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Associate Professor Rachel Fitzgerald
Associate Professor

Rachel Fitzgerald

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Phone: 
+61 7 336 56575
Phone: 
+61 7 334 67308

Overview

Background

Associate Professor Rachel Fitzgerald is the Deputy Associate Dean (Academic) for the Faculty of Business, Economics and Law at The University of Queensland. Internationally recognised for her expertise in Digital Education, Rachel leads digital transformation and curriculum innovation across the university, with a strong focus on generative AI, inclusive pedagogy, and lifelong learning.

Rachel co-chairs the national TEFA Network, supporting over 1100 Education-Focused Academics across Australia, and serves as Senior Editor (Educational Technology) for the Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice. She is actively engaged in national and international conversations on the ethical and impactful use of AI in higher education, and regularly contributes to sector conferences, symposia, and thought leadership.

Her current research and practice explore microcredentials, workplace learning, and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in digitally enabled and AI-enhanced contexts.

Online Profiles

Availability

Associate Professor Rachel Fitzgerald is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Qualifications

  • Masters (Coursework) of Computer Science, University of Northampton
  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Lancaster

Research interests

  • Digital

    Digital Transformation, Learning and Development in Organizations, Micro-credentials, Online Learning, Elearning, Hybrid Learning, Business School Research, Higher Education Curriculum, Higher Education, Higher Education Policy, Future of Learning,

Research impacts

Rachel Fitzgerald’s research focuses on the transformation of higher education through digital learning, curriculum innovation, and the ethical use of artificial intelligence. Her work directly supports educators and institutions to design inclusive, future-oriented learning experiences that respond to evolving student and workforce needs.

She has led the development of frameworks and resources that inform course and program design across disciplines, including the CRAFT framework for curriculum design in AI-enhanced learning environments. Her research underpins professional learning and academic development initiatives adopted at the institutional level and shared nationally through open-access publications and sector networks.

As co-chair of the TEFA Network, Rachel supports a national community of over 1100 Education-Focused Academics and contributes to sector-wide conversations on teaching excellence and the role of educators in an AI-enabled future.

Works

Search Professor Rachel Fitzgerald’s works on UQ eSpace

51 works between 2011 and 2025

1 - 20 of 51 works

Featured

2020

Journal Article

Student-staff partnerships in academic development: the course design studio as a model for sustainable course-wide impact

Fitzgerald, Rachel, Huijser, Henk, Meth, Deanna and Neilan, Kellene (2020). Student-staff partnerships in academic development: the course design studio as a model for sustainable course-wide impact. International Journal for Academic Development, 25 (2), 134-146. doi: 10.1080/1360144X.2019.1631170

Student-staff partnerships in academic development: the course design studio as a model for sustainable course-wide impact

2025

Conference Publication

Panel member – Career pathways for education-focused academics

Fitzgerald, Rachel (2025). Panel member – Career pathways for education-focused academics. AoFE Symposium, Online, 24 July 2025. Australia: Alliance of Finance Educators (AoFE).

Panel member – Career pathways for education-focused academics

2025

Other Outputs

AI is now part of our world. Uni graduates should know how to use it responsibly

Fitzgerald, Rachel and Curtis, Caitlin (2025, 07 18). AI is now part of our world. Uni graduates should know how to use it responsibly The Conversation

AI is now part of our world. Uni graduates should know how to use it responsibly

2025

Other Outputs

Balancing scalability with student-centered approaches

Hol, Anna, Fitzgerald, Rachel, Beavis, Alison and Li, Ian (2025). Balancing scalability with student-centered approaches. Sydney, NSW, Australia: Terrapin EDUTech_AU.

Balancing scalability with student-centered approaches

2025

Conference Publication

Beyond engagement: student-informed approaches to AI-enabled learning

Fitzgerald, Rachel (2025). Beyond engagement: student-informed approaches to AI-enabled learning. EDUtech Australia 2025, Sydney, NSW, Australia, 11-12 June 2025.

Beyond engagement: student-informed approaches to AI-enabled learning

2025

Conference Publication

Beyond the theory: trust, agency, and pedagogical transformation in the age of Generative AI

Fitzgerald, Rachel (2025). Beyond the theory: trust, agency, and pedagogical transformation in the age of Generative AI. International Conference for Education Development and Studies, Oxford, United Kingdom, 26 - 28 March 2025.

Beyond the theory: trust, agency, and pedagogical transformation in the age of Generative AI

2025

Other Outputs

Can we trust AI? Challenges, risks, and opportunities

Fitzgerald, Rachel, Yang, Jianhua and Fischer, Isabel (2025). Can we trust AI? Challenges, risks, and opportunities. Coventry, United Kingdom: Warwick International Higher Education Academy (WIHEA).

Can we trust AI? Challenges, risks, and opportunities

2025

Other Outputs

The virtual university as a frontier for navigating new learning spaces, pedagogies, and technologies

Fitzgerald, Rachel (2025). The virtual university as a frontier for navigating new learning spaces, pedagogies, and technologies. Valencia, Spain: INTED (International Technology, Education and Development Conference).

The virtual university as a frontier for navigating new learning spaces, pedagogies, and technologies

2025

Conference Publication

Building trust with AI

Fitzgerald, Rachel (2025). Building trust with AI. Artificial Intelligence Symposium 2025, Virtual, 25 February 2025. York: Advance HE.

Building trust with AI

2025

Other Outputs

Building trust with AI: practical approaches for higher education

Fitzgerald, Rachel (2025). Building trust with AI: practical approaches for higher education. Dublin, Ireland: European Academic Assembly (EAA) / Dublin City University.

