CQUniversity leads shift in AI-ready education
CQUniversity is emerging as a national leader in preparing students for an AI-driven workforce, challenging traditional approaches to teaching and assessment in higher education.
This leadership is reflected in its growing presence on the TEQSA Generative AI Knowledge Hub, where multiple CQUniversity resources are becoming benchmark documents for the sector.
National recognition backed by real-world research
The recognition is underpinned by more than two years of peer-reviewed research involving over 500 students across five campuses and online.
Unlike many approaches focused on restricting or detecting AI use, CQUniversity’s work centres on teaching students how to engage with generative AI as a tool for learning.
It builds their ability to evaluate, challenge and refine AI-generated content using professional judgement.
Dr Mahmoud Elkhodr from CQUniversity’s School of Engineering and Technology said the recognition highlights the depth and practical impact of the University’s research.
Giving graduates an edge in an AI-driven workforce
“These are not theoretical contributions – they are grounded in real classrooms, tested across multiple cohorts and refined over time,” Dr Elkhodr said.
“Our students are among the first in Australia to receive structured training in how to use generative AI responsibly within their discipline.
“That gives them a genuine advantage as they enter a workforce where AI is already embedded in daily practice.”
A scalable model for the future of higher education
The research underpinning the resources is based on the Structured AI-Guided Education (SAGE) model, developed by Dr Mahmoud Elkhor and Professor Ergun Gide.
The model supports students to critically assess AI outputs, identify errors and bias, and demonstrate their own understanding through applied and supervised tasks.
Professor Gide said the model was built as a sustained research program designed to give educators a practical, adaptable structure they can apply across any discipline.
As AI technologies rapidly evolve, Dr Elkhodr said universities must move beyond static policies and instead adopt adaptable frameworks that build enduring critical thinking skills.
“The question is no longer whether students will use AI – they already are. The question is whether we are preparing them to use it well,” he said.
CQUniversity is now expanding this work through a new community of practice focused on the responsible integration of learning technologies, supporting educators to embed these approaches across disciplines and at scale.
The University’s growing presence on the national knowledge hub reflects a broader commitment to shaping how higher education responds to AI, not as a challenge to manage, but as an opportunity to enhance learning and graduate capability.
