Doug Specht and Gunter Saunders for London Business Matters on AI in higher education

In the article, titled Generative AI in Higher Education – Hype or Transformational, Specht and Saunders explain that historically higher education has been apprehensive when it comes to embracing new technology despite its transformative potential.

Instead of fearing this kind of modernisation the pair highlight the positive elements of using AI in higher education such as, freeing up academics’ time so they can interact more with students and create new initiatives. Additionally, they suggest that using AI can help tackle writers block and support in writing new course outlines or draft lesson plans. However, they stress that AI should be used as a supplementary tool, highlighting that when it comes to students learning, there should not be a complete reliance on AI.

They conclude: “GenAI tools, such as ChatGPT, are here to stay. They will improve at what they can do and become increasingly part of everyday life and work. Hiding these tools from ourselves or our students would be a disservice. Universities and educators within them should seek to engage with GenAI, finding ways to free up precious time to provide space for increased guidance, support and development to help students reach their full potential. Through doing this and being transparent about it, educators can continue to act as role models for their students.”

The article contributes towards the Quality Education (4) development goal of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which were adopted by the University of Westminster to help make the University a more sustainable, responsible and inclusive place to live, work and study.

Read the full article on the London Chamber of Commerce website. 

Find out more about the University of Westminster’s upcoming course Applied Artificial Intelligence MSc.