La Trobe teams up with OpenAI to supercharge AI learning across Australia
AI enabled university learning in Australia – Image created by ChatGPT with DALL·E by OpenAI.
VOCABULARY LIST
Roll out (phrasal verb) /roʊl aʊt/
To introduce or launch something new in stages.
The uni will roll out thousands of new licences next year.Licence (noun) /ˈlaɪsəns/
Official permission to use something, especially software or technology.
Students will receive an AI licence as part of the program.Capability (noun) /ˌkeɪpəˈbɪləti/
The skill, power or ability to do something.
The tools will give students stronger digital capability.Forward-leaning (adjective) /ˈfɔwəd ˌliniŋ/
Willing to try new ideas; progressive.
La Trobe wants to be one of the most forward-leaning universities in Australia.Embed (verb) /ɛmˈbɛd/
To include something deeply within a program or system.
AI will be embedded across the curriculum.Automation (noun) /ˌɔtəˈmeɪʃən/
The use of machines or software to do tasks automatically.
Students will learn how automation tools can save time.Digital divide (noun) /ˈdɪdʒətəl dəˈvaɪd/
The gap between people who have access to technology and those who don’t.
The partnership aims to reduce the digital divide.Pace (noun) /peɪs/
The speed at which something develops or happens.
AI is changing our world at a fast pace.Sector (noun) /ˈsɛktə/
A specific area of work or industry.
Graduates will be able to use AI in any sector.Best practice (noun phrase) /bɛst ˈpræktɪs/
The most effective and ethical way to do something.
The uni plans to share best practice with others.
ARTICLE
La Trobe teams up with OpenAI in major push to boost AI skills
La Trobe University has announced a major new partnership with OpenAI that aims to lift AI skills for tens of thousands of students and staff. Over the next two years, the uni will roll out 5,000 ChatGPT Edu licences in 2026 and then expand to 40,000 in 2027. This means everyone at La Trobe will have access to advanced AI capability, no matter their background or where they study.
The uni says this move puts La Trobe among Australia’s most forward-leaning institutions when it comes to digital transformation and fair access to new technology.
As part of the deal, La Trobe will embed AI across its entire curriculum. This includes creating Australia’s first AI-embedded MBA and building AI, coding and automation tools into engineering and business subjects. Trial programs will begin in 2026, with full integration planned for 2027.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Theo Farrell said the partnership supports the Australian Government’s National AI Plan and will help close the digital divide between metro and regional communities. He said AI is reshaping society at a rapid pace, and the uni wants all students to have the skills to adapt and lead.
Professor Farrell added that La Trobe’s “AI-first strategy” will transform learning and boost innovation across campus. He’s especially excited about graduates gaining technical knowledge, strategic thinking and the ability to use AI in any sector.
OpenAI’s Head of International, Oliver Jay, said La Trobe is showing what true AI-enabled education can look like on a global scale, and that education is one of the areas where AI can make the biggest long-term impact.
The partnership will also strengthen La Trobe’s research. The uni already has major AI infrastructure like the NVIDIA DGX H200 supercomputer and the Cisco–La Trobe Centre for AI and the Internet of Things. Its medical innovation centre, ACAMI, launched in 2024, is working on using AI to support cancer vaccine and med-tech development.
La Trobe has also committed to sharing best practice with other universities so AI can be used safely, ethically and effectively across Australia. This matches its Responsible AI Adoption Strategy, launched in 2024.
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Reflection Questions
Instructions:
Use these questions as:
– Speaking practice (e.g. talk to yourself, record and listen back)
– Writing practice (e.g. short paragraph answers)
– Class discussion with your teacher or classmates
How do you feel about universities using AI tools like ChatGPT Edu?
Do you think AI will change the way people learn in the future? Why or why not?
Have you ever used AI for study or work? What was helpful (or not helpful) about it?
Why do you think it’s important for students in regional areas to have access to good technology?
If you could add one AI tool to your own studies, what would it be?
Comprehension activity - multiple choice
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