<![CDATA[The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into higher education has prompted widespread speculation about the potential obsolescence of university lecturers. While AI systems demonstrate impressive capabilities in content delivery, assessment, and personalisation, this research critically examines the assumption that they can replace human educators. This issue is particularly complex, given that effective higher education involves not only the transmission of information but also the development of cognitive, emotional, ethical, and social aspects. Despite advances in AI technologies, current discourse often neglects the irreplaceable human functions that underpin transformative education. Addressing this gap, the study adopts a human-centred framework to investigate essential lecturer capabilities, limitations of AI systems, and the design of optimal human-AI collaboration. Using qualitative methods, including stakeholder interviews and comparative institutional analysis, the findings reveal ten educational domains where human capabilities remain indispensable, from emotional support and ethical mentorship to adaptive teaching and research integration. AI excels in routine, scalable tasks, yet lacks empathy, moral agency, and contextual understanding. Consequently, this research proposes a collaborative model in which AI enhances rather than replaces lecturers, thereby supporting educational quality and student development. The findings have significant implications for institutional policy, faculty development, and the ethical integration of AI in education, affirming the enduring and transformative role of human educators in the digital age.]]>
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