The development of artificial intelligence may prompt universities to reconsider the traditional format of diploma theses. Instead of classic written texts, higher education may increasingly shift to defending projects, startups, portfolios, and practical cases.
This opinion was expressed by Sergey Vasilkovsky, an expert at the P. A. Stolypin Institute of Growth Economics. According to him, the final assessment will not disappear, but the methods of checking students' knowledge and skills will change.
The reason is the growing capabilities of generative AI. Neural networks can already assist with texts, structure, source analysis, and document formatting, so a traditional diploma, based on information compilation and formal requirements, is gradually losing its former value.
One option is to strengthen oral defense. It allows for a better understanding of whether the student truly understands the topic, rather than just submitting a well-formatted text.
Vasilkovsky believes that practical results will come to the forefront: finished projects, prototypes, portfolios, startups, or solutions to applied problems. This format is closer to the real requirements of the labor market and demonstrates not only knowledge but also the ability to apply it in practice.
In the long term, education may shift from assessing the volume of learned information to evaluating professional and digital competencies. This includes the ability to work with modern tools, including AI, rather than simply using them to circumvent academic requirements.
