Ali Hope

The Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) is working to create a code of conduct that will guide how staff and students will use Artificial Intelligence within the university.

This was made known by the Director of Quality Assurance and Servicom at ESUT, Professor Obiageli Omeje, who spoke on the need to set clear rules for the university community.

Professor Omeje, who spoke during the three-day training workshop for ESUT staff earlier in the week, noted that the university is taking steps to ensure that ethical considerations are followed when adopting AI in teaching.

“How do you ensure that the issue of data privacy is maintained? How do you ensure the integrity and security of what you are doing in your teaching? That is very, very important.”

Professor Omeje explained that the policy will focus on protecting critical thinking and human effort in schoolwork, warning against turning education into a purely mechanical process.

“What assessment procedures are you proposing to ensure that the creativity of students is maintained in whatever they write? How are you going to ensure that their creativity is maintained and not being compromised? Then, the cardinal point of every university is focused on producing graduates that will be problem solvers when they graduate. As you are doing teaching, make sure you have this in the back of your mind to ensure that you produce graduates that will be able to function effectively in society,” she said.

Professor Omeje further warned against overreliance on Artificial Intelligence in learning environments.

“Because the way we are going, very soon, AI will be producing robots, not human beings. The issue of critical thinking, when you are looking at curriculum, make sure that you take it into consideration. AI should not make us lazy, we should be the master, not the other way round.”

She added that the university will evaluate assessment methods to safeguard student originality and ensure students are doing their own assignments.

“What assessment procedures are you proposing to ensure that the creativity of students is maintained in their individual writing?” Professor Omeje asked. “How are you going to ensure that their creativity is maintained and not being compromised? We need to see the effort, what you put in, that your students are actually doing what they are supposed to do.”

Professor Omeje stressed that every academic programme must prepare students to solve real problems after graduation.

“The cardinal point of every university is focused on producing graduates that will be what? That will be problem solvers when they graduate,” Professor Omeje said. “Whatever you are teaching them, let this be at the heart of whatever you do. Let them be prepared to be able to compete with other people from other universities.”

The code of conduct will regulate the application of AI as a research tool by both students and staff of the university. Prof. Omeje added that the regulation of the application of AI by the students and staff became imperative in order to ensure responsible use of the new academic tool.