond, for consideration. The resources on this page are not intended as guidance but rather seek to share approaches and practice.
- Gen AI - TEQSA resources webpage.
- Adapting assessment in the age of generative AI: The assessment adaptation model (Professor Ruth Greenaway, Dr Zachery Quince, Dr Joanne Munn, Southern Cross University)
- Don’t be sorry, just declare it: Promoting academic integrity and securing the essay in the age of gen AI (Benito Cao, The University of Adelaide)
- Partnering for change: Ethical gen AI use and ensuring integrity in assessment transformation (Tanya Henry and Associate Professor Christine Slade, Institute for Teaching and Learning Innovation, The University of Queensland)
- Principles for criteria and standards in assessment for gen AI use (Dom McGrath, The University of Queensland)
- AAIN Generative artificial intelligence guidelines (Australasian Academic Integrity Network) (PDF, 237 KB) (1 March 2023)
- Academic integrity in the context of artificial intelligence (ICMS) (3 March 2023)
- AI and assessment (Monash University) (4 April 2023)
- AI-powered pedagogy: Generative AI as a learning assistant in the ICT discipline (CQUniversity) (11 March 2025)
- An educational approach to generative AI (UTS College) (PDF, 7 MB) (18 July 2025)
- Artificial intelligence content generators in education for schools and universities: A good practice guide (University of Wollongong in Dubai) (PDF) (1 February 2023)
- Assurance of learning in fully online credentialled programs: A briefing paper for the Australian higher education sector (Curtin University) (December 2025)
- Embedding generative AI in curriculum: The SAGE framework and evidence-based implementation guide (Central Queensland University) (January 2026)
- Gen AI and the essay: Evaluating task specificity and rubric alignment (The University of Melbourne) (PDF)
- How AI can be used meaningfully by teachers and students in 2023 (The University of Sydney) (20 January 2023)
- Next steps for GenAI and assessment reform at UTS: A response to TEQSA (The University of Technology, Sydney) (September 2024)
- Rethinking assessment in response to AI (The University of Melbourne) (PDF) (1 July 2023)
- S.E.C.U.R.E. GenAI use framework for staff (Charles Sturt University) (2025)
- Summary of institutional responses to the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (Australasian Academic Integrity Network) (PDF, 417 KB) (1 May 2023)
- The AI assessment Venn: Outcome context method framework (RMIT University) (PDF) (June 2025)
- What to do about assessments if we can't out-design or out-run AI? (The University of Sydney) (12 July 2023)
- AI in higher education: Resource hub (Contact North/Nord, Canada) (4 April 2023)
- [White paper] Generative AI in higher education: Current practices and ways forward (Association of Pacific Rim Universities) (14 January 2025)
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Don’t be sorry, just declare it: Promoting academic integrity and securing the essay in the age of gen AI
Author: Benito Cao, The University of Adelaide
Focus area: Making academic integrity visible
The sudden irruption of generative artificial intelligence (gen AI) in higher education has sparked widespread concerns regarding the viability of essays as a form of assessment. Indeed, the argument often goes that large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT signal the death of the essay. But do they? Will they? Or, to paraphrase Mark Twain, is it that reports of the essay’s death are greatly exaggerated?
This case study outlines a pedagogical initiative designed to promote academic integrity and secure the essay in the age of gen AI. The initiative reimagines the ‘two-lane’ approach that proposes the combination of secured assessments (lane 1) with unsecured open assessments (lane 2).
The reimagined approach resembles the two-lane model in its partial reliance on in person assessments to validate student learning. Yet, it challenges the unrestricted nature of the Lane 2 approach by illustrating the value and validity of a ‘middle lane’ approach which focusses on the ecosystem to foster and facilitate authentic learning (Curtis 2025). The initiative relies on a pedagogical ecosystem designed to develop trust between students and teachers notwithstanding that academic integrity requires that we ‘trust but verify’ in cases of potential academic misconduct.
The pedagogical ecosystem includes the following elements:
- an exploration of the potential for gen AI tools to fabricate information, with illustrations of real-world ‘hallucinations’
- the provision of clear guidelines, with references to university policies and industry standards to showcase the rationale and relevance of the guidelines
- the requirement to include a gen AI appendix when students use gen AI in the production of their essays
- a reminder that students are expected to fully understand every aspect of their essay, and that if there is a concern about the use of gen AI tools exceeding the assessment guidelines, they may be asked to discuss the assignment before the mark is finalised
- explicit advice to keep drafts, notes, annotated readings and any other materials students have used, as evidence of how their essay has been produced in case its authorship is questioned
- the reliance on secured (in-person) assessments, worth between 30% and 50% of the overall mark, to help validate student learning and to compare with the essay preliminary mark if there are academic concerns regarding the production of the essay.
