UNSW's AI Guidelines and Framework

Introduction

UNSW students on Scientia steps

Appropriate uses of artificial intelligence (AI) have the potential to improve people's lives in meaningful ways. For higher education, the significant question is how we can ensure that this technology is used in ways that can contribute to societal good.

UNSW has an AI leadership group that serves as an overall clearinghouse for addressing critical issues and strategic initiatives. It plays a pivotal role in guiding enterprise decisions. Additionally, the Leadership Group receives reports from various working parties, covering areas such as education, research, professional matters, and technology. These are all part of an AI ecosystem that provides a structure to convene relevant experts broadly across UNSW to support and guide the ethical, responsible and innovative use of AI within the university, with a focus on collaboration among staff.

To equip our staff to meet the university's evolving AI needs, UNSW has developed a framework that aims to guide staff with the knowledge and skills to navigate in an AI-driven academic environment. In the near future, this framework will be expanded to include desired and advanced guidance on AI capability for staff.

UNSW's AI Guidelines

To support staff and students, the university has approved a set of core principles for the ethical and responsible use of AI and UNSW's commitment to ethical innovation. We highly recommend that staff and students refer to these guidelines, as they underpin all other related advice and activity.

AI capability framework for teaching staff

This framework provides guidance on initial topics to assist staff in developing a fundamental understanding of AI. It incorporates UNSW definitions, the AI ecosystem, ethical and responsible use, a strong focus on adherence to relevant principles in assessment, learning and teaching, and UNSW-adopted AI platforms. The topics link to relevant UNSW and external resources to assist staff in engaging with the capability outcomes.

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Focus Areas  

Topics  

Capability outcomes  

Common knowledge  
  • Define AI and related key definitions.  
  • Explain the mechanisms by which generative AI operates, including key processes involved.  
  • Understand simple prompting and techniques. 
  • Apply criteria to evaluate the outputs of generative AI systems.  

UNSW AI governance  
  • Understand the AI governance ecosystem at UNSW. 
  • Identify key contacts to address AI governance issues (including data-sharing).   

Ethical and responsible principles and use  
  • Identify and describe UNSW’s position on the adoption and use of AI in education.   
  • Describe the ethical and responsible principles created by UNSW.  
  • Identify how AI affects issues of data security, copyright and privacy.   
  • Follow safe practices associated with using AI.  

Assessment, learning and teaching  
  • Identify UNSW’s key principles in AI usage and assessment. 
  • Follow five permissible uses of AI in assessment. 
  • Follow recommended steps to support academic integrity in assessment.  
  • Identify appropriate contacts for academic integrity issues.  
  • Describe the role of AI in enhancing both teaching methods and learning experiences.  
  • Describe the limitations, risks and challenges associated with generative AI, such as bias and accuracy.   

Technology  

  
  • List the features and functionalities of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Copilot and Firefly.  
  • Describe how ChatGPT, Copilot and Firefly can be used in different professional contexts to enhance productivity and innovation.  

Related pages

AI in Teaching and Learning at UNSW

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