Building trust with AI: practical approaches for higher education

2024

Other Outputs

The future of higher education: Why online learning design still matters

Fitzgerald, Rachel and Huijser, Henk (2024, 11 25). The future of higher education: Why online learning design still matters

The future of higher education: Why online learning design still matters

2024

Other Outputs

Connecting and collaborating: Building the TEFA Network to advocate for and support teaching and education-focused academics

Fitzgerald, Rachel, Williams, Stephen George, Fawns, Tim, Gribble, Lynn, Waller, Karena and Matthews, Kelly (2024, 11 11). Connecting and collaborating: Building the TEFA Network to advocate for and support teaching and education-focused academics

Connecting and collaborating: Building the TEFA Network to advocate for and support teaching and education-focused academics

2024

Journal Article

The Virtual University as a Frontier for Navigating New Learning Spaces, Pedagogies, and Technologies

Sankey, Michael, Huijser, Henk and Fitzgerald, Rachel (2024). The Virtual University as a Frontier for Navigating New Learning Spaces, Pedagogies, and Technologies. ASCILITE Publications, 156-158. doi: 10.14742/apubs.2024.1139

The Virtual University as a Frontier for Navigating New Learning Spaces, Pedagogies, and Technologies

2024

Journal Article

AI: Educating the educators

Konarova, Muxina, Fitzgerald, Rachel, Birkett, Greg, Bakharia, Aneesha, Howes, Tony, Rufford, Tom and O'Brien, Kate (2024). AI: Educating the educators. The Chemical Engineer, 26-28.

AI: Educating the educators

2024

Other Outputs

Keynote: Leading the charge with AI in education and research in chemical engineering and applied chemistry

Fitzgerald, Rachel (2024). Keynote: Leading the charge with AI in education and research in chemical engineering and applied chemistry. Gold Coast, QLD, Australia: Australasian Institute of Chemical Engineers (Chemeca 2024).

Keynote: Leading the charge with AI in education and research in chemical engineering and applied chemistry

2024

Other Outputs

Panel discussion: rethinking assessment in the age of AI

Khosravi, Hassan, Fitzgerald, Rachel, Kim, YJ and Zoanetti, Nathan (2024). Panel discussion: rethinking assessment in the age of AI. Melbourne, VIC, Australia: ASK4AI Summit, Monash University.

Panel discussion: rethinking assessment in the age of AI

2024

Other Outputs

PANEL - Technology integration of GAI – the ethical use, data governance, and the potential impacts on educational equity and accessibility

Hol, Anna, Fitzgerald, Rachel and Gniel, Helen (2024). PANEL - Technology integration of GAI – the ethical use, data governance, and the potential impacts on educational equity and accessibility. Melbourne, VIC, Australia: Terrapinn Australia.

PANEL - Technology integration of GAI – the ethical use, data governance, and the potential impacts on educational equity and accessibility

2024

Conference Publication

Navigating Next Steps in Online and Digital Learning: Adaptive Challenges for Global Higher Education

Fitzgerald, Rachel (2024). Navigating Next Steps in Online and Digital Learning: Adaptive Challenges for Global Higher Education. International Conference on Education Development and Studies, Cambridge, United Kingdom, 4 - 26 April 2024. New York, NY United States: Association for Computing Machinery.

Navigating Next Steps in Online and Digital Learning: Adaptive Challenges for Global Higher Education

2024

Journal Article

Editorial: Artificial Intelligence is Awesome, but Good Teaching Should Always Come First

Crawford, Joseph, Vallis, Carmen, Yang, Jianhua, Fitzgerald, Rachel, O'Dea, Christine and Cowling, Michael (2024). Editorial: Artificial Intelligence is Awesome, but Good Teaching Should Always Come First. Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice, 20 (7), 1-12. doi: 10.53761/sj1b6530

Editorial: Artificial Intelligence is Awesome, but Good Teaching Should Always Come First

2024

Conference Publication

Building trust with AI: practical approaches for higher education

Fitzgerald, Rachel (2024). Building trust with AI: practical approaches for higher education. International Conference on Teaching and Teacher Education (ICTTE2024), Beijing, China, 20 June 2024.

Building trust with AI: practical approaches for higher education

Funding

Past funding

  • 2021 - 2022
    Development of an experiential real-work simulation focused on Strategic Decision-Making
    Practera
    Open grant

Supervision

Availability

Associate Professor Rachel Fitzgerald is:
Available for supervision

Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.

Available projects

  • Microcredentials: Aligning the needs of Industry and Education

    Available Projects

    • Understanding microcredentials through the lens of industry

    • There is an opportunity for a qualified applicant who is interested in higher education research to become a MPHIL/PhD student to explore industry needs in relation to microcredentials. This project aims to identify how higher education can work with organisations to identify what value, if any, microcredentials have for skills development for the workforce where there is increasing pressure to meet the needs of the growing knowledge and innovation based economy of Australia.

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Examining the Process of Assessment Innovation in Business Education: A Complex Adaptive Systems Approach

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Christine Slade

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The influence of learning strategy instruction on academic self-concept development in enabling students

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Jason Lodge

  • Doctor Philosophy

    An Empirical Study on Entrepreneurial Orientation and Entrepreneurial Learning Programmes in Shaping Female Entrepreneurs Efficacy in Oman

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Russell Manfield

Media

Enquiries

Contact Associate Professor Rachel Fitzgerald directly for media enquiries about:

  • Digital Education
  • Digital Transformation
  • Future of Business Education
  • Future of Higher Education
  • Integrity of Online Education
  • Learning Analytics
  • Learning and Development
  • Learning and Teaching
  • Micro-Credentials
  • Online Learning Experience

Need help?

For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team:

communications@uq.edu.au