Last week at an exclusive meeting in Dubai for university leaders, guests were eager to discuss the power of formative, ethical feedback for student success. Universities who already partner with Studiosity, and those interested to learn more joined us for an informative lunch, and we got to meet student users of the service as well.
Guests listened intently to Dr Zeenath Reza Khan, the founding President and Board Member of the Centre for Academic Integrity in the UAE, and Associate Professor of Information Sciences at the University of Wollongong in Dubai, as she spoke about the culture of academic integrity at UOW Dubai. Dr Zeenath explained that integrity comes from a students' sense of purpose, and the ease with which ethical support options are available.
"[Students] feel supported when being able to connect with someone on their time, at their pace."
We also heard from another university in the region that we partner with, Ajman University. Dr Nadir Kheir, Manager of the Student Success Center at Ajman University, gave a fascinating address about how the SSC has successfully implemented the Studiosity program and trained student leaders to drive its engagement across their cohort.
"By the third draft of the assignment using Studiosity, the students started asking me, “What reference style are you looking for?” This never happened before. By focusing on personal growth and understanding, Studiosity reduces the temptation to resort to academic dishonesty.
Studiosity promotes a culture shift where students learn and grow from their mistakes, rather than search for ready answers."
A number of students from the SSC at Ajman University also spoke about their experiences with Studiosity, and how having an after-hours option gives them more flexibility in their studies. One such student from the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Obaya Ahmed Bezeid, said "One of the things that I liked is that it was very specific feedback. I wouldn’t get that unless I sat down with a subject specialist at my university."
It was a true joy to hear so many students speak enthusiastically about the role Studiosity has played in their academic journeys so far.
I also shared details around Studiosity's 'AI for learning' service and how it is already impacting thousands of students around the world with ethical feedback in minutes. I saw a lot of people nod along when I talked about the human oversight we know the universities need when it comes to AI in education; and feeling secure in the support their students receive outside of teaching ours, especially in the age of GAI.
In the Middle Eastern Student Wellbeing Report 2024 (due for release shortly), over 50% of UAE students participating in the survey ranked 'use an AI tool' as a top preference to seek help with plagiarism and referencing. As most publicly-available AI tools are ungoverned and often include subscription fees, universities have no visibility over the AI platforms these students are using. With Studiosity, our university partners have oversight and transparency over students' use, and Quality Assurance for every interaction via our unique 'Humans in the Loop' system. Additionally, Studiosity is AI for learning, designed for education - not productivity or other purposes.
It is an exciting time to be working in the development of ethical, equitable feedback powered by the latest technology, and it was evident from last week that leaders in the higher education sector in the UAE agree. I am looking forward to working with more universities to bring scaled, ethical feedback and support to all their students, regardless of study mode or academic background.
Katya Burfitt is Studiosity's Regional Director for the Middle East. You can contact her on kburfitt@studiosity.com
Learn more:
- Case study: UOW Dubai - scaling student success initiatives
- Evidence and research on student outcomes
