Designing Human-Centred AI Education for Future Professionals

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming higher education and reshaping the capabilities graduates require for professional practice. As AI becomes increasingly embedded in workplaces, universities must move beyond teaching AI tools and instead develop curricula that foster AI literacy, critical thinking, ethical reasoning and effective human–AI collaboration. However, there is limited guidance on how these capabilities can be systematically embedded across higher education programs. This paper proposes the Human-Centred AI Education Framework, comprising five developmental stages: AI Awareness, AI-Assisted Learning, Critical Evaluation, Human–AI Collaboration, and Professional Practice. The framework provides a structured approach for integrating AI into teaching, learning and assessment while maintaining the central role of human judgement, accountability and responsible AI use. The framework is demonstrated through a postgraduate project management subject in which students used Generative AI to support authentic learning activities. Classroom observations indicate that structured AI integration promotes critical evaluation, reflective practice and professional judgement by encouraging students to evaluate rather than simply accept AI-generated outputs. The paper contributes a practical curriculum framework that can be adapted across disciplines to prepare graduates for responsible participation in AI-enabled professional environments while preserving the human-centred capabilities essential for lifelong learning and professional practice.