Good practice in preparing graduates for work in professional practice, in fieldwork based education and flexible learning and support for regional employers and communities have earned Charles Sturt University (CSU) commendations from the Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA).

 

AUQA is an independent, not-for-profit national agency which conducts regular quality reviews of Australian universities. It released its report – Quality Audit of Charles Sturt University – today, Wednesday 27 January. The scope of the 2009 audit was the two themes of ‘Professional Education and Practice-Based Learning’ and ‘Internationalisation’.

                                                                                        

Charles Sturt University Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Ian Goulter, welcomed the report, which made 15 commendations and 15 recommendations about the University’s activities and achievements.

 

“AUQA has highlighted our strengths in preparing people for work in professional practice. Educating for work in the professions is a key strategic goal of the University,” he said. “The University’s achievement in fieldwork experience for students was given particular prominence.”

 

Four of the 15 commendations highlighted CSU’s approach to fieldwork education in support of professional education, including the University’s support for students undertaking field placements and the work of CSU’s Education for Practice Institute and its network of field educators.

 

Professor Goulter said that CSU was especially pleased that the audit had commended the University’s support for professional education for regional communities and the high levels of satisfaction with CSU graduates expressed by regional employers.

 

The report commended Charles Sturt University, with the New South Wales Police Force, for their “management and operation of a successful partnership in police education”.  It is the University’s largest partnership for professional education.

 

“The Audit Panel considers that this model of partnership in professional education is an exemplar for other partnerships and notes that CSU is seeking similar partnerships in other disciplines,” said the report.

 

Professor Goulter said the AUQA report commended CSU for the establishment of a Flexible Learning Institute and related actions to develop flexible learning capabilities among academics.

 

Professor Goulter said AUQA also commended CSU for its “implementation of a ‘One University’ vision across its various communities and for its continued strong engagement with those communities”.

 

A key area of community engagement which the report mentioned was with Indigenous communities.

 

“AUQA commended CSU for its engagement with a wide range of Indigenous communities as well as its support for Indigenous students,” he said.

 

The University’s Indigenous Education Strategy came into effect in late 2008 and incorporates Indigenous Australian content into all of the University’s undergraduate course offerings. It also positions CSU as one of the leading Australian higher education institutions in Indigenous education. CSU also has a Centre for Indigenous Studies and runs an award winning Djirruwang Program to prepare Indigenous mental health professionals.

 

AUQA recommendations included that CSU: