Having worked diligently to ensure Year 12 students had access to the best possible resources, the Charles Sturt University (CSU) NSW HSC Online website  team has taken time out to congratulate students who worked hard to receive notable results in their NSW Higher School Certificate (HSC) last week. "While creating this website, the NSW Department of Education and Training and Charles Sturt University were keenly aware of the crucial information this website delivers to students studying for the HSC," said NSW HSC Online coordinator and CSU senior lecturer Dr Deb Clarke. "It’s wonderful to know our resources helped students gain the marks they wanted in the HSC.” The NSW HSC Online developers are now reviewing the site to ensure the next group of students studying for the HSC can access quality education resources for 50 HSC subjects in 2010. “Each month the website delivered up to 1.65 million pages to students, teachers and parents and we believe this will increase in 2010.”

About 20 Indigenous school students will assess their opportunities to undertake university study when they visit Charles Sturt University (CSU) at Albury-Wodonga on Wednesday 9 December. Staff from the Murray School of Education will discuss the opportunities for tertiary studies with students from primary and high schools in Albury as part of a CSU project titled From School to CSU for Indigenous Students: Challenges, Barriers and Initiatives. Visit coordinator Professor Bob Perry said CSU was looking at the challenges and barriers for Indigenous high school students who might aspire to continue their education at CSU. “We then want to use this information to look at joint initiatives by Charles Sturt University and local high schools to increase the numbers of Indigenous students who continue their education. We want to increase the awareness and aspirations of high school students who would not normally consider university study,” Professor Perry said.

The CSU Media team welcomes you to 2010. We hope you had a safe and enjoyable holiday season, and that the year ahead is a healthy one.

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.

While managers put much energy into improving business performance by investing in innovation, increasing product and service quality or through expansion, little effort is given to improving the culture which is the backbone of every organisation’s operation. A Swiss graduate from Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Doctor of Business Administration program says carefully managing organisational culture can positively influence the company’s bottom line. Dr Patric Maerki is the first graduate to complete his studies through a partnership with CSU and the University of Applied Science in Bern, Switzerland. He devised a way to help manage the aspects of corporate culture influencing business performance. “My research into companies in five different industries showed that corporate culture values such as freedom, risk taking, open and shared communication, and respecting employees can be used to enhance operational performance in innovation, organisational alignment and customer orientation, and to increase profits,” said Dr Maerki. CSU’s distance education program attracted Dr Maerki as he could balance his business commitments with the demands of completing a doctorate while receiving support from a Swiss supervisor.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) will celebrate its close relations with the Wiradjuri people when a flag raising ceremony is held on the Thurgoona site of CSU in Albury-Wodonga on Friday 19 February. Representatives from CSU and the Wiradjuri Council of Elders will be welcomed by local Wiradjuri person, Pastor Darren Wighton in a traditional “Welcome to Country”, said Wiradjuri elder and Koori academic at CSU, Yalmambirra. Head of CSU at Albury-Wodonga, Professor Allan Curtis said Wiradjuri elders provide advice about cultural heritage management on the University’s Thurgoona site. “Activities like the flag raising ceremony reflect CSU’s wider commitment to engage Indigenous people in the University’s teaching and research in areas such as nursing, teaching and natural resource management,” Professor Curtis said. The event will commence at 9.30am in front of the Learning Commons building on the University’s Thurgoona site, with the flag raising ceremony at 10am. Students will return to CSU campuses on Monday 22 February for Orientation Week.

Orientation Week is the traditional start of the university year for new students at Charles Sturt University (CSU), and runs until Friday 26 February. Around 600 students, including part-time students, will enrol in courses as varied as physiotherapy, teaching, nursing, speech therapy, adventure ecotourism, accountancy, and information technology. Head of CSU in Albury-Wodonga, Professor Allan Curtis said Orientation Week activities were vital to introduce new students to study and life at CSU. “Orientation Week provides space for students to become familiar with their surroundings, staff and other students. CSU staff are ready to respond to queries about courses and subjects, help students find accommodation, and help them make the most of the cultural and sporting activities available in Albury-Wodonga,” Professor Curtis said. Major events during the remainder of the week include: Wednesday 24 February – Big BBQ for all new students at lunchtime. Students officially enrol in courses this day; Thursday 25 February – Visit to oz.e.wildlife at Ettamogah by new international students, commencing at 3pm; and, Friday 26 February – Race Around Thurgoona for new students to help get to know their local area and campus.

New figures released by Charles Sturt University (CSU) show significant savings for the environment in the management of its vehicle fleet. The data prepared by CSU’s Division of Finance reveals that although the distance travelled by CSU vehicles on official business rose last year by eight per cent, from 6.3 million kilometres in 2008 to 6.8 million, the amount of fuel consumed dropped from 664 000 litres in 2008 to 580 000 in 2009, a decline of 84 000 litres or over 12 per cent. “The carbon emissions saved through the greater efficiency of the University’s vehicle fleet is about 380 tonnes of carbon - the equivalent of taking 88 cars off the road for 2009,” said CSU Green Manager, Mr William Adlong. CSU vehicles are used to support staff on official University business including travelling between campuses in five major NSW regional centres as well as in Canberra, Goulburn and Sydney. “We hope to improve these figures with staff encouraged to consider using practical alternatives to travelling between campuses, such as video-conferencing, or sharing vehicles.” Over 60 per cent of CSU’s transport fleet are lower emission vehicles, such as four cylinder petrol, gas, diesel or hybrid.

The earthquake and tsunami that hit Chile on Sunday 28 February are reminders of the harshness of nature and the need for governments, emergency services and relief agencies to plan for natural disasters, says an expert in disaster management from Charles Sturt University (CSU). Mr Ian Manock, lecturer in emergency management at CSU’s Australian Graduate School of Policing, said that with a burgeoning world population and in spite of increasing technology, research shows that the incidence of damage to facilities and harm to people from the impact of natural and technological hazards is increasing exponentially. He said the disaster will no doubt have emergency service agencies in Chile pushed beyond their limits and the international community will be called on to assist.