Russian Science and Higher Education Minister Valery Falkov: AI is devaluing student theses
Valery Falkov, Russia's Minister of Science and Higher Education, believes the rapid rise of artificial intelligence is devaluing traditional term papers and theses: they no longer reflect how well prepared students actually are. According to Falkov, universities still have no unified rules on AI use. In the future, theses may disappear altogether and give way to oral examinations.
AI-processed from Habr AI; edited by Hamidun News
Valery Falkov, Russia's Minister of Science and Higher Education, says the rapid rise of artificial intelligence is devaluing students' traditional term papers and theses. In his view, they no longer show a student's real level of preparation the way they once did.
What exactly did the minister say?
Falkov believes that assessment methods that worked 10-20 years ago are now in question. Artificial intelligence is changing the rules of higher education faster than universities can respond.
- According to the minister, term papers and theses no longer reflect students' real level of preparation
- Assessment methods that were effective 10-20 years ago are now, in his words, in question
- Russian universities currently have no unified rules on AI use
- In the long run, theses may disappear entirely, with students tested orally instead
Why don't universities have unified rules yet?
The key problem the minister highlighted is the lack of unified rules for AI use in higher education. Some universities try to restrict students' use of neural networks, while others actively build them into coursework, and there is no universal standard at the federal level. That calls the entire assessment system into question: if a nominally independent written assignment can be largely written by a neural network, it's hard for an instructor to tell whether they're looking at the student's own work or generated text.
What is being proposed instead?
According to Falkov, one possible scenario is a gradual move away from theses in their current form toward oral examinations. That format is harder to fake with AI tools, because students have to demonstrate their understanding of the material in real time rather than hand in a finished text.
What does this mean?
The minister's statement confirms what university instructors have been saying for a long time: written qualification papers are ceasing to work as a way to test knowledge in the era of widely available language models. The education system will have to find new ways to assess students, most likely with a heavier emphasis on oral formats and live defenses.
Key Questions Answered
What exactly did the minister say?
Falkov believes that assessment methods that worked 10-20 years ago are now in question. Artificial intelligence is changing the rules of higher education faster than universities can respond. According to the minister, term papers and theses no longer reflect students' real level of preparation Assessment methods that were effective 10-20 years ago are now, in his words, in question Russian universities currently have no unified rules on AI use In the long run, theses may disappear entirely, with students tested orally instead
Why don't universities have unified rules yet?
The key problem the minister highlighted is the lack of unified rules for AI use in higher education. Some universities try to restrict students' use of neural networks, while others actively build them into coursework, and there is no universal standard at the federal level. That calls the entire assessment system into question: if a nominally independent written assignment can be largely written by a neural network, it's hard for an instructor to tell whether they're looking at the student's own work or generated text.
What is being proposed instead?
According to Falkov, one possible scenario is a gradual move away from theses in their current form toward oral examinations. That format is harder to fake with AI tools, because students have to demonstrate their understanding of the material in real time rather than hand in a finished text.
What does this mean?
The minister's statement confirms what university instructors have been saying for a long time: written qualification papers are ceasing to work as a way to test knowledge in the era of widely available language models. The education system will have to find new ways to assess students, most likely with a heavier emphasis on oral formats and live defenses.
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