• The NSW Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education The Hon. Timothy Crakanthorp MP visited Charles Sturt University in Albury-Wodonga and Orange
• The Minister met with the Vice-Chancellor, students and staff and toured some of the University’s newest, state-of-the-art facilities
• The tour included visiting a 6-star green-rated rammed earth building, the Gulbali Institute’s Aquatic Research Laboratory, a Community Engagement and Wellness Centre, the School of Rural Medicine, and the Dental Simulation Clinic

Charles Sturt University hosted The Hon. Timothy Crakanthorp, MP, Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education and Minister for the Hunter NSW at its Albury-Wodonga campus on Tuesday 6 June and Orange campus on Wednesday 7 June.

The Minister met with Charles Sturt Vice-Chancellor Professor Renée Leon, along with other senior executives, staff and students and toured some of the University’s newest state-of-the-art facilities.

Facilities and notable areas visited at Charles Sturt Albury-Wodonga included the 6-star green-rated rammed earth building, the David Mitchell Wetlands, the Gulbali Institute for Agriculture, Water and Environment’s Aquatic Research Laboratory, and the Community Engagement and Wellness Centre.

Minister Crakanthorp said he was looking forward to working with Charles Sturt University.

“Universities are a critical part of our state’s skills development,” Minister Crakanthorp said.

“At this time when there is a skills shortage across many of our essential industries, it’s never been more important to strengthen collaboration between all parts of the tertiary education sector.”

Minister Crakanthorp saw firsthand some of the stand-out facilities at Australia’s leading university for graduate employment, which have contributed to the University also being Australia’s first carbon-neutral university and a global leader in sustainable practices.

The Minister also toured the Charles Sturt Gulbali Institute’s Aquatic Research Laboratory which has a focus on enhancing the health and resilience of freshwater ecosystems.

Charles Sturt Vice-Chancellor Professor Renée Leon was delighted to host the Minister at the Albury campus for the first time in his ministerial capacity.

“I’d like to congratulate Minister Crakanthorp on his recent appointment as the NSW Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education,” Professor Leon said.

“It’s wonderful to have him back on the University’s grounds being an alumnus of the Charles Sturt Bachelor of Business.”

“I look forward to working with the Minister to achieve vital outcomes under the NSW Higher Education Strategy.”

Professor Leon noted Charles Sturt continues to invest in each area under the Strategy, including in the development and broadening of postschool options to foster lifelong learning.

“Our Aquatic Research Facility is a 150-square-metre laboratory that supports research on fisheries ecology, breeding and behaviour, hydropower and irrigation infrastructure, impacts on fish migration, fish passage solutions, and fish screening technologies,” Professor Leon said.

“This modern facility allows staff and students in Albury-Wodonga to contribute to the overall goals of the Gulbali Institute, while also solving agriculture, water and environmental issues in the area.”

Minister Crakanthorp finished the tour by visiting the Charles Sturt Community Engagement and Wellness Centre (CEW).

Professor Leon said the CEW is a modern, purpose-built facility complete with consultation, treatment and surgery suites and inter-professional training facilities.

“This facility is open to the public offering podiatry and speech pathology services to those in need,” Professor Leon said.

“It is a fantastic training facility that fosters more allied health professionals in regional areas, driving jobs growth and skills development, as students are closely supervised by qualified professionals in a supportive environment to ensure that patients receive the highest standard of care and service.”

The Minister’s tour of Charles Sturt Orange on Wednesday 7 June saw him visiting the latest in medical facilities, including the ground-breaking School of Rural Medicine, the Dental Simulation Clinic, and the physiotherapy building.

Charles Sturt Associate Head of the School of Rural Medicine Professor Damien Limberger welcomed the Minister and guided the tour around the School’s facilities, which included a viewing of the plastinated teaching specimens.

“It’s wonderful to have Minister Crakanthorp see firsthand how Charles Sturt University is enhancing the supply of more doctors in rural communities,” Professor Limberger said.

“In a few years’ time, the first cohort of students from the Charles Sturt Doctor of Medicine will graduate and statistics show that if students study and train in a regional area, they are more likely to settle there.”

ENDS