A Charles Sturt University (CSU) staff member has shown a clean pair of heels to be crowned 2009 world champion long distance mountain runner in her age group. Competing as part of the Australian women’s team in the World Long Course Mountain Marathon 2009, held in Söll, Austria, Ms Colleen Middleton from CSU at Albury-Wodonga was placed first in the 45 to 49 year women’s age group and eighth overall in the women’s section and was a member of the second-placed Australian Women’s team. “It was a terrific experience to stand on the podium as part of the Australian team, and a real thrill to finally cross the finish line after the hard climb up that mountain,” said Ms Middleton, who ran the steep 42 kilometre course high in the Austrian Alps in just over three hours 50 minutes.

Starting school can be exciting and, perhaps, a little scary – and that’s just for parents. Two senior education researchers at Charles Sturt University (CSU) have developed guidelines to help parents, teachers and children as they start school. “Starting school is an important milestone in the lives of children and families. If children have a successful start to school, they are likely to stay connected to school and regard it as a positive place to be,” says Professor Bob Perry from CSU. Drawing on over 15 years of research, Professor Perry and Professor Sue Dockett, who research and teach at the University’s Murray School of Education, have led the way for parents and teachers on how to help all involved feel competent and confident when children start school.

As Charles Sturt University (CSU) enhances its administration to better service the needs of its students, a competition to name the new Student Service Centre reflects this student-centred approach. Albury-Wodonga health and habilitation degree student Mr Ben Southi has won a new iPod with his entry, ‘Student Central’, to name the new centres, which will be found on each of the main CSU campuses located in Bathurst, Dubbo, Orange, Thurgoona and Wagga Wagga. At Thurgoona, the new centre will be housed in the new Learning Commons building. The new centres will be ready for the 2010 academic year.

Two Charles Sturt University (CSU) researchers have celebrated their prestigious Fellowships as guests of the Hon. Kevin Rudd, MP, Prime Minister of Australia, and Senator the Hon. Kim Carr, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research. On Wednesday 28 October, Associate Professor Gary Luck and Professor Sharynne McLeod were among over 600 distinguished scientists, science leaders and science educators invited to attend the Prime Minister's Science Prizes Dinner in the Great Hall at Parliament House in Canberra. Associate Professor Luck from the School of Environmental Sciences at CSU at Albury-Wodonga and Professor McLeod from the School of Teacher Education at CSU at Bathurst were named as Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellows by Senator Carr in September. Read more here. As an ecologist, Professor Luck’s Fellowship will facilitate his work on Integrating the conservation and ecosystem-service value of Australia’s Catchments. Professor McLeod was awarded the Fellowship to work on Speaking my language: International speech acquisition in Australia.

A group of Charles Sturt University (CSU) students have seen another side of teaching and culture when they recently completed one week of their teaching practice in the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu. As part of the requirements for the award of their early childhood and primary school teaching degrees, the 12 third-year students worked in three schools in Port Vila, the capital of Vanuatu. Lecturer in Creative Arts and Special Needs and trip coordinator Ms Sharon Milsome, from CSU’s Murray School of Education, said the students were completely immersed in the local Melanesian culture while teaching. “The students gained valuable insight into multicultural settings, tolerance, patience, and how people who have so little can be so happy,” Ms Milsome said. Between their busy work schedules, the students also had time to visit beaches and waterfalls, and snorkel on tropical reefs.

The sixth edition of a key text advising occupational therapists on working with people with physical impairments will be launched at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Albury-Wodonga on Friday 4 December. CSU academic staff in the occupational therapy course at the School of Community Health provided substantial contributions to Occupational Therapy and Physical Dysfunction: Enabling Occupation. Course coordinator Dr Michael Curtin was the book’s leading editor. “This edition of the book is significantly different to the previous editions in an attempt to respond to international changes within the profession,” Dr Curtin said. “This book shows how an occupational perspective can be used in practising occupational therapy.” Occupational Therapy and Physical Dysfunction: Enabling Occupation will be launched at 4.30pm on Friday 4 December in CSU’s The Cedars building, Olive Street, Albury.

An international education program that encourages high school students from underrepresented low income groups in society to go to university will meet with Border education leaders on Monday 7 December at Charles Sturt University (CSU). Hosted by CSU’s Murray School of Education, representatives from the US-based Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program will meet with secondary school principals from NSW and Victoria, representatives from the Aboriginal Education Consultative Group, curriculum developers, school administrators and parent organisations to discuss and promote their program. Meeting coordinator Dr Sally Knipe has led visits by groups of CSU middle school teaching students to AVID professional development conferences for the past three years. These students have then become tutors in local AVID programs. “AVID is an internationally recognised program that prepares students who would not go to university for tertiary studies. The program serves nearly 400 000 students in the US and 16 countries and US territories around the world.” The day’s discussions will include how AVID has been implemented on the Border with the assistance of CSU students. The meeting will run from 9am to 3pm on 7 December at CSU’s Albury-Wodonga Campus, off Elizabeth Mitchell Drive, Thurgoona.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Albury-Wodonga has nearly completed the move of students, staff and facilities from its former location in Albury city to the award-winning ‘greenfields’ site at Thurgoona. Head of CSU in Albury-Wodonga, Professor Allan Curtis, is excited about having all CSU staff and students on one site for the first time since 1995. “We will have nearly 1 900 full-time students and 300 staff   in Thurgoona from February 2010, including the Schools of Community Health, Environmental Sciences, Business, Accounting and Computing, and the Murray School of Education. During the past three years, we have completed over $45 million worth of buildings to help consolidate Charles Sturt University in Albury-Wodonga, including a new Learning Commons, laboratories, learning areas and student accommodation. We are currently completing the refurbishment of the iconic Gordon Beavan and former State Forestry buildings in time for the start of the 2010 academic year.” Building will continue at the campus next year, with the recent start of a dental clinic and planning is underway for a childcare and ‘early years’ research centre.  The CSU Allied Health Clinic will remain on the corner of Olive and Guinea Streets, Albury,  near CSU’s neighbouring Nowik Theatre.

Final year high school students around Australia are receiving their final results and making big decisions about their futures - What do I want to do? Do I study or work next year? Where do I study? Charles Sturt University (CSU) is helping these students make informed decisions with a series of Change of Preference Information Sessions on all campuses next week. CSU Market Development Manager Ms Cheryl Howell says these sessions will help students and their parents think about study options for 2010 at CSU, with academics and support staff available for discussions. "If prospective students want to discuss our courses, preference options, school results or living and learning at CSU, they can attend one of these sessions being run throughout the University's region," said Ms Howell. Victorian students can call CSU on (02) 6051 9962 or 1800 334 733 to discuss their options before their change of preference period closes.