{
    "title": "Odisee drops traditional final dissertations as AI changes higher education",
    "modified_at": "2026-06-25 09:25:00",
    "published_at": "2026-06-25 09:25:00",
    "url": "https://www.belganewsagency.eu/odisee-drops-traditional-final-dissertations-as-ai-changes-higher-education",
    "short_url": "http://prez.ly/fDJd",
    "culture": "en_BE",
    "language": "EN",
    "slug": "odisee-drops-traditional-final-dissertations-as-ai-changes-higher-education",
    "body": "<p><strong>University college Odisee will stop requiring traditional bachelor&rsquo;s and graduate dissertations from the 2026-2027 academic year, replacing them with practical projects linked to students&rsquo; work placements.</strong></p><p style=\"text-align: left\">The reform will be introduced across all bachelor&rsquo;s and graduate programmes by 2027-2028. Odisee, which has campuses in Brussels, Flemish Brabant and East Flanders, says the change is partly driven by the rise of artificial intelligence (AI).</p><p style=\"text-align: left\">&ldquo;With a traditional written dissertation, students can let AI produce large parts of the work with limited personal input&rdquo;, said Ann Martin, Odisee&rsquo;s Director of Education.</p><p style=\"text-align: left\">Instead, students will complete practical projects based on real challenges from their internship or workplace. Examples include designing a new school playground, developing an AI tool for a retail company, or creating construction or agricultural projects.</p><blockquote style=\"text-align: left\"><em>&ldquo;Students can let AI produce large parts of the work with limited personal input&rdquo;</em></blockquote><p style=\"text-align: left\">The projects will be assessed as part of students&rsquo; existing placement activities, rather than through a separate final examination.</p><p style=\"text-align: left\">Odisee also pointed to completion data. Around 75% of students who fail to graduate do so partly because of their dissertation, while many who fail the project do not return to finish their studies.</p><p style=\"text-align: left\">According to the university college, programmes that have already tested practice-based final projects have seen higher student engagement and more useful results for employers and organisations.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><sup>#FlandersNewsService | \u200b&copy; BELGA PHOTO ERIC LALMAND</sup></p>",
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    },
    "author": {
        "first_name": "Flanders",
        "last_name": "News Service"
    },
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}