Who wrote this? Essay mills and assessment – Considerations regarding contract cheating and AI in higher education

The growing incidence of academic dishonesty (AD) involving students using commercial essay writing services (essay mills) or Artificial Intelligence (AI) risks the credibility of assessment approaches within higher education (HE) worldwide. Reflecting on experience from a UK business school, the article explores the potential for novel assessment design and feedback to reduce the prevalence of AD. Speculating on success and failure rates of students undertaking formal assessment, the article evaluates the broader ethical implications for universities in recruitment and learner support, particularly within contemporary discourses on international student attainment, mental health, and well-being.