• Charles Sturt University has unveiled a refreshed 2030 Strategy, positioning regional education as a national economic priority and strengthening Australia’s future workforce
• The plan elevates Australia’s largest regional university as a critical driver of research, innovation and opportunity across communities that underpin national prosperity

Charles Sturt University has launched a refreshed 2030 Strategy to deliver on its mission of boosting the pipeline of skilled regional workers, strengthening the communities it serves and leading research that tackles Australia's most pressing regional challenges.

Charles Sturt is Australia's largest regional university with campuses in Albury-Wodonga, Bathurst, Dubbo, Orange, Port Macquarie and Wagga Wagga.

The refreshed Strategy commits the University to ambitious priorities through to 2030: empowering students to thrive in their careers, leading regionally focussed research with global impact, enriching the social and economic fabric of its regions and enabling and supporting staff as national thought leaders.

Charles Sturt Vice-Chancellor, Professor Renée Leon, said the Strategy puts Charles Sturt University at the heart of regional Australia’s future.

“Our status as Australia’s leading regional university is our hard won advantage because of the close and enduring ties we’ve built with our regional employers, schools and TAFE, and local First Nations communities,” Professor Leon said.

"Regional universities are critically important for national economic growth and Australia is better off with thriving regional universities. Every one of our campuses generates jobs, drives innovation and produces graduates for the regions that need them.”

The Strategy was refreshed earlier this year and progress is being tracked against nine key performance indicators spanning student outcomes, research income and quality, staff engagement, financial sustainability and stakeholder support.

Over 72 per cent of Charles Sturt’s students come from underrepresented backgrounds such as those living in regional, rural and remote areas, First Nations students, people from low-income families and first-generation university students.

Actions to better support these students include a new partnership with TAFE NSW offering students who complete an identified TAFE Diploma credit toward their Charles Sturt degree, cutting course times and reducing costs by up to $10,000.

For First Nations students, jointly designed entry programs, scholarships and one-on-one mentoring are removing barriers that have historically kept university out of reach.

In research, the Strategy prioritises projects that tackle the challenges facing regional Australia in agriculture, water, health, the environment, technology and education, and aims to deliver solutions that matter nationally and globally. It puts a strong emphasis on getting research out of the lab and into practice, developed in partnership with industry, government and communities.

The Strategy’s foundation is based on an ongoing commitment to First Nations education, research and engagement.

The release of the Strategy comes as Charles Sturt has improved its Times Higher Education ranking by around 200 places in 2026, moving into the top 800 universities globally driven by strong gains in research quality and teaching. 

“Over 80 per cent of our regional students live and work in regional communities after graduation and this Strategy better positions Charles Sturt to boost this pipeline of graduates. They are our future doctors, nurses and teachers, choosing to stay and build careers in the regions that shaped them,” Professor Leon said. 

“Our students know that if they study at Charles Sturt, they’ll graduate and be able to work in their profession straight away. I’m proud that for the ninth consecutive year, Charles Sturt was ranked first among all Australian public universities for graduate employment.

“What’s even more pleasing is that our students deeply value the education they’re getting here – the latest national Student Experience Survey boosted Charles Sturt’s position from 20th to 5th place overall.

“The results we're seeing in enrolments, graduate employment, research quality and student satisfaction tell us we're on the right track. But this Strategy isn't about where we are today, it's about making sure Charles Sturt is ready to deliver what regional Australia needs by 2030.”

There is more information about the Strategy here.