Teaching & Learning
- Use of generative AI in assessed coursework is generally at instructor or task discretion and students must follow the specific permissions stated for the assignment
- The university states that unauthorized AI use can amount to academic misconduct, while some assessments may explicitly permit AI use if students acknowledge it appropriately
The key issue is whether you have represented work generated by AI as your own. Unless your tutor has explicitly said that this is allowed, this would be classed as plagiarism and therefore academic misconduct.
The academic judgement framework identifies some possible examples of misuse of AI. This list is not exhaustive.
Examples of generative AI misuse may include:
Submitting AI generated work as if it is your own
Using AI tools to complete an assessment when this is not allowed
If you use generative AI in your work, there are situations in which this may be considered good academic practice. It can depend on a number of factors, so you should carefully review any assignment briefs, module handbooks, or guidance from your tutors.
Use of Generative AI in assessed work
Academic staff may permit students to use AI in an assessment if it supports the intended learning outcomes. If students are allowed to use GAI in this way, they should acknowledge its use when they submit the work.
- The university says AI use in assessments is only allowed when academic staff permit it for that assessment
- If AI is used in an assessment where it is not allowed, that is identified as misuse and may be treated as academic misconduct
Using AI tools to complete an assessment when this is not allowed
Use of Generative AI in assessed work
Academic staff may permit students to use AI in an assessment if it supports the intended learning outcomes. If students are allowed to use GAI in this way, they should acknowledge its use when they submit the work.
- It also warns students not to rely on AI answers without checking because outputs can be inaccurate or fabricated
- The university permits and encourages students to use generative AI for personal study support such as explaining concepts, creating practice questions, and checking understanding, provided students think critically and verify outputs
You can use generative AI to support your learning, for example:
Asking for explanations of key concepts in your subject
Creating revision aids, such as flashcards and mind maps
Generating practice questions and model answers
Summarising notes or articles into key points
Testing your understanding by asking follow-up questions
Generative AI can be a useful tool to support your studies, but it has limitations. It can:
Get facts wrong
Make up references or sources
Reflect bias in its responses
Provide over-confident answers that sound correct but are not
Use your academic judgement when using generative AI. You should always:
Check the accuracy of what it produces
Compare outputs with trusted academic sources
Think critically about whether the response makes sense
Research
- The university allows AI to be used in aspects of research writing only with caution, transparency, and human responsibility
- Researchers remain fully accountable for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of manuscripts, and AI tools cannot be credited as authors
Researchers are responsible for the accuracy, integrity and originality of their work, including any output generated with the assistance of AI tools.
Any use of AI in the preparation of research outputs should be appropriately disclosed, in line with publisher, funder, disciplinary and collaborator requirements.
AI tools cannot be listed as authors because they cannot take responsibility for the work.
Generative AI and postgraduate dissertations
Students may choose to use generative AI tools during the dissertation process, for example to support idea development, improve writing clarity, or organise material. However, students remain responsible for the accuracy, integrity and originality of their dissertation.
- The university permits use of AI in research data and analysis only where researchers protect confidentiality, comply with legal and ethical requirements, and validate outputs
- Researchers are responsible for checking AI-generated analyses and must not input sensitive, personal, confidential, or commercially restricted data into public AI tools unless appropriate approvals and safeguards are in place
Researchers must not upload confidential, personal, commercially sensitive or otherwise restricted information into public AI tools unless appropriate approvals, contracts and safeguards are in place.
Any use of AI for analysis or interpretation must be carefully validated. Researchers are responsible for checking outputs for accuracy, bias and appropriiateness.
You must ensure that the use of AI complies with data protection law, confidentiality obligations, intellectual property requirements, research ethics approvals and any contractual terms attached to the data.
- The university requires AI use in research to comply with research integrity, ethics, legal, and funder requirements
- Researchers must disclose AI use where required, remain accountable for all content, and avoid using AI in ways that compromise ethics applications, approvals, confidentiality, or integrity obligations
The University expects all researchers to maintain the highest standards of honesty, rigour, transparency and accountability in research.
Researchers are responsible for the accuracy, integrity and originality of their work, including any output generated with the assistance of AI tools.
