HKU SPACE students warned of AI challenge to academic integrity

Academic integrity has become a new challenge for universities amid the trends of using artificial intelligence, said Wendy Thomson, vice-chancellor of the University of London.

She made this remark yesterday while officiating the commencement of 44 students who took UoL's degree programs remotely at the University of Hong Kong's School of Professional and Continuing Education - HKU's extension arm.

The collaboration between HKU SPACE and UoL dates back 60 years, starting with preparatory law courses for the Bachelor of Laws degree in London. Over the years, the partnership has expanded to offer remote programs from Bachelor to PhD levels in various fields, including business and computer science.

HKU SPACE has served as an admissions office for the University of London, enabling students to pursue UoL programs without the need to travel abroad.

According to William Lee Keng-mun, director of HKU Space, the collaboration between the two schools can be described as a 60-year marriage.

He said that the management of the two schools is currently discussing the possibility of offering more programs.

When asked about the integration of technology into the curriculum, Thomson said the significant shift from traditional "paper and pencil" examinations and assessments to digital formats was accelerated due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, she also said that the popularization of online teaching and the use of AI technologies have introduced new challenges in ensuring academic integrity.

Thomson expressed concerns about the integrity of exams with AI and the difficulty of controlling it, saying that efforts are being made to find ways to detect and address these issues.

"In the early days, we were trying to put the genie back in the box. But it's not going to happen, and [the technologies are] now there. So let's [embrace it]," Thomson said, acknowledging the prevalence of AI technologies and the need to leverage them effectively.

Lee said HKU SPACE has established an AI Hub that integrates various AI tools and platforms for staff and students.

The creation of the AI Hub followed HKU's initial ban on students using generative AI tools in February of last year, which was later lifted in August.

Lee stressed the importance of filtering the information generated by AI tools and using them correctly and ethically, saying that HKU SPACE has incorporated AI knowledge into the school's compulsory technology course, equipping students with the necessary skills and understanding.