With this decision, the University of Latvia becomes one of the first higher education institutions in Latvia to regulate the use of AI in learning processes at the Senate level, based on the amendments to the Higher Education Institutions Act passed in January.
This regulation clearly defines both the opportunities and the boundaries at a time when generative AI tools are rapidly entering education, the labor market, and the daily lives of society.
“As a research university, we believe it is our responsibility to follow developments in technology and take advantage of the opportunities it offers, while critically assessing the risks involved and taking necessary precautions.The university does not prohibit technology, but rather encourages its responsible use. “Our goal is to ensure a learning process in which students truly acquire the promised knowledge, skills and abilities. Students must be informed about both the possibilities and limitations of AI tools. Technology should act as an adjunct, not a replacement. Kristīne Strada-Rozenberga, UL Vice President for Research.
The regulation states that the use of AI at UL is based on four fundamental principles: integrity, transparency, accountability, and data security. While students will be required to clearly articulate the use of AI in their work, faculty will be responsible for defining when and to what extent the use of AI is permitted within a particular course of study.
Misuse of AI tools is considered the use of fraudulent aids and is considered a violation of academic integrity.
This regulation has a particular focus on the protection of personal data and intellectual property. Students, faculty and staff are prohibited from uploading restricted access information or learning materials to AI tools for which UL has not purchased a license or which have not been formally deployed at the university. Creating deepfakes or using unauthorized virtual AI assistants on behalf of the university is also prohibited.
At the same time, this regulation ensures an important balance. This means that the results of generative AI content detection tools cannot be used as the sole basis for evaluating student performance or as evidence of violations of academic integrity. Final responsibility for evaluation always lies with the instructor.
The regulation provides for a flexible approach, with the permission to use AI within a particular course determined by its instructor, taking into account the learning objectives and intended learning outcomes. Faculty and study program directors will be able to further specify the procedures for using AI according to the characteristics of their field of expertise.
To support the implementation of the regulations approved by the Senate, updated guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence at the University of Latvia (currently in the second version) will be introduced. We outline recommendations and good practices for using AI in the research process.
The university said the recommendations in the guidelines are based on an analysis of approaches taken by leading universities around the world, including Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, reports from international organizations and agencies (such as the OECD, UNESCO and the EUA), regulatory frameworks (including the European Artificial Intelligence Act, adopted by the EU in 2024), and relevant research literature.
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