By Cianan Brennan,Irishexaminer.com
Copyright irishexaminer
Homepagenews’Apprehension’ AI could compromise fairness of admissions to third-level, survey shows
Many respondents said they believed it was very to extremely likely the existence of generative AI would change how the work of students was evaluated over the next five years.
Tue, 23 Sep, 2025 – 17:54
Cianan Brennan
Generative AI is creating “apprehension” and “discomfort” at both third level and within further education institutions at the possibility it could compromise the fairness of admissions, according to a new survey.
The research, published by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) — the agency responsible for standards within educational services — shows there is “limited awareness” among both students and staff of the existing guidance and policies in place at institutions for the valid uses of artificial intelligence.
It describes an “urgent” need for literacy in the field of generative AI for both educators and learners so disruptive technology can be used both “ethically and effectively”.
Both staff and students alike expressed apprehension and discomfort that the use of generative AI for the purposes of admissions could lead to issues surrounding the fairness and clarity of the admissions process.
However, the study — conducted in two parts between December 2024 and February 2025, one for educators and one for students — also shows many of those surveyed believe it “appropriate” for AI to be used for assessments, with a third of those asked said doing so would be acceptable once it was clearly explained how and why AI tools were put to use.
Many respondents said they believed it was very to extremely likely the existence of generative AI would change how the work of students was evaluated over the next five years.
The survey did expose certain gaps between how further education and third-level educators believe AI is used by students — that is for generating text — and what learners say they actually use it for: checking grammar and spelling and generating text based on research.
Just under a tenth of the students surveyed said they now used AI almost every day, while 30% of those asked said they had never used generative AI in their academic work over the course of the previous 12 months.
The potential use of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini by students has already led to significant issues at secondary level, with teachers and unions expressing discomfort at the approval given by the Department of Education to the use of AI for project work at Leaving Cert level, provided it is adequately referenced.
That approach, coupled with a redefined Leaving Cert in which project work and continuous assessment now counts for 40% of final grades in some subjects, led to a vote for potential industrial action by members of the ASTI union in protest at the perceived inadequate statutory guidance in place regarding developments in AI.
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