Coventry Uni becomes the first uni to allow students to use ChatGPT in exams

The university has said students should harness the potential of the software

2 years ago | UPDATED 8 months ago

Coventry University has become the first university in the country to allow students to use ChatGPT in their upcoming summer assessments.

In a leaked email seen by The Coventry Tab, senior management have concluded the use of the software by students “should be harnessed” and “our goal is ultimately to prepare students for the working world and it is clear ChatGPT and similar AI tools are here to stay”.

Since launching at the end of November 2022, ChatGPT has been used by tens of thousands of students around the country as the chatbot can generate answers to questions in seconds which mimic the style and syntax of a human response.

Fears were raised in February after a recent graduate submitted an essay entirely written by ChatGPT to a leading Russell Group university and it scored a 2:2.

Since then, universities have been split as to whether or not to ban students from using the software.

Today, Coventry University becomes the first to break free from all other universities by announcing it will allow students to use the software in open-book exams and essays in the upcoming summer assessment period.

First year geography student, India could not believe the news when she heard it this morning.

“I’ve spent all year in Kasbah, I’m firmly into my overdraft, this is exactly the news I needed to hear.

“To be honest, I’ve used it so much already since we got back in January, I’m not really sure what I’d do without it now.”

Final year politics student, April was equally delighted. “I basically only do really long essays. This is perfect for me. The idea of writing 3,500 on the emergence of neoliberalism in the 19th century by myself was torture.