Europes exam systems face overhaul as AI disrupts traditional grading: Belgium scraps thesis, Norway debates certificates

Thousands of students across Europe received their final secondary-school grades on Thursday as national exams and assessment systems face growing scrutiny over their relevance in the age of artificial intelligence. In Belgium, the Hogeschool Odisee announced it will scrap its bachelor’s thesis requirement, arguing that traditional assessments no longer measure the skills students truly need in a world transformed by AI. The decision follows a broader debate over whether current grading systems adequately reflect competence in critical thinking, creativity, and adaptability.

In Norway, three education directors have called for the immediate cancellation of this year’s final-year certificates (*vitnemål*), arguing that the grading system fails to capture the competencies students actually require. “The current assessment model is no longer fit for purpose,” they wrote in a joint op-ed published on Thursday . Around 70,000 Norwegian students are receiving their diplomas this week, but the directors warn that the system’s reliance on traditional exams risks undervaluing the skills most needed in an AI-driven economy.

Meanwhile, in Romania, the Ministry of Education released the official solutions to this year’s National Assessment (*Evaluare Națională*) mathematics exam, providing students with clarity after weeks of uncertainty. Professor Alin-Mihai Munteanu, a mathematics educator, published detailed explanations for each problem, helping pupils understand where they may have lost marks .

The upheaval in assessment methods comes as Flemish primary-school tests reveal persistent weaknesses in mathematics, with officials warning that foundational gaps in numeracy are holding back students from an early age. A report published on Thursday highlights arithmetic as a recurring stumbling block, raising concerns about long-term educational outcomes .

In Greece, the long-awaited results of the 2026 Panhellenic university entrance exams were released electronically on Thursday, allowing candidates to check their scores via a dedicated platform or SMS. The announcement clears the way for students to finalize their university applications, a process that will shape their academic and professional trajectories for years to come .

The convergence of these developments underscores a continent-wide reckoning with how education systems measure success. As AI tools reshape both the classroom and the workplace, institutions are being forced to rethink what it means to be “qualified.” The Hogeschool Odisee’s decision to abandon its thesis requirement—citing AI’s disruptive impact on traditional assessment—signals a potential shift toward project-based or competency-based evaluation. Yet the debate remains unresolved: Can new models of assessment keep pace with the rapid evolution of skills demanded by the labor market, or will they merely replace one set of outdated metrics with another?