Application of AI in biotechnology theses
The project involves developing and evaluating support for managing and assessing AI use in biotechnology theses (BB200X). Based on interviews and new components, the project creates guidelines and assessment tools, scalable to other KTH schools and technical universities.
Project context
The increasing use of generative artificial intelligence in higher education has, in a short period of time, changed the conditions for academic writing and independent work. In biotechnology education, AI-based tools are used for literature searches, language review, text production, and in some cases also analytical support. This creates uncertainty about how independence, subject understanding, and academic integrity can be ensured in degree projects. At the same time, there are significant pedagogical opportunities in using AI as support in the learning process.
Degree project courses need a structured and legally sound approach to AI use in connection with mid-term meetings and final presentations. A pilot needs to be carried out that can generate knowledge and recommendations that are applicable beyond the pilot course and the school, with the possibility of transferring methodology and process to other educational contexts.
Purpose (outcome)
The purpose of the project is to ensure a pedagogically sustainable and legally sound approach to AI in degree projects, where the student’s actual understanding, analytical ability, and independence are central.
The direct intended outcomes are:
- increased clarity for students regarding permitted and responsible AI use
- increased and shared support for supervisors and examiners in the assessment.
In the longer term, the project is also expected to strengthen quality and equivalence in the assessment of degree projects at KTH. The effects can be followed up through surveys of students and supervisors on perceived clarity and confidence in the assessment, as well as through analysis of experiences from mid-term meetings and final presentations.
Project results (output)
The project will deliver the following concrete results:
- A consolidated guideline document for assessing AI use in degree projects, including guidelines for report writing and questions for use in mid-term meetings and final presentations, to be pilot-tested in Degree Projects in Biotechnology, Second Cycle (BB200X).
- A compiled analysis of the evaluation interviews, which, in combination with developed components for mid-term meetings and final presentations, forms the basis for the guideline document.
- A final report in which the two parts above are integrated with recommendations for KTH and technical universities in Sweden.
The developed guidelines for report writing and the questions for mid-term meetings and final presentations can, with limited adaptations, be used in other degree project courses at CBH, other schools at KTH, and technical universities in Sweden.
Time plan
Start date: 2026-03-01
End date: 2027-02-28
Project documentation
If you have a KTH ID, you can read the documents when logged in:
- Poster: The project’s first poster (in Swedish) will be available at the ”Storträffen” meetup autumn 2026
- Project directive (Swedish): Projektdirektiv_FrU26_2612-CBH_AI i examensarbeten.pdf