A Scottish start-up which aims to tackle the rise in academic misuse linked to artificial intelligence (AI) has secured £250,000 in funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

Cyberhare Solutions, a University of the West of Scotland (UWS) venture, has developed 

IntegraGuard – a first-of-its-kind academic integrity platform designed to help universities detect and manage misconduct in the age of AI.

With cases of AI-related cheating reported to be rising by more than 60% a year, and universities spending an average of £150,000 a year to investigate misconduct the company believes its technology could save institutions millions while restoring trust in assessment.

 

Generative AI has completely changed the landscape for universities. Older detection systems weren’t designed for this new reality and are leaving staff, students and institutions exposed. IntegraGuard is about fairness, transparency and trust. It’s about giving educators evidence they can stand by, while freeing up huge amounts of staff time. This grant from UKRI is a game-changer for us, allowing us to bring a credible solution to the market when it’s most needed.

Dr Stephen Langston, founder and CEO of Cyberhare Solutions and Senior Lecturer at UWS 

 

Built at UWS and now being trialled across several other UK universities, IntegraGuard works differently from traditional “black box” plagiarism detectors. Instead of flagging suspicious text, it provides evidence-based insights – from fake references to mapping out AI use in essays – and manages the whole referral process.

IntegraGuard is designed to work alongside teaching staff allowing lecturers to look at the evidence and overrule any suggestions the system may make. This means decisions aren’t left solely in the hands of the algorithm, instead it allows staff to stay in control and means students experience a fairer process.

The platform, which has already reduced staff time on misconduct cases by up to 90% in trials at UWS, is set for full commercial launch in 2026.

 

Cyberhare Solutions is a brilliant example of the kind of innovation and impact that can grow out of our university. Academic integrity is a global challenge, and this work has the potential not only to protect standards in higher education, but to set a benchmark for how the sector responds to AI. We are proud to support Stephen and the Cyberhare team as they take this bold step forward.

Professor James Miller, Principal and Vice-Chancellor

 

The £250,000 UKRI award will help Cyberhare finalise product development, expand pilots, and prepare for global rollout. The company is positioning itself to grow quickly with plans to extend its platform beyond universities into corporate HR, compliance, healthcare and financial services, where integrity and transparency are also under pressure.

The project aligns closely with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 4 (Quality Education) and Goal 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).