This pedagogical ecosystem is designed to enable the (relatively secured) implementation of a ‘middle lane’ approach, that permits a limited use of gen AI. Specifically, students are allowed to use gen AI tools to assist with idea generation and language expression. For example, I tell students:
- if they struggle to come up with ideas for their essays, they can use gen AI but any ideas suggested by the tool must be validated
- while they can use gen AI to assist with language expression, they should not allow the tool to take control of the narrative, that the narrative should reflect their own voice.
In essence, students are allowed a limited use of gen AI but are expected to remain the authors of their essays and to be transparent regarding their use of gen AI tools. Students are reminded of this basic expectation of transparency in the assignment submission portal. This is the last thing they read before uploading their essay:
Don't forget to include a gen AI appendix if you have used gen AI tools (for example, ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, Claude, Grammarly, etc.) in the production of the essay. The absence of this appendix is equivalent to stating: I did not use GenAI. If this statement turns out to be false, this would constitute a breach of academic integrity. Remember the slogan: Don't be sorry, just declare it.
The approach which I have titled, Don't be sorry, just declare it, reflects the integration of four normative principles: caution, trust, relevance and transparency (Cao 2025). It is a slogan used by Australian Customs and Biosecurity warning people who arrive in Australia to declare all goods they might not be permitted to bring into the country, rather than apologise afterwards for the lack of a declaration.
The evidence suggests that this approach can go a long way in addressing some of the most urgent pedagogical challenges posed by gen AI, particularly concerns with academic integrity. The evidence also suggests that this approach can improve security of the essay and thus contribute to its preservation as a valuable form of assessment in the age of gen AI.
References
Cao, B. (2025). Don’t Be Sorry, Just Declare It: Pedagogical Principles for the Ethical Use of ChatGPT, Master Bullshit Artist of Our Time. In: 11th International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd’25). Valencia, 17-20 June 2025.
Curtis, G. J. (2025). The two-lane road to hell is paved with good intentions: why an all-or-none approach to generative AI, integrity, and assessment is insupportable. Higher Education Research and Development. (Published online: 18 March 2025).
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Partnering for change: Ethical gen AI use and ensuring integrity in assessment transformation
Authors: Tanya Henry and Associate Professor Christine Slade, Institute for Teaching and Learning Innovation (ITaLI), The University of Queensland
Focus area: Assessment design
The Lead through learning strategy 2025 - 2027 (the Strategy) is a whole-of-university strategy at The University of Queensland (UQ) aimed at addressing the impact of generative artificial intelligence (gen AI) in education and sits within the UQ’s AI in Education Action Plan (2025 – 2027). This initiative is a partnership between 5 faculties and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) (DVC(A)) portfolio which aims to ensure graduates can use gen AI ethically and responsibly and that assessment practices assure learning outcomes.
Learning designers are embedded in the faculties for 3 years to spearhead the cultural change in assessment and teaching practices in the light of gen AI. As this is one piece of a broader program of work within the Strategy, the Learning Design (LD) team is led by a Strategic Lead based in the central teaching unit, who provides leadership and mentorship to the team of faculty-based learning designers and is the conduit between LDs and the DVC(A).
The Strategy has 2 main goals:
- Preparing students for responsible gen AI use by equipping students with ethical and practical skills they can use in their studies, careers and communities, and preparing them to lead and shape the future of gen AI integration in their fields.
- Maintaining the integrity of the learning process by ensuring that academic standards are upheld through secure and credible assessment practices.
Partnering with faculties to achieve these goals enables contextualised approaches within disciplines, with each faculty developing an operational plan that reflects their individual context. The central teaching and learning unit, the Institute for Teaching and Learning Innovation (ITaLI), complements this approach, upskilling gen AI use and assessment transformation, providing institutional guidance and facilitating collaboration.
Within faculties learning designers, in collaboration with teaching staff, are developing and delivering workshops to support staff in using gen AI including how to enhance the validity and security of assessments. Across faculties staff are engaging in communities of practice including the establishment of an AI Steering Committee to explore the development of a whole-of-faculty gen AI curriculum.
Key lessons or points for implementation
- Define success and leverage existing data:
Clearly articulate what success looks like in advancing the project’s core goals and how progress will be measured. Engage with colleagues who can identify existing data sources and explore future possibilities to support evidence-based decision-making. - Integrate with other initiatives to maximise impact and minimise change fatigue:
Assessment transformation should align with other strategic initiatives, such as inclusive design and indigenising the curriculum, to create synergies rather than silos. This approach fosters collaboration, reduces duplication of effort and helps avoid staff fatigue by streamlining change. - Support educators through incremental, reflective change:
Meet educators where they are and guide them through manageable, meaningful steps in assessment reform. Celebrate small wins, reflect on what works and what doesn’t, using a continuous improvement approach. - Contextual partnerships across the university:
Connecting both top down and ground up goals is important to support staff buy-in where success requires teaching and assessment practices to change.
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Related links
Gen AI knowledge hub