Teaching case study
Gen AI policy evolution at Southern Cross University
Australian Government: TEQSA
19/03/2026
Appears in Recent Faculty of Health Publications
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Abstract
Focus area: Governance
Southern Cross University (SCU) took a first principles approach to policy development, supporting a strategic goal of ubiquitous gen AI use and positioning gen AI as an educational tool. An initial, binary model, where academics either permitted or prohibited gen AI use, overlooked disciplinary needs, causing confusion for staff and students, and limiting meaningful engagement.
Seeking greater inclusivity and flexibility, SCU transitioned to a five-tier gen AI model, informed by the AI Assessment Scale and supporting the assessment principles of the Southern Cross Model. It mapped a continuum from prohibiting use to open collaboration, specifying permissible uses. The model, though pedagogically robust, proved complex in practice, presenting challenges to staff adoption and consistent implementation. In 2025, SCU introduced the Gen AI Tool Use Descriptors, a pragmatic three-level model of assessment security levels. Assessments now explicitly indicate their gen AI stance at Level 1, 2 or 3.
This approach is designed to normalise gen AI as part of academic practice while promoting accountability and meeting the learning and teaching objectives. It is embedded in formal assessment protocols, with specific gen AI guidelines available for each task, evidentiary requirements and a compulsory student declaration, fostering openness and ethical engagement.
Implementation of the Gen AI Tool Use Descriptors is underpinned by the Gen AI Descriptor Use Staff Guidelines, which provide assessment specific scaffolding, best practice examples and clear, structured support tailored to different assessment types, enabling academics to confidently integrate gen AI tools into their teaching and evaluation processes.
Grounded in robust research on ethical considerations and student learning behaviours, the guidelines help staff define task expectations, document gen AI use and navigate the complexities of balancing gen AI’s benefits and risks. These measures strengthen academic integrity by promoting ethical engagement with gen AI and fostering a culture of transparency, consistency and accountability.
Details
- Title
- Gen AI policy evolution at Southern Cross University
- Creators
- Ruth Greenaway Professor - Southern Cross UniversityZachery Quince Dr - Southern Cross University
- Publisher
- Australian Government: TEQSA
- Identifiers
- 991013384448702368
- Academic Unit
- Centre for Teaching and Learning; Faculty of Science and Engineering; Faculty of Health
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Teaching case study
- Course Name
- Academic Integrity Toolkit: Case Study
- Local Fields
- Evidence Based Practice - SoLT