Charles Sturt University (CSU) students studying remotely will have some extra help from next week when the Distance Education Outreach team (DE Outreach) begins visiting regional centres. DE Outreach Team manager Mr James Brann said, "Our aim is to assist all students to overcome problems they may encounter when studying by distance education. The DE Outreach advisers will provide face-to-face and group appointments to new distance education students to help them develop new study skills, provide feedback on assignment tasks, and answer questions about distance education study. The team is also contactable via the DE Outreach website, Skype or email, and by specially-designed Online Orientation Outreach sessions for those who don't live near towns and centres visited by the team." DE Outreach will be in selected regional centres from Tuesday 18 February. Consultation sessions are also available online, and the full schedule and a booking form are available here.Tuesday 18 February, 10.30am-7.30pm: Melbourne, and Brisbane.Wednesday 19 February, 10.30am-7.30pm: Melbourne, and Brisbane.Monday 24 February, 2.30pm-7pm: Sydney Olympic Park, Barton (Canberra), Parkes, Port Macquarie, Benalla (Victoria), Wangaratta (Victoria).Tuesday 25 February, 2.30pm-7pm: Barton (Canberra), Benalla (Victoria), Sydney Olympic Park; and Dubbo (10.30am-7.30pm).Wednesday 26 February, 2.30pm-7pm: Nowra, Shepparton (Victoria), Sydney Olympic Park, and Cowra (10.30pm-7.30pm).Thursday 27 February, 2.30pm-7pm: Cooma, Bendigo; and Mudgee (10.30am-7.30pm), and Griffith (5.30pm-7pm).Friday 28 February, 10.30pm-12pm: Cooma.Monday 3 March, 2.30pm-7pm: Yass, Wollongong; and Taree (2.30pm-7.30pm).

How to better equip pre-service teachers for intercultural understanding is the focus of a one-day teacher education conference at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst on Friday 7 February. The conference organiser, Dr Kathryn Edgeworth, a lecturer at the CSU School of Teacher Education, said, "Intercultural understanding is about preparing students to be active, informed, global citizens with a critical appreciation of Australia's social and cultural diversity. Participants will examine how education professionals in urban and rural locations can best prepare pre-service teachers to work in increasingly diverse cultural and linguistic contexts. Primary and secondary school teachers are welcome to attend this free one-day conference." The conference runs from 8.30am to 3pm in building N17 at CSU in Bathurst. More information about the conference can be found here, and the conference program is here Associate Professor Carole Reid from the School of Education and Centre for Educational Research at the University of Western Sydney (UWS) will present a keynote address, and researchers from CSU, UWS, and Deakin University will participate.

Women new to motherhood or about to embark on the journey are being sought for a study at Charles Sturt University (CSU). PhD student Ms Amanda King from the School of Psychology at CSU in Bathurst is investigating influences on the infant-mother relationship, as well as factors that influence a woman's adjustment to motherhood.  Ms King said, "I am seeking both prenatal and postnatal women for the project but they must be first-time mothers. Those who are currently pregnant will be asked to complete an online survey during their third trimester, and again at six months postpartum. Participants in the study who have already given birth will only need to complete a questionnaire at six months postpartum." Funded by the parenting organisation, Karitane, Ms King's research aims to establish a comprehensive understanding of the transition to parenthood, and may provide an important avenue for facilitating adjustment during this period. Go here for further information or to participate in the research. https://www.facebook.com/motherinfantinteractions

How to better equip pre-service teachers for inter-cultural understanding is the focus of a one-day teacher education conference at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst on Friday 7 February. The conference organiser, Dr Kathryn Edgeworth, a lecturer at the CSU School of Teacher Education, said, "Inter-cultural understanding is about preparing students to be active, informed, global citizens with a critical appreciation of Australia's social and cultural diversity. Participants will examine how education professionals in urban and rural locations can best prepare pre-service teachers to work in increasingly diverse cultural and linguistic contexts. Primary and secondary school teachers are welcome to attend this free one-day conference." The conference runs from 8.30am to 3pm in building N17 at CSU in Bathurst. More information about the conference can be found here, and the conference program is here. Associate Professor Carole Reid from the School of Education and Centre for Educational Research at the University of Western Sydney (UWS) will present a keynote address, and researchers from CSU, UWS, and Deakin University will participate.

