Teaching & Learning
- For assessed coursework, AI use is set by the department or tutor rather than by a single blanket rule
- The university also provides a scale ranging from no AI use through to AI-supported task completion and co-design
- The default position, unless a tutor states otherwise, is that students may use AI for planning and structuring, and any permitted use must be disclosed
For assessed work (e.g. essays, assignments) your department/tutor will state the extent to which GenAI tools can be used.
Check with your department to see which level of AI use is permitted for your assignment.
Unless your tutor states otherwise, the default is (2) “AI for Planning and Structuring”
If you are permitted to use AI, then you will need to be transparent about its use (see ‘Evidencing the use of AI tools’).
You may use AI to generate ideas, outlines, or research questions.
You may use AI to help edit or refine your work.
You may use AI to complete parts of the task.
You are encouraged to use AI creatively to solve problems or explore new ideas.
- The university defines AI use for assessed work through its assessment scale
- Some assessments may require no AI at all, while other assessed tasks may allow limited or broader AI use depending on tutor or department instructions
For assessed work (e.g. essays, assignments) your department/tutor will state the extent to which GenAI tools can be used.
No AI – Independent Knowledge Demonstration
You must complete the task without any AI assistance.
Unless your tutor states otherwise, the default is (2) “AI for Planning and Structuring”
- The university permits students to use AI as a learning support tool for studying and understanding material
- Its guidance presents AI as useful for brainstorming, summarising texts, generating revision questions, and consolidating understanding, while stressing that students remain responsible for using it ethically
AI tools can be a valuable support in your learning journey — helping you to brainstorm ideas, summarise academic texts, generate revision questions, and consolidate your understanding of complex topics.
At the University of Chichester, we support the responsible, transparent, and fair use of AI technologies in teaching and learning, guided by the following ethical principles:
- Programming-related AI use falls under the same assignment-level permissions set by the department or tutor for assessed work
- The university acknowledges that generative AI tools can create code, but it does not set a separate university-wide coding rule
These tools range from everyday AI like grammar checkers and search engines, to more advanced generative AI (GenAI) tools that can create entirely new content, such as essays, code, or images, based on your prompts.
For assessed work (e.g. essays, assignments) your department/tutor will state the extent to which GenAI tools can be used.
Research
- For higher degree theses, limited use of generative AI for proofreading and editing is allowed where appropriate
- Students must acknowledge the AI program in the acknowledgements section, and supervisors and candidates must ensure that AI editing does not change the intellectual content and remains under supervisory oversight
This may include limited use of generative AI, where appropriate.
(b) acknowledging the role of the editor or AI programme used in the ‘Acknowledgements’ section of the thesis, using the following words:
‘With the oversight of my main supervisor, editorial support has been sought in the form of proofreading/AI services [STATE NAME OF PROGRAM]. No changes of intellectual content were made as a result of this advice.’
22. If you seek assistance with editing your thesis, you and your Director of Studies are responsible for:
(a) ensuring that your Director of Studies, and other members of the supervisory team as appropriate, are aware of the entire intellectual content (i.e., the structure, logic and organisation) of the thesis before assistance is sought from an editor;
(c) overseeing any contribution to a thesis from an editor;
(d) being satisfied that the editor has not introduced changes to the intellectual content of the thesis and that the final thesis submitted is the work of the candidate;
- Its research ethics policy only states a general expectation of transparency for any use of generative AI or LLMs in research
- The university does not define specific rules for using AI in research data collection, analysis, statistics, synthetic data, or interpretation of results
The Research Ethics Committee recognises that the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in research is rapidly developing.
It is the Committee's position that any use of generative AI or LLMs in research should be done transparently.
- The Research Ethics Committee states that any use of generative AI or LLMs in research should be transparent
- The university also indicates that this is an evolving area without a fixed higher education framework and says it maintains updated AI and research ethics guidance through its Moodle resources
The Research Ethics Committee recognises that the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in research is rapidly developing. It is the Research Ethics Committee's intention to seek to reduce risk by keeping the University community informed on developments around ethical principles on the use of generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) and similar developments.
It is the Committee's position that any use of generative AI or LLMs in research should be done transparently.
The Committee recognises that this is a rapidly expanding area, and there is currently no fixed framework within the Higher Education (HE) sector.
In order to keep abreast of developments in this field, the Committee has developed a section on AI and Research Ethics on its Moodle page which it updates regularly.
