The occasion
The University of Delta convened its international symposium to examine how higher education should respond to artificial intelligence. Under the leadership of Vice-Chancellor Professor Eric Eboh, the programme brought together speakers on institutional trust and readiness, AI in research and the practical work of governance. TrustLed AI co-founder Dr Arome Solomon Odiba also spoke on AI in research.
Franklin's address took up a question many universities now face. Most institutions have written, or are writing, an AI policy. Far fewer have the roles, routines and records that turn that policy into the way staff and students work.
Four ideas from the address
A policy needs an operating model
Named owners, approval routes for new tools and a review cycle give a policy the structure it needs to shape behaviour.
Integrity rests on evidence
When students document their research journey as they go, examiners can see their real contribution and declarations carry weight.
Capability comes first
Students, lecturers and administrators each need training suited to their role before rules can be followed with confidence.
Leaders need visibility
Usage reports, audit trails and clear reporting to Senate and management let a university demonstrate responsible adoption.
Putting the ideas to work
To close the address, Franklin presented the platform TrustLed AI built around these principles, now known as GARIL AI. It gives researchers a notebook that records their work as it happens, an AI research assistant grounded in recognised scholarly databases and verified citations, and a governance dashboard that gives university leadership clear oversight of AI use.
The conversation continued after the symposium. The University of Delta went on to become GARIL AI's founding pilot partner, taking the principles from the address into practice on its own campus.