University assessment and quality assurance

Strategies to improve university assessment for students and educators. Here, academics offer guidance on assessment design, covering formative, summative and diagnostic approaches, authentic assessment and how to give useful feedback. You will also find advice on exam preparation, ungrading, managing GenAI, preventing cheating and upholding academic integrity.

By Eliza.Compton , 8 July, 2026

The imperative for productive struggle

Asian student concentrating at a laptop
When AI can offer students the illusion of mastery, assessment design that includes ambiguity, choice, context and real-world values can encourage the effort that underpins deep learning
By Laura.Duckett , 6 July, 2026

Is quarantining in medical training fit for purpose?

Medical students in scrubs walking down a university building corridor
Quarantining has long been used to improve fairness in Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) but evolving needs and resource limitations raise questions about viability. Rebekah Hill draws from student feedback to offer solutions
Reading time
4minutes
By miranda.prynne , 3 July, 2026

What ‘learning verification’ means in practice

A lecturer talking to a student about their work.
When a student’s work sparks concerns over AI use, the best approach is to sit down with them and have a conversation to ascertain if they understand what they submitted, explains B. Jean Mandernach, who shares tips for doing this
Reading time
4minutes
By miranda.prynne , 1 July, 2026

Stop investigating, start teaching

A student and their lecturer in conversation.
Trying to detect whether a student has misused AI in their work is a wasted effort, from which no one benefits, writes B. Jean Mandernach. She proposes a different approach focused on finding out what students truly understand
Reading time
4minutes
University assessment and quality assurance