Australian universities expand AI access and practical training

Students are already using AI

Research commissioned by OpenAI found that 81% of more than 1,000 Australian university students surveyed use AI several times a week, including 33% who use it multiple times a day. Over a quarter, or 28%, said they had already built an AI agent or assistant to manage their studies, work or personal life.

The survey also points to strong demand for hands-on experience. Four out of five students, or 79%, want their university to offer more opportunities to use advanced AI tools on real-world projects. The same proportion said they were interested in applying AI to challenges in health, climate, science or cyber security.

Students connect these experiences with their future careers. According to the research, 61% believe AI skills will be essential to success in their chosen career, while 69% think AI literacy will become as fundamental as digital literacy, writing or numeracy. Another 65% believe AI skills will give Australian graduates an advantage in the global workforce.

Universities build access into courses and careers

UNSW is bringing ChatGPT Edu to more than 80,000 students and staff, with access expanding in stages. The university and OpenAI plan to integrate generative AI foundations and Codex into educational programs and courses, including through hackathons and industry projects. The collaboration is also intended to connect students with internships, graduate roles and startup networks.

The University of Sydney is planning a staged rollout of ChatGPT Edu, with access for all students scheduled for Semester 1, 2027 after a trial. It is also establishing a $1 million AI Sustainability Research and Innovation Fund.

At La Trobe, all 3,500 staff already have access to ChatGPT Edu, while universal access is planned for its 45,000 students and staff in the first quarter of 2027. The university is launching Australia’s first Bachelor of AI Engineering (Honours), with its first cohort arriving in 2027, and Australia’s first AI MBA program. It has also appointed Phil Laufenberg as Australia’s first Pro Vice-Chancellor AI and Chief AI Officer.

Adelaide University is building on existing use of OpenAI’s API and is among the first higher education institutions to use OpenAI Daybreak Blue for authorised defensive security work, including vulnerability discovery, secure code review, malware analysis, incident response and patch validation.

Practice and judgment remain central

The collaborations described by OpenAI focus on using AI alongside subject knowledge and practical experience. At La Trobe, ChatGPT helps create paramedicine activities in which students interpret an ECG, assess a possible heart attack and triage patients after a mass casualty incident.

In the School of Education, a social robot called Fletch helps trainee teachers practice giving feedback to parents. Powered by OpenAI large language models hosted through Microsoft Azure, Fletch uses speech, facial expressions and head movements to respond in scenarios that can become confrontational.

La Trobe has also made Codex and ChatGPT Work available across the institution. Its AI Business Studio aims to give more than 1,000 students practical experience helping small and medium enterprises adopt AI by 2028.

Universities are developing rules for responsible use as access grows. UNSW has introduced a Can, Can’t, Must framework for assessment, allowing educators to specify whether AI use is permitted, prohibited or required, depending on the learning goal. The approach reflects the central challenge described by OpenAI: preparing students to use AI effectively while knowing when they must rely on their own judgment.