You must ensure that the use of AI complies with data protection law, confidentiality obligations, intellectual property requirements, research ethics approvals and any contractual terms attached to the data.
Any use of AI in the preparation of research outputs should be appropriately disclosed, in line with publisher, funder, disciplinary and collaborator requirements.
Academic Integrity
- Research outputs should also disclose AI use where relevant requirements apply
- Disclosure of AI use is required when AI is permitted in assessed work, and the university provides a formal acknowledgement format students should use
If students are allowed to use GAI in this way, they should acknowledge its use when they submit the work.
You should include a statement that explains how you used generative AI in your assignment.
Example acknowledgement statement:
I acknowledge the use of [name of generative AI tool] to [describe how it was used]. I have reviewed and edited the output and take responsibility for the final submission.
Any use of AI in the preparation of research outputs should be appropriately disclosed, in line with publisher, funder, disciplinary and collaborator requirements.
- The university treats unauthorized AI use as potential academic misconduct under its academic integrity rules
- The provided sources describe misuse examples and misconduct consequences, but they do not define a university-wide policy on use of AI detection tools
Unless your tutor has explicitly said that this is allowed, this would be classed as plagiarism and therefore academic misconduct.
Examples of generative AI misuse may include:
Submitting AI generated work as if it is your own
Using AI tools to complete an assessment when this is not allowed
Academic misconduct refers to any action by a student which gives or has the potential to give an unfair advantage in an examination or assessment, or might assist someone else to gain an unfair advantage, or where there is the potential for the standards of an award to be undermined.
Institutional & Administrative
- The sources also indicate that staff should design assessments thoughtfully in response to AI use
- The university permits staff to use generative AI in teaching and assessment design where it supports learning outcomes, but staff are expected to make clear to students when AI use is allowed and how it should be acknowledged
Academic staff may permit students to use AI in an assessment if it supports the intended learning outcomes.
It is important that students are given clear guidance on whether and how generative AI may be used in each assessment.
Assessment design should consider the opportunities and risks associated with generative AI and ensure that assessment remains valid, inclusive and aligned to intended learning outcomes.
- The university requires users to protect confidential, personal, commercially sensitive, and otherwise restricted information when using AI tools
- Public AI tools must not be used for such data unless approvals, contracts, and safeguards are in place; however, the provided sources do not define a single university-wide list of approved platforms
Researchers must not upload confidential, personal, commercially sensitive or otherwise restricted information into public AI tools unless appropriate approvals, contracts and safeguards are in place.
You must ensure that the use of AI complies with data protection law, confidentiality obligations, intellectual property requirements, research ethics approvals and any contractual terms attached to the data.
- It presents AI guidance as evolving and indicates that use should be governed by these principles rather than by unrestricted adoption
- The university has an institutional framework of principles for generative AI centered on supporting learning outcomes, academic integrity, transparency, inclusion, and critical engagement
These principles are intended to support colleagues and students in making informed, critical and ethical decisions about the use of generative AI in education.
Generative AI should be used in ways that support learning, rather than undermine it.
The use of generative AI in education should be transparent.
Assessment should continue to align with intended learning outcomes and support academic integrity.
This guidance will continue to evolve as technologies, practice and regulation develop.
DocuMark: Responsible AI Use for Academic Integrity
Knowing your institution's AI policy is step one. DocuMark helps enforce it fairly by empowering universities to manage AI-generated content, prevent cheating, and support student writing through responsible AI use.
Common Questions About University of Birmingham's AI Policies
University of Birmingham has defined AI policies in 11 of 12 categories, with an overall coverage score of 92%.
Disclosure of AI use is required when AI is permitted in assessed work, and the university provides a formal acknowledgement format students should use. Research outputs should also disclose AI use where relevant requirements apply.
The university treats unauthorized AI use as potential academic misconduct under its academic integrity rules. The provided sources describe misuse examples and misconduct consequences, but they do not define a university-wide policy on use of AI detection tools.
The university requires users to protect confidential, personal, commercially sensitive, and otherwise restricted information when using AI tools. Public AI tools must not be used for such data unless approvals, contracts, and safeguards are in place; however, the provided sources do not define a single university-wide list of approved platforms.