Rethinking Engineering Education in the Age of GenAI: Policy Guidelines on Ethics, Integrity, Competency, and Evaluation

Abstract

The proliferation of generative AI (GenAI) in higher education demands not only institutional regulation but also a fundamental rethinking of pedagogical values, assessment ethics, and the conditions under which students learn, create, and demonstrate understanding. In engineering education, where procedural competence, reflective iteration, and authentic authorship are integral to learning, the uncritical adoption of GenAI tools risks eroding core educational goals. This paper offers a set of policy guidelines tailored to these concerns, rooted in the ethical imperatives of transparency, intention, responsible mastery, and data awareness. Drawing on global models— UNESCO, AI Assessment Scale (AIAS), IDEEAS, and CAIAF—the guidelines are not presented as universal directives, but as locally adaptable principles shaped by the structural, linguistic, and political complexities facing Palestinian universities. Rather than opposing GenAI, the proposed approach reorients its use toward formative learning, ethical discernment, and critical engagement. It promotes policies that safeguard academic integrity while enabling innovation in teaching, assessment, and design. By strategically synthesizing international frameworks and contextualizing their implementation, the paper contributes a coherent, justice-aware vision for GenAI adoption in engineering education—one that preserves learner agency, upholds professional standards, and reflects the realities of under-resourced yet resilient academic systems.