TLDR: The University of Cape Town (UCT) has officially endorsed a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Education Framework, designed to guide the ethical and responsible integration of AI technologies into its teaching and learning practices. The framework emphasizes AI literacy, assessment integrity, and innovation, while also announcing the discontinuation of the Turnitin AI Score due to reliability concerns.
Cape Town, South Africa – The University of Cape Town (UCT) is taking a proactive stance on the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, with its Senate Teaching and Learning Committee officially endorsing a comprehensive AI in Education Framework. Announced by Professor Brandon Collier-Reed, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Teaching and Learning, the framework aims to provide a structured approach for the responsible and ethical use of AI technologies within the university’s academic environment.
The decision to implement this framework was driven by the increasing integration of AI tools, such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, into daily academic and professional life. Professor Collier-Reed noted that while these tools offer innovative and productive avenues, they also present significant challenges, necessitating a re-evaluation of teaching pedagogies, assessment practices, and the fundamental nature of a university education and its qualifications in a changing world.
The framework, which primarily focuses on generative AI, establishes overarching principles for ethical and responsible use. It is built upon three core pillars designed to guide UCT’s engagement with AI:
1. Promoting AI literacy among both staff and students.
2. Ensuring integrity in assessment practices.
3. Investing in AI-enabled innovations in teaching, learning, and curriculum design.
These pillars are intended to serve as a roadmap for short- and medium-term activities, clarifying the roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders involved in the framework’s implementation. Professor Collier-Reed emphasized that a collective commitment from the entire teaching and learning community is essential to intentionally and integrally shape the future with AI.
The endorsement follows an extensive engagement process that involved faculties, support departments, student representatives, and the university’s AI Initiative. Key messages from these consultations highlighted the importance of academic integrity, ensuring equitable access to AI technologies for all staff and students, and fostering AI literacies and capabilities.
In a significant related development, the Senate Teaching and Learning Committee has also agreed to discontinue the use of Turnitin AI Score, an automated detection tool that flags potentially AI-generated content in student submissions. This feature will no longer be available at UCT from October 1, 2025. Professor Collier-Reed explained the rationale behind this decision, stating, ‘AI detection tools are widely considered to be unreliable and can produce both false positives and false negatives. The continued use of such scores risks compromising student trust and academic fairness.’
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Given the rapid pace of AI development, UCT has committed to regularly updating the framework’s roadmap and activities to ensure it remains current and responsive to new advancements.