Academic Integrity
- Disclosure of AI use in assignments is required as a minimum
- Students must include a statement describing their AI use, and where AI is used they must identify the tool name and version, publisher, URL, and the context of use
- The guidance also says AI tools should be acknowledged and cited, and if AI is referenced in submitted work students should use their department's preferred referencing style
Users should openly acknowledge and cite any AI tools that have contributed to their work.
As a minimum requirement, you are required to include a statement on your assignment describing your use of AI.
If you have not used AI, please include the following statement:
“No content generated by AI technologies has been presented as my own work and I have not used AI at any stage of the assignment writing process.”
To acknowledge AI use, please include the following information:
* The name and version of the GenAI system used (such as Microsoft Copilot (version GPT-4) or ChatGPT-3.5).
* Specify the publisher of the GenAI system (for example, Microsoft or OpenAI).
* Provide the URL of the GenAI system.
* Include a brief description (single sentence) outlining the context in which the tool was utilised.
If you do need to reference GenAI in your work, then use your department’s preferred reference style.
- The university states that misuse of AI to gain unfair advantage is academic misconduct
- The provided sources do not define a specific AI-detection process or separate AI-specific penalty structure beyond the misconduct framing
AI should support learning and creativity without undermining the development of original thought and critical skills. Misuse of AI to gain unfair advantage is considered academic misconduct.
Institutional & Administrative
- The university states that staff remain responsible for content submitted with AI assistance
- In thesis editing, supervisors are not generally expected to edit, but may advise on proofreading and editing support, including limited generative AI where appropriate, while maintaining oversight of any contribution
Students and staff remain responsible for the content they submit, even when AI tools assist in its creation. This includes verifying accuracy, originality, and appropriateness of AI-generated and AI-supported material.
As a general rule, your supervisors are not expected to edit a thesis. If a thesis requires editing, your supervisors should advise you of the need and, if appropriate, give advice on where to obtain help with proof-reading and editing. This may include limited use of generative AI, where appropriate.
(c) overseeing any contribution to a thesis from an editor;
- Sensitive information must not be shared with AI platforms unless those platforms are officially supported and comply with data protection rules
- The university requires use of university-approved platforms for studies and research and warns that unapproved AI and cloud tools may reuse or insecurely handle data
Respect for personal and institutional data privacy is paramount. Sensitive information must not be shared with AI platforms unless they are officially supported and comply with data protection regulations.
AI tools — especially those not provided or approved by the University — often work by sending your data through multiple systems across the world. These systems vary in how securely they handle your information. Some may deliberately collect and reuse your data, while others may be poorly designed and vulnerable to misuse.
Follow University guidance. Always use University-approved platforms for your studies and research. If you’re unsure whether a tool is safe or supported, ask your tutor or check the University’s IT and data protection policies.
- In research, the Research Ethics Committee is the named governance body monitoring AI developments and maintaining updated AI and research ethics guidance
- The university has articulated ethical principles for AI use in teaching and learning, centered on transparency, accountability, fairness, privacy, academic integrity, sustainability, and ongoing review
At the University of Chichester, we support the responsible, transparent, and fair use of AI technologies in teaching and learning, guided by the following ethical principles:
1. Transparency
2. Accountability
3. Fairness and equity
4. Privacy and data protection
5. Academic integrity
6. Sustainability
7. Continuous reflection and adaptation
The Research Ethics Committee recognises that the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in research is rapidly developing. It is the Research Ethics Committee's intention to seek to reduce risk by keeping the University community informed on developments around ethical principles on the use of generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) and similar developments.
In order to keep abreast of developments in this field, the Committee has developed a section on AI and Research Ethics on its Moodle page which it updates regularly.
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 Chichester's AI Policies
University of Chichester has defined AI policies in 12 of 12 categories, with an overall coverage score of 100%.
Disclosure of AI use in assignments is required as a minimum. Students must include a statement describing their AI use, and where AI is used they must identify the tool name and version, publisher, URL, and the context of use. The guidance also says AI tools should be acknowledged and cited, and if AI is referenced in submitted work students should use their department's preferred referencing style.
The university states that misuse of AI to gain unfair advantage is academic misconduct. The provided sources do not define a specific AI-detection process or separate AI-specific penalty structure beyond the misconduct framing.
The university requires use of university-approved platforms for studies and research and warns that unapproved AI and cloud tools may reuse or insecurely handle data. Sensitive information must not be shared with AI platforms unless those platforms are officially supported and comply with data protection rules.