In the rapidly evolving landscape of technology, the intersection of artificial intelligence and education is a topic of paramount importance. Recently, a distinguished panel of academics gathered for a seminal webinar titled “Shaping the Future: Policies for Generative AI in Sri Lankan Higher Education. Organised by leading institutions such as the LEARN, SLAAS, IEEE Sri Lanka Section, IEEE Computer Society Sri Lanka Chapter, and ICARC, the event delved into the transformative potential of Generative AI (GenAI) in academia.
As AI continues to redefine industries globally, its integration into higher education offers both unprecedented opportunities and significant challenges. Recognising this phenomenon, the 120-minute discussion brought together a panel of expert academics to explore the ethical considerations, policy frameworks, and innovative applications of using GenAI in Sri Lankan universities. Moderated by Prof. S. Vasanthapriyan, Dean of the Faculty of Computing at Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, the event featured a prestigious panel of speakers:
- Prof. Asoka Karunananda – Senior Professor, Faculty of IT, University of Moratuwa
- Prof. Roshan Ragel – Head of Department of Computer Engineering, University of Peradeniya and CEO of LEARN Sri Lanka
- Prof. Nuwan Kodagoda – Pro Vice-Chancellor (Computing), Faculty of Computing, SLIIT
- Dr. Thushari Silva – Senior Lecturer, University of Moratuwa
- Dr. Asitha Bandaranayake – Senior Lecturer, University of Peradeniya and CTO of LEARN Sri Lanka
- Dr. Menaka Ranasinghe – Senior Lecturer, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Open University of Sri Lanka
- Ms. Vishaka Nanayakkara – Senior Lecturer, University of Moratuwa and a representative from LIRNEasia
- Dr. Pubudu Jayasena – Postdoctoral researcher, TU Dresden, Germany
Delivering the opening remarks, Prof. Vasanthapriyan emphasised the growing importance of AI, noting that the Government of Sri Lanka is exploring its potential use in several industries. The National AI Strategy, unveiled in March 2024, supports this goal. He highlighted the widespread adoption of ChatGPT, with Google Trends showing a peak in usage within higher education. Accordingly, universities are now implementing policies to integrate AI tools into academia. From this foundation, the subsequent conversations by the panellists offered a glimpse into how strategic planning and innovative adoption of GenAI can drive progress and shape the future of Sri Lankan Higher Education and beyond.
GenAI in Education and Research
“AI is not a recent phenomenon; its origins can be traced back to 1942 with the cracking of the Enigma Code, which may be considered as the dawn of AI,” shared Prof. Ragel as he opened his talk with a history of AI. AI made substantial progress between the third and fourth industrial revolutions, becoming a crucial component of the latest industrial revolution. It is now an integral part of modern life. A significant advancement in AI is the development of Generative AI (GenAI), which can create original content from existing big data. This technology can generate diverse content, including text, audio, video, images, and code.
In education, GenAI facilitates personalised learning, significantly improving student performance. Research, famously known as the 2 Sigma Problem, has shown that students who receive one-on-one instruction perform two standard deviations better than those in conventional classrooms. AI-driven chatbots can provide personalised learning experiences, engaging students individually and catering to their unique needs. Teachers may also utilise AI to prepare lesson plans, understand student feedback, and tailor their teaching methods to different learning paces and styles. Prof. Ragel conveyed that this personalised approach can lead to increased student engagement and allow educators to spend more time interacting directly with students.
However, he also expressed that the integration of AI in education also presents challenges. Issues such as unequal access to technology, academic fairness, privacy concerns, and the risk of plagiarism must be addressed. Over-reliance on technology can be mitigated by proper training and awareness Additionally, the tools themselves can pose problems, such as misidentifying non-native speakers as AI-generated content. To navigate these challenges, educators and policymakers must establish policies and guardrails that shape the future use of GenAI in education, ensuring it equitably benefits all students.
