Universities need clear AI rules to protect academic integrity: UGC chief
BRAC University conclave highlights reforms, transparency and responsible technology use in higher education
Universities need clear guidelines on artificial intelligence (AI), reforms in academic promotion systems and stronger ethics education to protect academic integrity, University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Prof Dr Mamun Ahmed said yesterday.
He made the remarks at the Academic and Research Integrity Conclave 2026, organised by BRAC University’s Ayesha Abed Library in Dhaka.
The conclave, titled “Ethics, Quality, and Responsible Academic Practice in the AI Era”, brought together academics, researchers, librarians and higher education leaders to discuss AI use, research ethics, publication practices and institutional accountability.
Prof Mamun stressed the need for greater investment in technological tools and institutional preparation to address challenges created by AI.
BRAC University Trustee Rasheda K Choudhury said AI was creating a new form of inequality between those who could use the technology effectively and those who could not. “We envisioned a society with human values such as ethics…yet sometimes parents are not practising these values,” she said.
BRAC University Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof Arshad Mahmud Chowdhury said, “AI should not be feared; it should be understood and used responsibly while maintaining academic standards and protecting integrity, authenticity and trust.”
Prof Emeritus AFM Yusuf Haider of Dhaka University said AI should be treated as a tool, not a replacement for human judgment. “We must learn to use AI responsibly as an assistant, a catalyst and a powerful intellectual tool,” he said.
Chaitali Moitra, regional director for South Asia at Turnitin, noted that journal submissions increased by 42 percent after the launch of ChatGPT in late 2022, while submissions with more than 70 percent AI-generated text more than doubled between early 2024 and February this year.
At a session titled “Beyond Compliance: Building a Culture of Academic and Research Integrity in the AI Era”, ULAB Vice-Chancellor Prof Shamsad Mortuza stressed transparency, responsible data use and independent judgment in producing credible knowledge. IUB Vice-Chancellor Prof M Tamim proposed an institutional framework with clear policies, tools and training for educators.
Sayeed Choudhury of Carnegie Mellon University Libraries joined virtually to discuss responsible AI use in higher education.
The conclave also featured a plenary session on “Strengthening Academic and Research Integrity through Policy, Practice, and Technology in the AI Era” and ended with a roundtable discussion on building an integrity culture.