A new practical framework providing easily understood and applied lessons helping academic staff work out which AI tools to use has been gifted to the sector.
The elements of the framework have been nattily named to provide a winning name: SECURE, standing for:
- Security Credentials
- Ethical Use
- Confidential Informatioin
- Use of Personal Information
- Rights Protection
- Evaluation of Outputs
The SECURE website, launched by Charles Sturt University’s Academic Lead on AI, Associate Professor Mark Bassett, aims to provide staff from all institutional hues with clear, practical guidance for the responsible use of GenAI tools.
“University staff need access to GenAI tools to explore their potential in teaching and professional practice.” Associate Professor Bassett said.
“However, in some institutions, staff are expected to ensure that software is safe, secure, ethical, and compliant with foreign interference requirements etc. before using it, which is neither reasonable nor feasible. Risk assessment requires specialised expertise, resources, and structured frameworks, none of which fall within the remit of most academic or professional staff.
“Additionally, such information is often proprietary and confidential or inaccessible, making meaningful evaluation difficult or impossible. Placing this responsibility on individuals creates an undue burden and risks compliance failures and inconsistent practices across the university.
“The 𝗦.𝗘.𝗖.𝗨.𝗥.𝗘. framework provides staff with clear, practical guidance for the responsible use of GenAI tools within defined risk parameters without requiring explicit University approval for low-risk activities.”
Associate Professor Bassett has been busy, and is also sharing a GenAI in Higher Ed primer video, which provides a user-friendly backgrounder to GenAI revolution and regulation.
“The video outlines the current landscape of GenAI in Australian Higher Education, focusing on the perspectives of students and staff, institutional responses, and regulatory expectations,” he explains.
The video has been edited with a view to being useful sector-wide, and is valuable viewing for anybody keen to get up to speed – drawing on facts and insights from national and international experts.
To view the AI Primer video visit: https://tinyurl.com/GenAI-in-HE-Primer-public