Policies for GenAI in Sri Lankan Higher Education
The next session by Ms. Nanayakkara explored the topic of policies. She opened by stating that the development of new technologies like AI has often outpaced that of regulatory frameworks. Nevertheless, it is imperative that organisations formulate relevant policies that ensure these technologies are used effectively to promote inclusion and equity without exacerbating them. She went on to state, “Policies must ensure the monitoring and validation of GenAI systems in education to protect human agency. Adhering to UNESCO’s principles for AI in education—purpose, knowledge, integrity, evaluation, compliance, balance, and agency—is crucial. These principles provide a comprehensive framework to guide the ethical and effective use of AI in educational settings.”
She elaborated further using the Russell Group as an example, emphasising the necessity of implementing GenAI in universities. The use of GenAI tools in teaching has demonstrated significant benefits, including enhanced student learning experiences, improved critical reasoning skills, and better preparation for real-world applications. In education, it is vital to focus not just on teaching facts but on cultivating critical thinking skills. Accordingly, she stressed that AI could play a pivotal role in this transformation by providing personalised learning experiences that encourage students to think independently and creatively. Crucially, ensuring student inclusion is a key aspect of this process to truly make education more accessible and equitable for all learners.
GenAI for Personalised Learning
The dynamic requirements for personalised learning underscore the need for tailored educational experiences that match each student’s pace and motivation. While personalising education for a large number of students was challenging with contemporary teaching methods, the advent of GenAI offers promising solutions to enhance engagement by better catering to individual needs. Elaborating on these possibilities, Dr. Ranasinghe stated, “GenAI can create personalised learning paths through learner profiling, detecting sentiment in student prompts, and adapting to unique learning needs. In practice, this is achieved through intelligent tutoring systems, adaptive learning platforms, natural language processing tools, and personalised feedback in writing.”
Despite this, Dr. Ranasinghe stated that there are several challenges envisioned with the future of AI-based education. Data privacy and security are paramount concerns, as the extensive use of personal data requires robust protections. Moreover, bias in AI algorithms poses another significant challenge, potentially leading to unfair or inaccurate educational outcomes. Finally, the high development and implementation costs can be prohibitive for many institutions. “To mitigate these challenges, encryption and access control are essential to protect data privacy and security, along with collaborations and partnerships with academic institutions that can help develop fairer AI algorithms and reduce costs through shared resources and expertise,” she conveyed.
GenAI for Transformative and Efficient Learning
According to Dr. Silva, today’s educational landscape faces significant challenges, such as overcrowded classrooms and the limitations of standardised tests. “Education is a journey to enhance ourselves and our creativity, and GenAI offers promising solutions to overcome these obstacles and enrich the learning experience,” she expressed. GenAI’s ability to create customised learning content makes education more accessible by tailoring it to individual needs. Further, it can help provide hands-on experience that fosters critical thinking skills.
By integrating GenAI, students and educators alike can open new perspectives on education, creating sophisticated and engaging classroom environments. Dr. Silva elaborated, stating, “One of the biggest advantages of GenAI is its 24/7 availability, ensuring that students can access learning resources anytime, anywhere. However, it is crucial to recognise that GenAI is not a replacement for educators but a tool to support and enhance their efforts.” Accordingly, it’s important to equip educators with the right set of skills to utilise this technology effectively. Thereby, allowing them to create dynamic learning environments in their classrooms. In doing so, we ensure that today’s students are equipped with the skills needed to thrive in a fast-changing digital future.
The Transformative Effective of GenAI on Assessments
In today’s education system, students are largely assessment-driven, focusing on grades and outcomes. Traditionally, there has been an expectation for students to refrain from using AI in their work. “However, this stance is evolving. In some instances, lecturers permit the use of AI, provided it is properly cited. This shift reflects a broader understanding of the role AI can play in education,” Prof. Kodagoda shared. Educators are increasingly assessing students’ metacognitive skills – their ability to think about and understand their own learning processes – rather than just the final product. Tools like Turnitin now track how a submission evolves over time, offering educators insights into the student’s development and understanding. “This approach encourages a deeper engagement with the material and highlights the learning journey rather than just the outcome,” he conveyed.
