Joint IDSAI / Egenis Seminar - "From blind optimism to complete rejection: Lessons from the UK’s exams algorithm experience"

From blind optimism to complete rejection: Lessons from the UK’s exams algorithm experience

The UK’s four exam regulators – for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – used an algorithmic approach to award exam grades in the summer of 2020. There was a significant level of public concern when grades were released, and in all four countries the approach was dropped in favour of teacher-assessed grades. What are the lessons from this experience for policy and implementation of automated approaches in public decisions? That was the focus of the recent report by the UK’s Office for Statistics Regulation – here. The Head of OSR, Ed Humpherson, will give a short summary of the lessons learned, and participate in an question and answer session with the audience. The main message will focus on how to strike a balance between blind optimism in the power of algorithms and their complete rejection as a tool of public policy.