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 kiera.obrien, 7 January, 2026

Entrustment-based supervision and assessment: a how-to guide

Two physiotheraphy students work with a patient

Implementing entrustable professional activities into assessment can help judge students’ readiness to work independently. Here’s how it was done in a physiotherapy course

Reading time

6minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 5 January, 2026

‘Students don’t have to prove authorship of every word, they show their supervision of AI tools’

Female Asian college student writing in library on a laptop

When all students are required to use generative AI for every assignment, their practice can be more rigorous, transparent and deeply reflective. Here, Tiatemsu Longkumer explains a rubric

By Eliza.Compton, 2 January, 2026

Storytelling in STEM: connecting concepts, confidence and identity

Designing STEM classrooms that encourage students to reflect on their progress and share their stories takes intention, but the pay-off is enormous: more engaged, capable and confident learners

Reading time

4minutes

By kiera.obrien, 19 December, 2025

Three ways to turn students into active partners in their education

Create a supportive learning community with student co-creation. Here are three ways to help students take the reins

Reading time

3minutes

By Laura.Duckett, 19 December, 2025

How to co-design learning and assessments with students and GenAI

Students and lecturer co-designing learning materials in class

Guidance on bringing together academic expertise, students’ lived experience and GenAI’s creative capacity to co-design genuinely inclusive, collaborative, and engaging learning experiences

Reading time

5minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 19 December, 2025

Teaching students to assess their work and why it matters beyond university

Three female students in library around laptop

Peer feedback and self-assessment build habits that extend into professional life. They teach students to ask questions such as: ‘What do others see in my work?’ and ‘What did I miss?’ to improve performance, Elissar Gerges explains

Reading time

4minutes

By kiera.obrien, 18 December, 2025

How to evolve with GenAI: an educator’s guide

A teacher works with students on GenAI literacy

The launch of GenAI has prompted a new stage of experimentation for university education. Here’s how to explore and refine, finding out what works and what doesn’t

Reading time

5minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 17 December, 2025

Four common arguments for acknowledging AI use (and why they are wrong)

Educators may want AI to be used well or to go away entirely, write Chloe Salisbury and Luke Zaphir. Here, they take on a central piece of AI lore and offer ways forward

Reading time

5minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 12 December, 2025

In a world of short attention spans, the best story wins

Computer-generated 3D illustration of Titanic liner

When students become storytellers, rather than passive recipients of knowledge, learning is more memorable. And a little help from GenAI can get them started

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton, 4 December, 2025

Assessment needs to grow up: what process and imperfection mean for higher education

Rather than railing against AI, educators could see this moment as an overdue correction and redesign assessment around what matters: the process by which humans think, revise and learn

Reading time

4minutes

University assessment and quality assurance