Charles Sturt University will bestow the University Medal on a paramedic graduate, and distinctive honours on two academics and a leading researcher at graduation ceremonies in Bathurst this week. At the CSU Faculty of Science graduation ceremony at 9.30am Wednesday 18 December, Ms Angie Bulic will be awarded the University Medal for her outstanding and sustained academic record throughout the course of her three-year undergraduate degree. The University will confer the honour of Emeritus Professor on Professor John Tulloch and Professor Bill Green, in recognition of their distinguished academic service, above and beyond the level of academic service normally expected of a professor, to the scholarly community and the University. Professor Tulloch will receive his award at the CSU Faculty of Arts graduation ceremony at 1.30pm Wednesday 18 December, and will deliver the Occasional Address at the end of the ceremony. Professor Green and will receive his honour at the CSU Faculty of Education graduation ceremony at 3pm Thursday 19 December. Professor Green will also deliver the Occasional Address. At the CSU Faculty of Business graduation ceremony at 9.30am Friday 20 December Mr Tom Murphy will receive a Doctor of Business (honoris causa) in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the University, and to regional development and economics in NSW. Mr Murphy was the long-serving Director of the Western Research Institute at CSU in Bathurst, and retired at the end of 2011.

Work has commenced to enhance the road entry to Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst. Mr Mark Adams, project manager with the CSU Division of Facilities Management, said, "Road works, a new roundabout and associated works, including landscaping, will improve the ceremonial access to the University from Panorama Avenue. The work near the intersection of Mitchell Drive and Village Drive on campus, will also allow for more prominent placement of directories and maps at the entrance to the campus. It will create a new look and feel to the entranceway of the campus in Bathurst in time for Orientation Week in February 2014." The work will widen Mitchell Drive to better accommodate traffic entering and exiting the campus and will simplify traffic movements at the junction of the internal roads. Mitchell Drive will become the 'spine road' into the centre of the campus. A proposed new road will link the roundabout and 'spine road' to the CSU Dental Clinic and the new Community Engagement and Wellness Centre clinics, funded by Health Workforce Australia as an Australian Government initiative. The road upgrade is estimated to cost $1.5 million and is part of the new Community Engagement and Wellness Centre.

More than 1 500 graduates and 4 000 family and friends will attend seven graduation ceremonies over three days at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst, from Wednesday 18 to Friday 20 December. The Head of Campus, Mr Col Sharp, will welcome graduates, their families and friends at these special ceremonies. "Graduations are always a joyous time, and I look forward to celebrating the achievements of the 2013 graduates, along with their families and friends and the wider University community," Mr Sharp said. "This is a defining point in the life of each of these Charles Sturt University students. Many will be receiving their first undergraduate degree, while others will gain a postgraduate award. A large number of prizes will also be awarded for outstanding academic achievement. Charles Sturt University is proud of its record in providing capable graduates across a wide range of disciplines." The 2013 graduation schedule at CSU in Bathurst includes: 9.30am Wednesday 18 December, Faculty of Science - 212 graduates; award of University Medal to Ms Angie Bulic, Bachelor of Clinical Practice (Paramedic), School of Biomedical Sciences-       Occasional address by Mr Jamie Newman, CEO Orange Aboriginal Medical Service, a CSU alumnus and a member of CSU University Council. 1.30pm Wednesday 18 December, Faculty of Arts - 190 graduates-       Occasional Address by Professor John Tulloch, who will receive the award of Emeritus Professor 5.30pm Wednesday 18 December, Faculty of Arts - 172 graduates-       Occasional Address by Associate Professor Chika Anyanwu, Head of the CSU School of Communication and Creative Industries 9.30am Thursday 19 December, Faculty of Education - 237 graduates-       Occasional Address by The Hon. Linda Burney, MP (a MCAE graduate) 3pm Thursday 19 December, Faculty of Education - 203 graduates-       Occasional Address by Professor Bill Green, who will receive the award of Emeritus Professor 9.30am Friday 20 December, Faculty of Business - 322 graduates-       Occasional Address by Mr Michael Ebeid, CEO of SBS (a CSU graduate) 3pm Friday 20 December, Faculty of Business - 188 graduates-       Occasional Address by Dr Greg Low, CEO and Principal Mentor of SQL Down Under.

Staff, students, and police will participate in an emergency preparedness exercise at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst on Tuesday 3 December.

Charles Sturt University's (CSU) sustainability unit, CSU Green, will work with a new centre for excellence in environmental education to promote sustainability and environmental issues. CSU Green will work with the Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development for the Murray Darling Basin (RCE-MD) to generate awareness of the Centre within CSU and in the broader community. CSU Green manager, Mr Ed Maher, says he is looking forward to working with RCE-MD to help achieve positive sustainability outcomes. "The Centre will be a 'think tank' of expertise that will inform and educate on sustainability, share resources and ideas, and link up educational providers, employers, industries and the wider community," Mr Maher said. "For CSU Green, this means that Charles Sturt University will be making a big step towards meeting its potential to influence sustainability outcomes beyond its own boundaries." CSU is one of three lead institutions involved in the Centre along with Wodonga TAFE and La Trobe University. You can read more about the RCE-MD here.