“Empowered Manipulators, Not Just Users”: University of Guyana Sets Global Benchmark for AI in Higher Education
By: Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News|
TURKEYEN, GUYANA — As the global academic community grapples with the disruptive force of artificial intelligence, the University of Guyana (UG) has emerged as an unlikely global pacesetter. Under the leadership of outgoing Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Paloma Mohamed-Martin, the institution is moving beyond the “fear-based” model of banning AI, instead training students to become “skilled manipulators” of the technology while maintaining a rigid standard of academic integrity.
In an exclusive sit-down with Nightly News, Dr. Mohamed-Martin shared how Guyana’s premier tertiary institution became one of the first in the world to codify the ethical use of AI in the classroom.
A Global First: The 2023 AI Policy
While many international universities were still debating how to detect “ChatGPT cheating” in 2023, the University of Guyana was already drafting a comprehensive AI Policy.
- The Benchmark: This policy serves as a regulatory framework that allows students to utilize AI tools for research and drafting, provided there is absolute transparency regarding the prompts and methods used.
- Responsible Integration: The goal is to move away from indiscriminate exploitation. Students are encouraged to use AI to enhance learning, but the final output must remain a product of their own critical thinking.
The Death of the Traditional Test?
One of the most provocative points raised by the Vice-Chancellor concerns the “obsolescence” of current testing methods. Dr. Mohamed-Martin argues that the pervasive influence of AI has rendered traditional assessment paradigms—like the standard sit-down essay or take-home exam—outdated.
- Reforming Assessment: She advocates a total overhaul of how student intelligence is measured, moving toward models that emphasize real-world application, oral defense, and “AI-assisted” problem-solving.
- Fairness and Rigour: UG is poised to lead regional reforms to ensure that degrees remain relevant and rigorous in an era when an algorithm can generate a passing paper in seconds.
The Developing Nation Advantage
Dr. Mohamed-Martin believes that for a developing nation like Guyana, “courageous and conscientious” adoption of technology is not optional—it is a survival mechanism.
- From Users to Manipulators: The vision is to produce graduates who are not just passive consumers of foreign-built software, but experts who can bend AI tools to solve local challenges in oil and gas, agriculture, and environmental protection.
- Ethical Leadership: By setting these standards early, UG is positioning Guyanese scholars as leaders in the global conversation on digital ethics.
“We must embrace these technologies courageously… Our students must become skilled manipulators of AI tools—empowered to harness technology to enhance their learning without ever compromising the human critical thinking that is the heart of a degree.” — Prof. Dr. Paloma Mohamed-Martin
At a Glance: UG’s AI Academic Framework
Leading the Future
As Dr. Mohamed-Martin prepares to conclude her tenure, the University of Guyana stands as a beacon of proactive governance in education. By treating AI as a tool to be mastered rather than a threat to be feared, the university is ensuring that the next generation of Guyanese professionals will be “future-proofed.” The challenge now lies with the incoming administration to maintain this momentum and turn the “Turkeyen Model” of ethical AI into a standard for the entire region.
