Oxford University’s Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages (MML) is set to re-introduce closed-book, handwritten exams for almost all papers, to be sat in Exam Schools, due to concerns surrounding plagiarism and the use of AI.
Cherwell can reveal that these changes will take effect almost immediately: students currently in their third and second years of study will now be taking handwritten and closed-book finals, as opposed to the online exams held on Inspera in recent years. This news has not yet officially been communicated to students, despite several tutors informally sharing the information.
Sam Field-Gibson, a student representative on the Modern Languages Joint Consultative Committee (JCC), told Cherwell: “Last Monday at the JCC, the Modern Languages DUS [Director of Undergraduate Studies] announced that Faculty Board had voted to make final exams closed-book, in-person, and hand-written from 2026 finals onwards. Many of us student reps raised points such as reducing knowledge simply to rote learning and the drawbacks of implementing this change for people who have already started studying for their finals.
“However, we were told in response that Faculty Board had already voted for the change and that the risk of generative AI in online exams was so great that immediate change was needed. When asked if generative AI had previously been an issue, they responded that it was the principle that mattered, and that AI detection software could not accurately determine the origin of all texts, leading to the issue of false positives, such that false accusations could be levelled at students.”
The majority of MML exams have been conducted online since 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, including the prelim exams taken by students whose finals will now be subject to this change in examination regulations.
When asked about the reason behind this change, a spokesperson from the University told Cherwell: “There are a number of factors involved. The Faculty first moved to the remote, open-book format during the pandemic in 2020 and have persisted with it for longer than any other faculty in the Humanities, reviewing and adapting it annually.”
Cherwell understands that the Humanities Division had rejected a bid by the Faculty to obtain computers for exams, but that this may be subject to change in the future. Additionally, according to Field-Gibson, the JCC was told that “the current proposed curriculum reform to drop one content paper (which will take effect from 2028 at the earliest) would alleviate some of the pressure.”
In response to this news, one third-year languages student told Cherwell: “Current FHS students have been preparing and studying with the expectations of remote exams. In-person exams require a separate approach, and it’s quite unfair to expect students to simply adapt mid-way through their courses.
“Rather than moving backwards and testing students on outdated skills like memorisation, the faculty should redirect their efforts towards ensuring students are aware of how to use AI responsibly and productively. This technology isn’t going anywhere and pretending it doesn’t exist just holds Oxford students back.”
Prior to this decision, a consultation was sent on behalf of the undergraduate representatives on the JCC to all MML students during the vacation asking for opinions on a shift in exam format during term and an increase in closed-book exams, amongst other aspects of the Faculty. The results of that consultation have yet to be released publicly.
The University told Cherwell: “Student representatives have been involved in discussions of the possible change at both Joint Consultative Committee and Undergraduate Studies Committee meetings in MT24 and HT25.”
A second-year MML student told Cherwell: “Although I understand the desire to protect students and examiners from the effects of generative AI, I cannot say I am in favour of this change overall, and think that the University could work with language students to find a different solution.
“For current third-year and second-year students, the department is asking for quite a sudden adaptation to a completely different discipline, of memorisation and regurgitation, which I do not think is as valuable as the more independent and critical approach that students work to cultivate in three years of tutorials.”
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