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Universities across South Africa may be focusing on the wrong challenge when it comes to Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education. This was the bold argument by Professor François Cilliers, a Health Sciences Education expert from the University of Cape Town, during his presentation at the HELTASA (un)Conference held at Walter Sisulu University.
Cilliers cautioned that institutions are misdirecting their efforts by redesigning tests, introducing AI-use declarations, and deploying plagiarism detectors — measures he described as “a futile exercise” in trying to control AI’s rapid influence on academia.
“It’s Not the Exams — It’s the Learning”
Speaking to a packed audience, Cilliers said universities have been fighting the wrong battle.
“For years, universities have been waging war on plagiarism bots, chatbots, and generative tools, each new AI model triggering a fresh wave of panic and policy reform,” he said.
He argued that the real threat lies not in academic dishonesty, but in how AI is reshaping learning outcomes, cognitive engagement, and critical thinking.
“This is a misdiagnosis that risks dismantling the very foundations of curriculum design,” Cilliers warned, urging higher education leaders to focus on rethinking learning models rather than policing assessments.
A Call for Curriculum Transformation
Cilliers’ remarks sparked discussion among academics and policy experts attending the HELTASA (un)Conference, which focused on the evolving challenges facing teaching and learning in the digital era. His presentation underscored the need for universities to embrace AI as a teaching partner, not a threat, by reimagining assessment design and learning frameworks to align with real-world innovation.
