How does artificial intelligence (AI) fit into the governance of universities? There are many issues to consider before and during its implementation. In many instances, university boards oversee their own internal policies. If you’re a governor, you’re ultimately responsible for making sure that AI is being integrated effectively and securely within your board.
What are governors or trustees responsible for?
Governors or trustees oversee the financial health, strategy and the overall mission of universities. They appoint the vice-chancellor, monitor their performance, the academy’s performance and the quality of teaching.
A brief overview of responsibilities
- Appointments: Governors appoint the vice-chancellor.
Compliance and governance:
- Governors or trustees make sure that institutions comply with the appropriate regulations.
The main regulators for universities in the UK
- England: The Office for Students (OfS) is a non-departmental public body that protects the interest of students.
- Northern Ireland: The Department of the Economy (DfE) is in charge of university regulation and funding. The Annual Provider Review (APR) assesses a university’s academic quality.
- Scotland: The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) work with the Tertiary Quality Enhancement Framework (TQEF).
- Wales: Medr (the Commission for Tertiary Education and Research) is the main regulatory body in Wales. Some institutions are registered to OfS.
Finance:
- Oversee financial risk management
- They approve the annual budget.
- Safeguard assets
Strategy:
- They decide on the university’s overall mission and direction.
Performance tracking:
- Governors monitor the university’s performance to make sure that its progress aligns with the strategic plans and targets.
A board member’s role is essential in making sure that universities are well-functioning.
AI policy
To ensure that AI is smoothly implemented into your institution’s governing body, there should be an established framework about its usages. Good policy sets the tone for what is expected from board members and what is expected from AI.
By outlining the limitations of AI and the role of board members it creates designated tasks for each role and accountability amongst the leadership team.
It also ensures that your governing body is taking the correct precautions around securing confidential information. It’s important to indicate what AI can and can’t be used so that your governing body is complying with General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).
Universities must abide by national laws so it’s crucial that you have a good understanding of your respective country’s legislations when forming your board’s AI policy.
AI training and ongoing oversight for university boards
The application and capabilities of artificial intelligence is constantly growing. This means that governors should be informed about any changes that affect their processes. But how can you make sure everyone is comfortable using it?
In professional teams, people have different strengths. Some trustees might not be as proficient with technology as their counterparts. The solution for this is to provide everyone with training to create a level of confidence across the team. This ensures that governors continually improve their skills and that no one is disadvantaged. Also, by teaching them how to use AI responsibly, possible misuse can be mitigated.
If you notice that some are having trouble, it’s always a good idea to consider whether more training is necessary.
Use AI to summarise briefing papers, not to make decisions
A board member’s strategic thinking, interpersonal skills, commitment to equality and interest in education are qualities that AI cannot replicate.
In reference to the policy making surrounding AI, it’s important to remember that governors have contextual understanding of the institution, its students and current events. These issues should be considered when forming decisions about the academy’s ethos and quality of teaching.
What AI does have is the ability to produce brief overviews of substantial amounts of text. This can save time by highlights the crucial information and key topics surrounding them.
Alongside its ability to summarise text, it can be used to analyse data and provide insights. For example, predictive analytics can track low attendance to anticipate which students might receive low marks. This can be a powerful tool for transforming academic governance.
With the speed from AI and understanding from governors, the decision-making process can be streamlined to make timely and appropriate decisions.
AI minutes
Governing body meetings require minutes. These minutes are official records that keep track of what the board has discussed and what decisions were made.
By implementing automated minutes into meetings, the board secretary can have a secondary source of information alongside their personal notes. Whether the meetings are online, in person or both, AI can assist by transcribing the discussion. This can reduce the pressure of ensuring that no key details are missed.
Before using automated minutes in a meeting, all participants should be notified that the session will be recorded with AI. For best practice, clear consent should be given.
Conclusion: The need for human oversight
University board members should take ownership of their decisions and actions in their leadership roles. As the use of AI continues to grow in the workplace, it should be emphasised that it does have its limitations. And where AI falls short, humans excel. Governors or trustees can adapt to uncertainty, exercise ethical judgment and exhibit creative thinking. For every task carried out by AI, your final judgment is needed. Afterall, who understands humans better than humans?
Key takeaways
- Create policy for good governance and compliance
- Train university boards how to use AI safely and effectively
- Understand the limitations of AI and the strengths of humans
- Automated minutes can reduce the administrative workload
- AI should be used with human oversight
Try Convene to explore how the power of AI can assist your governors.
FAQs
How can I make sure my recorded minutes are secure?
Research how AI providers manage proprietary and personal information. Make sure they comply with same GDPR as your institution.
What features should I look for in an AI tool?
Decide if you want it to integrate with the meeting platforms you already use. Work out how accessible you want the tool to be as it can be implemented in the same environment as your board packs. Board portals are a good option for this.
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