Governing Academic Integrity: Ensuring the Authenticity of Higher Thinking in the Era of Generative Artificial Intelligence
Open accessAbstract
There is a pressing need to reform governance of higher education to ensure the academic integrity in response to the contemporary implications of generative artificial intelligence. The aim of this paper is to articulate research which reveals ways in which this can be done. First, it considers what new information would help academic governors improve their work hence academic practice. It presents an academic integrity indicator framework developed through research reviews, multi-institutional case study analysis, framework and data prototyping, qualitative confirmation with experts, and quantitative analysis. Second, it explores reforms to academic governance to ensure uptake and use of such information. The paper articulates reforms to governance architectures, people and technologies/resources, and the need for external pressure from regulation, benchmarking, and cross-institutional competition. The paper concludes by sketching a research agenda for advancing this field.
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Rapid integration of AI technologies raises concerns about academic integrity and the potential for misuse.
“yet the rapid integration of such technologies also raises concerns about academic integrity and the potential for misuse [ 8, 9].”
From Redefining student assessment in AI-infused learning environments: a systematic review of challenges and strategies for academic integrity (2026) · cites this paper as [8]
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- 0 0 1 . 0 0 0 1 / a c r e -0 2 6 4 0 9 3 -e -9 9 · DOI
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- Authors
- Coates, H., Croucher, G., & Calderon, A.
- Affiliations
- Australian National University (AU)
- The University of Melbourne (AU)
- RMIT University (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Coates, Hamish
- Venue
- Journal of Academic Ethics
- Published
- 2025-05-01
- Volume
- 23
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 2015-2028
- ISSN
- 1570-1727 (ISSN-L)
- 1572-8544
- OpenAlex
- W4409982626
- Cited by
- 35
- References
- 30
- Citations by year
- 2026: 26 · 2025: 9
- FWCI
- 36.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Locations
- Journal of Academic Ethics (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Minerva Access (University of Melbourne) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- Australian National University
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Academic integrity and plagiarism
- Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Higher Education Governance and Development
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Information Systems › Artificial Intelligence in Education
- Keywords
- academic integrity, university governance, higher education governance, generative AI, governance reform, AI regulation, benchmarking
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