Artificial intelligence in higher education

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become an integral part of the social and educational environment, especially since generative intelligence has become a widely available tool for anyone with access to the internet. Experts from the Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) Centre for Educational Growth have developed guidelines* for the use of AI in the study process. They are based on the educational research findings, the practice of leading universities worldwide, and the pedagogical practice at RSU.

The institutional position of RSU includes a call for lecturers and students to responsibly experiment with generative artificial intelligence tools, providing the reliability of information, data privacy, copyright, and academic integrity. This approach will ensure that RSU takes advantage of the benefits of AI while protecting the work of the university from data and information security risks.

The guidelines “Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education” developed by the RSU Centre for Educational Growth provide:

• a description of AI solutions and how they align with different pedagogical paradigms,
• recommendations for academic staff and students for the responsible use of AI,
• practical insights into strategies for using AI tools to enhance the learning experience,
• an approach to combining AI solutions with traditional teaching and learning methods, thereby reinforcing the values of student-centered learning,
• a compilation of generative intelligence tools supplemented with ideas for their use in the context of higher education.

The guidelines aim to provide practical recommendations for academic staff and students on the use, restrictions, and mastery of AI in the study process.

Guidelines "Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education"*

The guidelines serve as a practical support tool and a repository of ideas for the appropriate use of artificial intelligence solutions in the study process. The guidelines explain academic staff's responsibilities and opportunities for integrating, limiting and prohibiting AI solutions. Academic staff is encouraged to:

• reflect on how AI can be used effectively and what uses of AI are permitted and should be encouraged in their study courses,
• decide which uses of AI should be restricted, offering clear explanations for these restrictions related to specific situations and reasoning,
• only then consider in which cases the use of AI within the study course is prohibited.

At the course level, academic staff have the right and duty to define specific rules for the use of AI tools in their courses, i.e., in which learning activities (lectures, tests, homework, practical work, etc.) and to what extent they can be used, when they are not allowed, how the use of such tools will be identified, and what the consequences of unfair or unauthorised use will be.

Before the start of a course, academic staff is advised to:

1. select and study in depth the chosen AI tool including the algorithms and operations it uses, data input methods and techniques, and the results delivered;
2. check existing university regulations for the use of AI-based tools in the study process to develop course-specific conditions in line with them;
3. select specific learning and teaching methods and study tasks for which the AI solution will be used and identify measurable indicators to assess the impact of these tools on student performance and learning outcomes;
4. prepare informative and support materials (manuals, guidelines, user guides, or an FAQ) to help students use the chosen tool in their studies.

During the course, academic staff is advised to:

1. inform students about course requirements for using AI-based tools;
2. provide activities for demonstrating and testing the tools to develop students' skills in using them and interpreting the results; 
3. offer additional advice and support, including involving the university's technical staff;
4. encourage open discussions and evaluation of AI-based tools where students can give feedback, ask questions, and share their insights on how to use them to achieve learning objectives.

* The Centre for Educational Growth is closely monitoring developments in the field of AI and will update these guidelines accordingly.