Dear Centre,

We are communicating to you as an organisation who works with NOCN to deliver our range of regulated qualifications, assured courses and End Point Assessments. We would like to provide you with an important update and key reminders regarding Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the risks this poses to your delivery of NOCN products.

As you will be aware, the recent advancements in the field of AI has led to the increase in risks which may impede on the assessment process of NOCN qualifications and assessments, including on the validity of assessment outcomes and the security of assessment material. It is for this reason that NOCN requires you as an organisation delivering NOCN products to ensure that you fully understand, are aware of and have measures in place to prevent and mitigate the risks posed by AI misuse.

NOCN expect centres to respond to emerging risks, such as those posed by Artificial Intelligence and to embed these into their own quality assurance processes. To further support centres in understanding the risks posed by AI, NOCN has recently replaced its AI misuse guidance document with a new NOCN Use of Artificial Intelligence Policy and Procedure, which comes into force, effective from today. Please ensure that you read this document and share it with your quality and delivery staff.

This policy and procedure has been produced to:

• Outline NOCN’s principled approach to the use of AI
• Confirm when AI can be utilised by centres and learners/apprentices.
• Define what constitutes as AI misuse.
• Provide guidance to support prevention of AI misuse, including best practice.
• Outline how AI misuse should be identified, reported and investigated where this is suspected.

As a key reminder, you must ensure that any assessment or examination activities are taken under the required conditions by learners and apprentices. Where AI is misused to complete or disseminate any form of secure assessment, this will be treated and investigated by NOCN as malpractice in line with the NOCN Malpractice and Maladministration Policy and Procedure.

NOCN wishes to continue working collaboratively with centres to support integrity of the qualification system, therefore should centres wish to report any risks, malpractice or breaches in line with this communication, they can do so by completing and submitting the Notification of Suspected or Proven Malpractice Form. We also actively encourage centres to contact the NOCN Regulation and Compliance Team if they have any concerns or questions in relation to any risks raised in this communication. The NOCN Regulation and Compliance Team can be contacted via email at groupcompliance@nocn.org.uk.

Thank you for your ongoing co-operation.

Kind regards,

NOCN Regulation and Compliance Team