The UCT AI in Education Framework is intended to provide guidance for responsible and ethical AI use in teaching, learning, and assessment.

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The Rationale for an AI in Education Framework

Since 2023, universities around the world continue to respond to the adoption of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, and Claude by students and staff in education. This ongoing adaptation has sparked debates about academic integrity and assessment. Growing concerns around plagiarism and cheating, together with the appropriate use of AI by students, continue to drive calls for changes in assessment design and the clarification of AI use. Further questions remain about how well students are being prepared for careers that increasingly involve AI.

Departments and faculties have been supporting teaching staff in adjusting the use of GenAI tools in academic work, tailored to their disciplines. However, there are ongoing requests for institutional guidelines on the appropriate and ethical use of GenAI tools in education.

The need for a UCT framework specifically focused on AI in education was identified and remains a priority to establish clear guidelines and systematic approaches, and to curate existing AI activities and resources into a more accessible and organized format.

Under the direction of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (DVC) for Teaching and Learning, a process is underway to develop the UCT AI in Education Framework. Initiated in 2024, this process is led by the AI in Education Working Group of the Online Education Subcommittee (OESC), which has compiled a draft framework. This framework is intended to serve as a centralised reference for responding to AI in teaching and learning and outlines several key purposes:

  • To provide clear guidelines on the responsible and effective use of AI in education at UCT;
  • To promote AI literacies and ethical use among students and staff;
  • To ensure the integrity of teaching, learning, and assessment in an AI-mediated environment; and
  • To support the development of AI-related graduate attributes. 

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The Framework’s Three Pillars of Engagement with AI

The framework outlines three pillars of engagement with AI, which are actively being implemented across the institution:

1. Promoting AI Literacies 

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UCT is committed to foster the development of critical AI literacies as a key competency for staff and students. Based on the literature and emerging practices at universities, an AI Literacies framing for UCT has been developed, focusing on five topics covering knowledge, skills, and dispositions, with an emphasis on critical thinking and human-centred engagement with AI tools. AI literacies aim to equip staff and students to understand and use GenAI ethically and responsibly.

 

There is ongoing work to support UCT staff and students in developing AI literacies, including:

2. Ensuring Assessment Integrity

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In line with global higher education trends, UCT recognises that assessment practices must continue evolving to ensure integrity and validity. Currently, many traditional assessments can be partially or wholly AI-generated, while AI detection tools remain unreliable or easily subverted. Existing assessment types or modes may need further adaptation, and assessment redesign is an ongoing process. The framework recommends that departments engage students to ensure they are aware of the guidelines for the use of GenAI in assignments. The framework also acknowledges that assessment review and redesign require ongoing effort from staff and that support is available and continues to be developed.

 

Support, consultations, and guides on redesigning assessments, aligned with UCT’s Assessment Policy, are currently available through CILT:

3. Exploring AI-Enabled Innovation

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The innovation pillar signals UCT’s ongoing efforts to explore, test, and where appropriate, integrate AI into its educational practices. AI-enabled innovation in teaching and learning continues to be investigated with a focus on leveraging the affordances of these emerging tools to enhance teaching and learning, as well as considering how these tools may contribute to UCT’s institutional imperatives (such as supporting multilingualism, curriculum change and redesign, advancing digitally enabled education, and supporting student success).

 

There are current opportunities for innovation, including:

  • The establishment of a special purpose AI innovations grant by the DVC for Teaching and Learning to build expertise and understand the most beneficial applications of AI in teaching and learning contexts to inform UCT's AI strategy and approaches to scaling up use of AI. 

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Development Process and Consultations 

The Draft UCT AI in Education Framework continues to be developed through a consultative process, and includes engagements with:

  • The AI in Education Working Group (September and October 2024)
  • The Online Education Subcommittee (October 2024)
  • The Students’ Representative Council (November 2024)
  • The Senate Teaching and Learning Committee (November 2024) 

Further engagements with faculties and key stakeholder groups and departments are ongoing before the framework is formally adopted.

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Contact Us

If you would like to learn more about the framework and would like to give feedback, please contact nawaal.deane@uct.ac.za

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UCT AI in Education Working Group

The Online Education Sub-committee established a UCT Working Group on AI in Education in 2023. Reporting to the DVC Teaching and Learning, the group brings together cross-institutional and faculty perspectives to develop and shape institutional responses.

The working group comprises 45 members, which includes OESC reps and volunteers from all faculties and most support departments, including UCT Libraries, ICTS, and IPD. Chaired by Sukaina Walji, the working group meets quarterly and has been the key committee overseeing the UCT AI in Education framework’s development, gathering feedback via faculty representatives. This initiative responded to calls for clearer guidance for UCT staff and students, complementing the widely used AI in Education Guides produced by CILT.

Starting from the understanding that the field of AI in education is nascent, the working group discusses and responds to issues arising in the teaching and learning space.

Supported by CILT, the working group focuses on:

  • Awareness raising and communications 
  • Training and workshops for teaching with AI 
  • Promoting AI literacies 
  • Assessment and academic integrity 
  • Testing of AI tools 
  • Promoting AI-enabled innovation 
  • Data collection 
  • Frameworks, policies and governance 

Please contact the Chair, Sukaina Walji for more information or if you would like to join the working group.