An academic with a very public passion for science has been given the task of advancing scientific research and teaching through Charles Sturt University's (CSU) Faculty of Science. CSU Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Ian Goulter, recently announced the appointment of Professor Nick Klomp as the faculty's new Dean.

CSU has secured the rights to host the annual RoboCup Junior competition for schools across central west NSW starting in June 2010 through to 2012.

Since my last V-C News I visited Malaysia, Spain and the United States, as well as travelling to China and India in my role as Convenor of the NSW Vice-Chancellors’ Committee, leading the education delegation which was a key part of the NSW Premier’s Senior Trade Mission. The purpose of this trip was to support the growth of NSW by establishing new education and business contacts. During the visit to India and China I was also able to represent and position CSU as a competitive provider of quality higher education as the national University of inland Australia.

The Governor-General of Australia, Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce, AC, will attend an historic signing of an agreement which will increase exposure to Islamic issues among CSU students and staff.

Around 150 academic staff at CSU will have their leadership in tertiary learning and teaching on show this week when they meet for the CSUED 2009 conference at CSU at Albury-Wodonga.

Charles Sturt University has been rated above average by its graduates, according to the 2007 Australian Graduate Survey released on Tuesday 11 December by Graduate Careers Australia.

Two academics at CSU will have distinctive roles at the Australian Association For Research In Education 2009 International Education Research Conference in Canberra from Sunday 29 November to Thursday 3 December.

The decision by the newly elected Rudd Labor government to ratify the Kyoto Protocol effectively ends Australia’s international isolation on climate change and redefines the national agenda for social, economic and environmental challenges.

Australia and other developed countries could learn a lot from some developing countries about how communities can work to address pressing needs caused by climate change, says the new Director of Charles Sturt University's Institute for Land Water and Society, Professor Max Finlayson.