About us

Will generative AI enhance human capabilities or substitute for the tacit knowledge that makes professionals valuable? Will AI empower less specialised employees to perform expert tasks, or will it create new forms of inequality? These are the defining questions of our time, and the answers are not predetermined. Instead, they depend entirely on the choices we make today in how we design technology integration and educational frameworks. Unlike previous technological shifts that primarily affected job markets or educational tools, we are experiencing an AI revolution that is requiring us to completely rethink our approach to education. AI is reshaping what you need to learn as industry demands evolve.

The World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs report offers a striking validation: BIS graduates are already mastering the skills that will define the next decade. While industries scramble to find workers with analytical thinking capabilities (the number one skill demanded by 69% of employers), our students are developing these competencies as core to their education. What sets BIS apart is our focus on the distinctly human capabilities that become exponentially more valuable as machines handle routine tasks: the leadership, empathy, systems thinking, and global perspective that no algorithm can replicate. This combination positions our graduates as professionals who can harness AI to amplify their uniquely human strengths rather than workers competing with AI.

However, we are not content to rest on our strong foundations. The School of ISTM is embarking on a comprehensive redesign of our educational approach, leveraging cutting-edge university initiatives like Program Level Assessment (which measures student achievement across entire degree programs) and competency-based assessments (which ensure students master essential skills before progressing). We are taking a systematic approach to reimagining our curriculum: questioning what competencies our graduates truly need, rethinking how we can most effectively develop these capabilities, and strategically sequencing when students encounter these critical skills throughout their journey with us. This represents strategic rethinking designed to prepare students for effective human-machine collaboration rather than simple curriculum updating.

This brings me to critical calls for action: Although our commitment to co-creation with industry partners is central to this redesign, you (the BIS student cohorts) are equally important stakeholders as we embark on the next transformation of the BIS. Your insights help us understand what skills you need and how those skills should be developed to ensure technology enhances rather than displaces human capability. More importantly, we need your voices in this process because you're co-creators of the future workplace, not just recipients of education. The future of work is being shaped right now, and you have the power to influence its direction. The decisions you make, even early in your career, the ways you choose to integrate AI into your work, and the ethical leadership you demonstrate in your organisations will determine whether we create a future where technology amplifies human potential or one where it diminishes it. Your commitment to responsible technology use and your consideration of how your choices impact future cohorts of workers will define the workplace for generations. You have the opportunity to be architects of a world where AI serves as foundational driver of progress for all.

As we undertake this educational transformation, we remain grounded in what we call a pedagogy of kindness (ensuring our programs create inclusive, supportive environments where every student can thrive). We are also embracing educability and lifelong learning as essential capabilities in a world where the only constant is change. These human-centred values become more important as our world becomes more technologically sophisticated.

The strength of the UNSW network has never been more vital. As we navigate this unprecedented transformation together, the connections you build here (with fellow students, faculty, and our broader community) will be your foundation for continued growth and mutual support. Our alumni network represents a dynamic community of professionals who are actively shaping how technology impacts society. Staying engaged with this community means you'll have ongoing access to insights, opportunities, and the collective wisdom of those who are leading this transformation across industries.

We stand at a unique moment in history where artificial intelligence is transforming not just one aspect of our world, but two critical dimensions simultaneously. AI is reshaping what students need to learn as industry demands evolve, and it is fundamentally changing how we should teach and assess those capabilities. The decisions we make in education today will echo through decades of technological development. By reimagining how we prepare students for an AI-integrated world, we're actively shaping a future where human creativity, empathy, and wisdom remain at the centre-of-progress.

The future is now, and it's in your hands.

Associate Professor Sam Kirshner
Head of School
School of Information Systems & Technology Management