As GenAI changes how students study and complete assessments, higher education educators must focus on metacognition, clarity and connection, says Patrice Seuwou. Nine in 10 UK undergraduates who took part in a recent Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) survey said they had used GenAI in their assessments. Students can now produce polished assignments without engaging deeply with the underlying concepts. The result is a growing risk that automation will hollow out the process of learning itself, turning intellectual struggle into a performance of intelligence. Universities must therefore reaffirm a critical truth: we cannot automate or outsource learning. Writing, researching and reflecting are all key to understanding.
