Universities must rethink education for AI‑powered world, UK study says

LONDON, July 4 — Universities must fundamentally rethink how they educate students in a world where artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the workplace, according to a new study released yesterday by the University of Manchester, reported Xinhua.

The rise of AI means that higher education needs to place greater emphasis on critical thinking, ethical judgment and communication, according to the study written by Kelechi Ekuma from the university’s Global Development Institute.

The study said that while AI tools are rapidly changing how people learn and work, many universities continue to rely on teaching and assessment models designed for the pre-AI era.

This could create a gap between graduates’ skills and employers’ expectations.

Universities should therefore move beyond simply integrating AI into classrooms to rethink the purpose of higher education, thereby preparing students to work alongside increasingly capable AI systems rather than compete with them, said the study.

Graduates will increasingly need strong critical thinking and communication skills, ethical awareness and the ability to make sense of complex situations, alongside an understanding of how AI works, according to the study.

“AI is changing how knowledge is created, how decisions are made and how many jobs are carried out, universities need to think carefully about how they prepare students for that future,” Ekuma said.

The study calls for significant changes to assessment methods, arguing that traditional examinations and coursework should give way to more authentic forms of evaluation that test students’ ability to solve complex problems, exercise judgment and apply knowledge in real-world settings.

According to Ekuma, institutions should embrace AI as a teaching partner rather than treating it solely as a threat, helping students develop AI literacy alongside discipline-specific expertise. — Bernama-Xinhua