UNSW Sydney has entered into an agreement with OpenAI, marking it as the first university in the Asia-Pacific region to adopt OpenAI’s ChatGPT Edu platform.
The collaboration aims to provide UNSW researchers, educators, and students with access to cutting-edge AI tools in a secure environment, the university said in a new release.
The partnership allows UNSW academics to utilise OpenAI’s advanced technology while safeguarding intellectual property.
UNSW’s Chief Information Officer, Dr Chrissy Burns, hailed the initiative as a transformative step in integrating AI across the university.
“This partnership with OpenAI represents a pivotal moment in our journey to integrate cutting-edge technology into the fabric of UNSW,” Dr Burns said.
“By leveraging the enterprise-level capabilities of ChatGPT Edu, we can ensure our researchers, educators, and students have access to secure and advanced AI tools tailored to their needs.”
The agreement positions UNSW alongside leading institutions such as Oxford, Columbia, and Arizona State universities in deploying AI technology to enhance research and education.
Leah Belsky, general manager of Education at OpenAI, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership. “We’re delighted to collaborate with UNSW Sydney in this first-of-its-kind partnership in the Asia Pacific, providing researchers, educators, and students with secure, advanced AI tools to enhance learning, innovation, and productivity,” she said.
UNSW Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Attila Brungs, highlighted the broader impact of the collaboration.
“From engineering to health, business and science, AI is revolutionising research and education by making learning more personalised, accessible, and impactful. We are excited to be the first university in the Asia-Pacific to sign an agreement with OpenAI, expanding our reputation as the place where leading entrepreneurial and innovative thinkers choose to work and study.”
As part of the agreement, a 12-month pilot program is underway, involving 500 participants from across the university.
The program is exploring applications of ChatGPT Edu to improve productivity, curriculum development, and support for students and educators.
Feedback will be collected quarterly to assess its impact and effectiveness.
The pilot will expand in early 2025 with a controlled trial involving selected students and teaching staff.
Professor Paul Andon, Senior Deputy Dean for Education and Student Experience at the UNSW Business School, emphasised the pilot’s potential.
“As Australia’s leading business school, we are thrilled to be driving this educational transformation in partnership with OpenAI. Through this pilot, we are exploring innovative ways to collaborate with AI to unlock new possibilities to elevate the learning experience at scale for business educators and students,” he said.
