The Wonkhe Show AI, uni finances, civic
Dec 4, 2025
Join James Coe, Associate Editor at Wonkhe, Jo Heaton-Marriott, Managing Director at The Authentic Partnership, and Jonathan Simons, Partner at Public First, as they delve into pressing issues in higher education. They address the backlash students have against AI-generated teaching materials and the ethical dilemmas surrounding AI use. Financial strategies of English universities are analyzed, and they also explore the ambitious vision for civic engagement in education by 2025. Buckle up for a lively discussion on the future of learning!
AI Snips
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Transcript
Episode notes
Rethink University Purpose
- AI's ubiquity forces a rethink of university purpose beyond producing outputs like essays and slides.
- High-quality learning must prioritise formation, critical thinking and educator upskilling over convenience.
Don’t Short-Circuit Scholarship
- Resist treating AI as a licence to short-circuit scholarship and critical engagement in research and teaching.
- Uphold pedagogic processes like reading broadly and critical thinking rather than outsourcing them to AI tools.
REF Risks Becoming An AI Loop
- The REF (research assessment) may become increasingly AI-infused, but that risks closing a loop of AI assessing AI.
- If AI reshapes outputs, funders should reconsider how they measure and reward research quality.