University of Ferrara Voids Exam After Students Use ChatGPT
Students at the University of Ferrara used ChatGPT to answer questions on a multiple-choice exam in January 2025. Unable to identify individual cheaters, the university cancelled the exam for all 362 test-takers and required them to retake it under controlled conditions.
What happened
On 27 January 2025, the University of Ferrara administered a multiple-choice exam in Psychobiology and Psychology to 362 students in a sports science degree programme.
The exam was conducted using Google Forms on students' personal computers or tablets. After marking, professors discovered that numerous participants had used ChatGPT and other online tools to answer questions.
Unable to identify which individual students had used AI assistance, the university annulled the exam for all 362 participants and required them to retake it using tools that exclude external assistance.
Reported impact
All 362 students affected by the exam cancellation must retake the assessment under new conditions preventing use of external tools.
The original exam showed unusually high average scores of 28 out of 30, which raised suspicions among faculty of widespread cheating.
Index analysis
The incident highlights challenges in proctoring remote examinations when students have access to their own devices and AI tools.
The inability to identify specific cheaters among all 362 test-takers forced the institution to void the entire exam rather than address individual misconduct.
Governance controls
The university responded by implementing exam administration methods that exclude external tool access for the retake.
The decision to annul the exam was made in consultation with the course coordinator.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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