A team from the Charles Sturt University (CSU) Faculty of Education has been acknowledged for their outstanding contribution to the quality of student learning by the Federal Government's Office of Learning and Teaching (OLT) with a citation award.

Dr Jae Major, Ms Margaret Hamilton and Professor Pamela Gibbons were recognised for building the intercultural competence of student teachers in regional Australia through provision of high quality experiences in international mobility programs.

Over the past five years, the team have developed a coherent suite of international programs that provide supported international learning and teaching experiences for students in the Faculty of Education. The addition of a strong academic program has been key to preparing students to engage in international programs and critically reflect on their experiences.

"Our overall goal is to provide experiences that develop intercultural competence amongst the student participants, and ensure that international experiences have optimum impact on student learning and development as teachers," Dr Major said.

"It is important for student teachers to develop intercultural competence in order to successfully relate to others in diverse contexts, and to effectively meet the challenges of teaching in culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms in the 21st century.

"Our students now report greater preparedness for graduating into teaching Australian classes, with better strategies to teach for and with diversity."

The team also improved the range of opportunities available to students which now include semester long study abroad opportunities in a range of countries, and three to five week international teaching practicum experiences.

"It is significant that Charles Sturt University, a regional institution, is receiving national accolades for teaching," Pro Vice Chancellor Professor Sandra Wills said.

"I congratulate Dr Major, Ms Hamilton and Professor Gibbons for improving the student learning experience and receiving the Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning.

"I also sincerely wish that the government might be now in a position to rethink its disestablishment of the Office for Learning and Teaching so that citations like this may continue to recognise great university teaching."

OLT Citations are awarded on an annual basis. For more information visit the Office of Learning and Teaching website.