OpenAI Expands AI Access at Four Australian Universities

UNSW Sydney, the University of Sydney, La Trobe University and Adelaide University are expanding access to tools from OpenAI, as detailed in a company blog post. UNSW is bringing ChatGPT Edu to more than 80,000 students and staff, while the University of Sydney plans to provide access to all students in Semester 1 of 2027 after a trial.

La Trobe plans to offer ChatGPT Edu to all 45,000 students and staff in the first quarter of 2027. The university is also adding AI skills to 50 priority first-year subjects.

A survey commissioned by OpenAI found that 81% of more than 1,000 Australian university students use AI several times a week. It also found that 28% had built an AI agent or assistant, while 79% wanted more opportunities to use advanced AI tools on practical projects.

The universities are also defining how AI can be used in coursework and assessment. UNSW uses a Can, Can't, Must framework that lets educators permit, prohibit or require AI for an assessment. Adelaide University is using OpenAI Daybreak Blue for authorized defensive security work, including vulnerability discovery, code review, malware analysis and incident response.