DVC Desk: Initiatives to support AI and assessment practices

Dear colleagues

Assessment practices in the age of artificial intelligence (AI) continue to be challenging, requiring ongoing iteration, research and discussion. At the University of Cape Town (UCT), we continue to respond in multiple ways to support sound and caring assessment practices, and to this end, I write to invite you to participate in two specific initiatives:

1. Assessment in the Age of AI: Do’s, Don’ts and Don’t Knows for current practices symposium

Staff are invited to submit an abstract and/or register for the Assessment in the Age of AI: Do’s, Don’ts and Don’t Knows for current practices symposium, co-hosted by the UCT and Stellenbosch University. This event will take place on 1 April 2026, from 09:00 to 16:00 at the Kramer Law Building, middle campus.

The event has been designed around three themes as articulated in the recently published Do’s, Don’ts and Don’t Knows. Responding to AI in assessment in Universities: A Practical Guide for Lecturers. The symposium seeks proposals that consider assessment in an AI enabled world from staff, student and institutional perspectives that identify:

• Assessment practices and approaches which you feel confident to encourage. These are the “Do’s” that can be shared as emerging or even established good practices and can be in the form of case studies, empirical research or conceptual perspectives.
• Assessment practices and approaches that you believe should be avoided. These are framed as “Don’t” and we encourage proposals that reflect on lessons learned or initiatives that were not successful.
• The wicked questions regarding assessment practices that you are unsure about. These are framed as “Don’t Knows” in that you can’t take a position yet given a lack of evidence or where there are conflicting views, experience or evidence. This may also include initiatives that are work in progress that don’t yet have a clear trajectory.

Abstracts are due Friday, 27 February 2026. Registration is free and open until Friday, 13 March 2026.

• Please submit your abstract and/or register.

2. Survey: How AI is affecting assessment practices

Staff are invited to complete the AI and Assessment survey, which I announced in December 2025 through a DVC Desk. The findings of this research project will contribute to developing support services and resources to build AI in education literacy and to support assessment practices at UCT.

Thank you to the staff members who have already completed the survey.

I encourage colleagues to engage with both of these initiatives as part of our shared commitment to sustaining thoughtful, inclusive and academically rigorous assessment practices in an evolving AI landscape. Your participation will help shape UCT’s ongoing response to assessment in the age of AI.

Sincerely

Professor Brandon Collier-Reed
Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning

Read previous communications:

• From the UCT Executive
• Campus Announcements