Managing Higher Education in the AI Age: Charting the Course for the Future

By Nazir Ahmed Jogezai, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow at the Laboratory
for Educational Innovation Research, Institute of Education, HSE University.

Higher education institutions (HEIs) are currently situated at a critical juncture in terms of innovations, as chatbots and artificial intelligence have a significant influence on numerous facets of their functioning, including research, teaching, and learning. 

Comparable to enigmatic figures in a cosmic story, chatbots may represent either an AI army masquerading as a beneficent celestial being or the duality itself. One aspect is that they exhibit a celestial quality, bestowing users with cost-effectiveness and efficiency while providing seemingly divine assistance. Conversely, chatbots may occasionally exhibit adversarial tendencies concealed beneath their ethereal garments, such as misinterpreting user input, lacking empathy, and even conspiring clandestinely; this gives rise to privacy apprehensions and the possibility of digital mischief. Within this intergalactic arena, it is incumbent upon us to harness their heavenly attributes while being vigilant against their deceitful guises, thereby guaranteeing that they rather bring benefits than inflict harm to research and social development. The role of higher education institutions, as guardians of knowledge generation, on the blurring line between AIs’ goodwill and harm remains very critical. This discourse aims to explore the profound impact that the HEIs can make for themselves and the larger social good by harnessing the Meaningful, Relevant, Ethical, and Responsible (MRER) application of these AIs. 

Meaningful AI application in learning improves results by adding value to the educational experience. AI-powered chatbots in online classes, for example, deliver tailored feedback, encouraging active learning.

Relevant AI applications tailor applications to specific educational demands that are aligned with the curriculum objectives. For example, a language learning app may employ AI to provide contextually relevant activities based on the learner's proficiency and interests. 

Ethical AI adheres to values of fairness, transparency, and privacy, avoiding bias and discrimination. This could entail creating AI technologies that give equitable opportunities to diverse students while protecting sensitive data and privacy. On the other hand, ethical use of AI means avoiding plagiarism and cheating. 

Responsible AI use in education commits to the ethical development, deployment, and management of artificial intelligence in order to reduce harm. For example, ensuring that AI algorithms used in grading are unbiased, upholding academic integrity and standards, and preventing students from receiving undue advantages or disadvantages.

HEIs as AI implementers and advocates

Higher education institutions (HEIs) possess the capacity to impact AI regularization not only at the organizational level but also at the national level.

Universities have the capacity to effectively foster the advancement of meaningful artificial intelligence in both educational and research domains through the implementation of a set of strategies. These include the incorporation of AI education within their curriculum, the establishment of interdisciplinary programs, and the establishment of dedicated AI research centers that prioritize ethical considerations and responsible AI practices. For example, educational institutions can implement curricula that offer courses focused on instructing students about the fundamental principles and wide-ranging ramifications of artificial intelligence across several disciplines. This measure guarantees that students, who will become future researchers, educators, and professionals, get a robust understanding of artificial intelligence and its ethical application.

In addition, universities have the potential to provide assistance to open-source artificial intelligence initiatives, thereby expanding the reach of AI tools and promoting the proper utilization of AI in the realms of education and research. Universities should align themselves with global and national trajectories that want to support AI in education by advocating for the creation and utilization of free and open-source AI solutions. This approach can contribute to ensuring accessibility and affordability in the field of AI education.

AI and education

One area in which AI has the capacity to bring about a paradigm shift is personalized learning in higher education.

Meaningful AI use in universities can pave the way for achieving broader curriculum objectives and learning outcomes. To make AI relevant, universities could create guidelines for the faculty and course designers. The recommendations might mandate that AI tools be relevant to the course objectives and subject matter. The guidelines may recommend that faculty regularly evaluate the effect of AI tools on student engagement and success and make necessary adjustments. Faculty, in turn, may need to regularly evaluate and strengthen their own capacity to effectively implement AI.

Course designers should be encouraged to incorporate AI tools and techniques to address specific learning objectives, considering diverse student needs, interests, and skill levels. To cater to the unique educational requirements of every student, AI systems have the capability to customize academic courses and materials through the examination of personal learning patterns and preferences. Personalized instruction not only enriches the educational encounter but also positively influences the results of the course. We need to know more about this domain by investigating the efficacy of personalized learning powered by artificial intelligence and its influence on the achievement of students, thereby facilitating the development of educational methodologies that are more learner-centered.

AI and research

The era of AI and chatbots introduces a novel domain for research in higher education, replete with potential and ethical intricacies. Although AI and chatbots have the capacity to fundamentally transform research methodologies, they also give rise to significant concerns regarding the ethical and responsible application of these technologies. In light of the fact that HEIs are the primary agents of research in higher education, they possess a distinctive ability to guide this paradigm shift in an ethical and responsible manner. 

