Federal Minister for Education, Training and Youth Affairs, Dr David Kemp, will open a new $2.5 million administrative and research centre at Charles Sturt University (CSU) at 6pm today, Friday 9 March.

Dr Kemp will be on the Wagga Wagga Campus to officially open and name the two buildings the James Hagan Court.

Located on a prime site overlooking the University's Boorooma Campus, the new buildings will be the centre of CSU's online education initiatives and research and graduate training.

James Hagan Court will house a learning media laboratory for staff involved in online education and the Centre of Research and Graduate Training to support the research of academics and higher degree students.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Cliff Blake said the unifying aim of the Centre was to provide a high quality educational experience to students studying in rural and regional Australia. "At a time when most institutions around the world are contemplating online education, CSU has been a large scale online education provider for more than five years and is driving innovation in the e-learning environment," he said.

James Hagan Court is named in honour of Mr James Hagan, AM, who was appointed to the first Board of Governors of the new Charles Sturt University in 1989 and served continuously until his retirement in October 1999, including a period of Deputy Chancellor.

Last year, the degree Doctor of Letters honoris causa was conferred by CSU on Mr Hagan in recognition of his service to the University.