12th March: The AO Forum Returns: Regulator Panels, Deception Devices, and Compliance

In this week's episode, Tim Burnett chats with Ben Smith, from Gordon Associates. They discuss the upcoming AO Forum 2026, the evolving role of AI in awarding bodies, and what's new across Gordon Associates' product suite. They discuss: The AO Forum 2026 – What to expect from this year's event on 22nd April in London, including a heavyweight regulator panel featuring Ofqual, Qualification Wales, SQA, and Skills England, plus standout speakers from Vetskill, Innovate, and ASRG. AI adoption in the awarding body world – How awarding organisations are exploring AI to streamline day-to-day tasks, and how Gordon Associates are embedding AI functionality into their Monarch governance and compliance platform. Examination security and deception devices – The growing sophistication of cheating tools, from social engineering to agentic AI platforms, and why awareness is more important than ever. Ben shares how the AO Forum has become an essential fixture in the sector calendar — a relaxed, informal day where awarding bodies can hear directly from regulators, connect with peers facing similar challenges, and take away practical insights. He also gives an update on Gordon Associates' plans for AI integration into Monarch, plus the changes they're preparing for in the EPA world with their Talus software ahead of the upcoming framework reforms. Tim and Ben also touch on the fascinating and slightly unsettling world of examination cheating, previewing Niamh from ASRG closing talk on deception devices. The AO Forum takes place on 22nd April at Woburn House, London. Early bird tickets are £150+VAT if booked before the end of March. Register for the forum: https://www.awardingorganisation.com/ Connect with Ben Smith on LinkedIn:   / ben-smith-15a448144   Connect with Tim Burnett on LinkedIn:   / tburnett   If you would like to join Tim on a future episode or sponsor the Test Community Network then get in touch with Tim to schedule a call: https://calendly.com/educationtech/15... Events: https://www.testcommunity.network/upc... Podcasts: https://www.testcommunity.network/pod... Marketplace: https://www.testcommunity.network/mar... Subscribe to the Test Community Network here: https://www.testcommunity.network 🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://streamyard.com/pal/d/57805973...