The ability to utilize data-driven insights is one of the most significant ramifications of the AI and chatbot eras on research in higher education. These technologies facilitate the collection and analysis of enormous volumes of data (Lin, 2023; Rahmani, 2021) in an unprecedentedly efficient manner. This transformation carries substantial implications, as it grants researchers unparalleled access to valuable data sources. This enables them to conduct in-depth analyses of various aspects, such as student performance, administrative operations, and educational trends. By leveraging data-driven insights, higher education research can be significantly advanced, enabling institutions to make well-informed decisions that improve the overall quality and efficacy of the educational process.

The utilization of AI-powered tools enables improved collaboration at an international level through their real-time language translation and communication functionalities. This may lead to the elimination of geographical barriers that previously impeded the seamless flow of knowledge, insights, and research discoveries. Researchers from various parts of the world can collaborate effortlessly, contributing to the global corpus of knowledge and exchanging their specialized insights. The potential for such improved collaboration can expedite research and innovation in higher education. 

Interdisciplinary research can be actively encouraged by HEIs to thoroughly examine the ethical ramifications of AI applications in education. Engaging in collaborative efforts with ethicists, social scientists, and policymakers can facilitate the evaluation and alleviation of the ethical dilemmas that are inherent in AI research. A solid comprehension of the ethical aspects of AI in research is fostered through this multidisciplinary approach, which contributes to the development of more informed and ethical practices.

HEIs can and should participate in shaping up policies about the ethical use of AI. One of the strategies could be establishing ethics review committees within institutions that can provide valuable guidance for the responsible research and development of AI. These boards may have the capacity to evaluate the ethical ramifications of research endeavors utilizing artificial intelligence, thereby guaranteeing their adherence to ethical standards.

Another strategy is creating a code of ethics or guidelines for the ethical use of AI, which can include universities' compliance with data privacy laws and ethical data handling. They could also include recommendations to obtain consent for data collection, use, and storage from students. The guidelines can emphasize reducing bias in AI applications. Universities can recommend regular bias audits for AI algorithms used in admissions, grading, or any decision-making processes. Ethical guidelines may consider plagiarism and cheating, too. Establishing and strengthening ethical review boards for AI projects involving humans or data could be crucial to ensuring ethical standards for research and AI applications.

HEIs and wider community

HEIs can advocate for donor and government funding to support AI research and educational innovation.

Universities need to involve the wider community by means of seminars, webinars, public conversations, policy dialogues, and research centered around the MRER of artificial intelligence (AI) and its effects on education and research. This initiative will cultivate consciousness and endorsement for the use of AI in a purposeful manner. By engaging in such actions, universities can actively contribute to the goals of global and national endeavors that seek to advance the responsible and ethical utilization of artificial intelligence within academic settings. These ambitions and milestones, for example, include the OECD AI’s values-based principles, the UNESCO call for regulation, while national ones comprise, for example, the Commission on AI Ethics in Russia and the AI Alliance Russia.

Universities have the potential to foster collaboration with industrial partners, facilitating the engagement of students and professors in practical AI initiatives. One example involves establishing collaborations with technology firms to create artificial intelligence (AI) technologies specifically designed for educational applications. This not only can facilitate students in gaining practical experience but also promote the advancement of AI applications that are pertinent to the academic domain.

HEIs can advocate for donor’s and government funding to support AI research and educational innovation. Such funding should be allocated to initiatives that prioritize the responsible development of artificial intelligence in learning and research, and programs fostering inclusion, equity, and linguistic and cultural diversity. Moreso, global and national level ambitions regarding meaningful AI use provide a greater point of departure and inspiration, which would really be welcomed by international agencies and national bodies.

Universities have the potential to foster collaboration with industrial partners, facilitating the engagement of students and professors in practical AI initiatives. One example involves establishing collaborations with technology firms to create artificial intelligence (AI) technologies specifically designed for educational applications. This not only can facilitate students in gaining practical experience but also promote the advancement of AI applications that are pertinent to the academic domain.

HEIs can advocate for donor’s and government funding to support AI research and educational innovation. Such funding should be allocated to initiatives that prioritize the responsible development of artificial intelligence in learning and research, and programs fostering inclusion, equity, and linguistic and cultural diversity. Moreso, global and national level ambitions regarding meaningful AI use provide a greater point of departure and inspiration, which would really be welcomed by international agencies and national bodies.

To conclude

Higher education institutions can establish a precedent for responsible AI research by implementing AI ethics, collaborating with industry partners, conducting interdisciplinary research, and formulating and advocating for regulations and guidelines at the global, national, regional, institutional, and individual level. This would ensure that the utilization of AI adheres to ethical standards. Given the swift pace of technological advancements, it is not merely a discretionary decision whether to utilize AI responsibly in higher education research. Rather, it is an ethical obligation that safeguards the integrity of education and research for all time, wherein technology functions as a potent instrument for the progression of knowledge and social development.