Furthermore, in creative courses, students are taught to use tools like Midjourney to develop their designs from inception to completion. In addition to this, he stated that GenAI is becoming a staple in final year and master’s programs, reflecting its growing importance in higher education. Accordingly, he stated that it is crucial to teach students specific AI tools relevant to their courses, preparing them for the practical applications they will encounter in their careers. GenAI is also being used in engineering courses for mathematical modelling, especially when understanding the theory is not a primary learning outcome. This allows students to focus on applying concepts and solving real-world problems without getting held down by complex calculations. “The integration of AI in education is not about replacing traditional learning but enhancing it. By leveraging AI, we can provide students with powerful tools to aid their learning, encourage creative and critical thinking, and better prepare them for the future.”
Opportunities and Concerns of GenAI in Research
There is no doubt that GenAI is revolutionising the field of research, offering powerful tools for conception and execution. Researchers can leverage AI for translations, writing, editing, and formatting, enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of their work. Despite these advantages, there are important considerations and limitations in its application. “One of the pressing issues publications face is the role of AI as an author or co-author. While AI can significantly contribute to the creation and refinement of research papers, it cannot be held responsible for the content,” Dr. Jayasena stated. This raises ethical and legal questions about authorship and accountability. Consequently, many academic journals require researchers to disclose the use of AI-assisted technology in their cover letters or acknowledgements.
Moreover, GenAI-generated figures are not accepted in journal publications. This restriction ensures that the visual data presented in research remains authentic and verifiable by human standards. Most funding organisations also prohibit the use of AI for peer review, maintaining the integrity and impartiality of the review process .“The push towards standardising GenAI practices in research publications is growing. Establishing clear guidelines for the use of AI tools in research can help mitigate potential ethical and practical issues,” he conveyed. Adding on, she stated that these standards would address the extent to which AI can be used in the research process, from initial conception to the final review, ensuring consistency and transparency across all future publications.
Ethical Considerations with the Use of GenAI
The rapid advancement of AI presents several ethical concerns, particularly in education. As per Dr. Bandaranayake, a critical concern is the accuracy and bias of AI outputs, stemming from a reliance on data predominantly from Europe and the US. “While AI can generate clear images, its written content often lacks reliability, leading to transparency issues and a lack of trust in AI-generated information,” he highlighted. Accountability is another major issue. As AI systems gain autonomy, it is not possible to hold itself responsible for its outputs. This has raised the question of whether we will control AI or if AI will control humans.
Thus, ensuring AI systems serve human interests necessitates robust regulatory frameworks. “Data privacy and security are paramount. The extensive use of personal data requires informed consent and robust anonymization to protect privacy. Without stringent data protection measures, the risks of misuse and breaches could question the use of AI in its several positive aspects. He further added that over-reliance on AI may also diminish human critical thinking skills, as individuals could become dependent on AI for everyday tasks. Another complex issue is that ownership of AI-generated content remains debatable, with current copyright laws varying among publishers on complex legal grounds.
The Path Forward for GenAI in Higher Education
The “Shaping the Future” webinar showcased the powerful impact Generative AI can have on Sri Lankan higher education. By tackling ethical issues, personalising learning, and setting smart policies, AI has the potential to transform how we learn and teach. The panellists emphasised the need to embrace these innovations while ensuring fair access and maintaining high academic standards. This is just the beginning of our exploration into AI in education. Stay tuned for Part 2, where we’ll dive deeper into the specific policies discussed by the panellists. We’ll explore how these policies can guide the ethical and effective use of GenAI in universities, ensuring a bright future where technology can be used to empower students and educators alike.