A Charles Sturt University (CSU) lecturer has co-edited a new textbook, Paramedics in Australia, which is the first ever written by and for Australian paramedics, or ambulance officers. Coeditor Associate Professor Peter O’Meara, who is Associate Head of the CSU School of Biomedical Sciences at Bathurst, says for the first time Australian paramedics have been given a voice through publication of a book on paramedic practice which is also a step toward paramedics forging their own professional identity.“Paramedics in Australia explores the challenges that Australian paramedics face daily within a sometimes volatile social and political context of changing technological and clinical practice options, and with ambulance authorities dealing with ever-rising expectations from the community, the health system and government. Most chapters are written by paramedic academics or practicing paramedics drawn from five States, which make it a truly national book. Chapter one is the only known national history of ambulance services in Australia.”

Recent graduates from the Charles Sturt University (CSU) School of Biomedical Sciences at Bathurst, will return to the University on Tuesday 24 March to speak to nursing and paramedic students about career prospects and the value of their CSU studies. Senior lecturer and course coordinator, Ms Veronica Madigan, said, “This is the first time recent graduates from the School will speak to current third year students. These graduates have told me how they now realise the value of their CSU education and want to let third year students know of the job opportunities available in the health sector. They will talk about life after CSU, how they have found working full-time, and how the course has assisted their career progression and current occupations. They are very passionate about CSU and recognise that it is a great University.”

By staging its first myDay at Charles Sturt University (CSU) on Tuesday 24 March, the School of Communication at Bathurst  is wasting no time in attracting future students to its courses. Head of School, Associate Professor Rod McCulloch, said myDay is designed to give students from the region a taste of university life and the School of Communication by making CSU ‘their University for a day’. “We expect about 60 students from high schools in the Bathurst region will tour the University,” Professor McCulloch said. “Rather than just observe, they will engage in lectures, tutorials, workshops and other student activities. We aim to show potential students why the CSU School of Communication has such a strong reputation for consistently producing highly employable, work-ready graduates for a range of industry sectors, and why Charles Sturt University should be their first choice when applying to study.”

The Western Research Institute (WRI) at Charles Sturt University (CSU) at Bathurst is celebrating 10 years of research that has charted and informed developments in rural and regional Australia. CSU Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Ian Goulter, complimented the organisation on this milestone, saying “WRI is celebrating its 10th birthday in the same year that Charles Sturt University is celebrating its 20th. WRI and CSU have worked together on many projects that have helped shape and paint a picture of inland Australia. On behalf of CSU, I congratulate WRI on this significant achievement and look forward to working with the organisation over the next 10 years.” WRI Director, Mr Tom Murphy, said that when the WRI was established in 1999 the aim was to provide timely and factual data about trends and developments in regional Australia and the organisation has exceeded that aim. See more CSU 20th anniversary events here.

Lecturers at Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) School of Human Movement Studies have been contracted to provide strength and fitness coaching for elite Indonesian athletes. Dr Stephen Bird and Mr Ben Barrington-Higgs have received a new contract from the Indonesian government’s State Ministry of Youth and Sport Affairs, with Dr Bird leading the Indonesian National Top-Tier Athlete Program for 2009. “We are very excited by this development because this is the first time that the Indonesian government has run the Top-Tier Program,” Dr Bird said. “This program supports the top 300 athletes in 45 sports across the broad categories of combat, target, field and water. We have two physical preparation coaches in Indonesia who we oversee, and in April we will travel to Indonesia as part of preparations for the South-East Asian Games in December 2009.” Mr Barrington-Higgs is in charge of the coach and athlete education program.

Director of the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney and the former Director of the National Museum of Australia in Canberra, Dr Dawn Casey, PSM, FAHA has been appointed to the Charles Sturt University (CSU) Council. Dr Casey is the newest member of the University’s governing body following her appointment by the NSW Minister for Education and Training, the Hon. Verity Firth, MP, on recommendation from the CSU Council. Dr Casey, who is nationally and internationally recognised for her leadership of the Powerhouse Museum, the National Museum and the Western Australian Museum, has been appointed until June 2011. Dr Casey has made a major contribution to Indigenous policies and programs in Australia as well as to Australia’s cultural heritage, including. the establishment of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation. She also initiated the joint Commonwealth-State response to the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody as a senior executive in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Dr Casey’s appointment comes as the University celebrates the 20th anniversary of its establishment through the Charles Sturt University Act 1989. Read more here.

The Charles Sturt University (CSU) community was saddened to hear of the recent death of Mrs Sheila Swain, AM. Mrs Swain was first appointed to the Council of Mitchell College of Advanced Education, a predecessor institution of CSU, in 1981.  She became Deputy Chair in 1984 and was Chair from 1986 to 1988. The building housing the School of Nursing and Midwifery on the University’s Bathurst Campus was named after Mrs Swain in 2000. Mrs Swain was a councillor on Hunters Hill Municipal Council in Sydney from 1971 to 1991, becoming the first woman elected mayor of the suburb in 1980-82 and was re-elected in 1987-89. She was also active in the Australian Local Government Women's Association - as treasurer, secretary, president of the NSW branch and later national president. In 1986 Mrs Swain was named Outstanding Woman of the Year by the Australian Federation of Business and Professional Women, and in 1987 was appointed a member of the Order of Australia. In 1989 she established and funded four scholarships for female students at CSU suffering financial hardship.

Two Charles Sturt University (CSU) lecturers were the first Australian academics to recently visit Vladivostok in far eastern Russia to establish contacts and foster collaboration with the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) and the Far Eastern National University (FENU). Mr Errol Chopping and Dr David Tien, from the CSU School of Accounting and Computer Sciences at Bathurst, held seminars and meetings with key personnel at RAS and FENU to discuss and promote shared project development, collaborative research, and exchange programs for staff and students. Mr Chopping said, “CSU computer science staff have research interests which complement those of the RAS, especially in the use of computer games technology. We detected growing interest to work with Australian universities, government organisations and industry. We even have similar challenges in travel and communications due to our vast and remote locations. A joint conference with RAS is planned for next year.”

With parents aware of the importance of life skills for children, Charles Sturt University (CSU) is offering its first Equine School to be held in the NSW school holidays in April. CSU will also help school students contemplating a career in the horse industry with a tailored holiday course in horse riding. “The school is also ideal for young or green horses to enable their owners to provide valuable exposure away from familiar surroundings, with horses given sound basics to go on with at home,” course coordinator Ms Cheryl Gander said. “Sharing life with horses is a wonderful tool in learning important life skills, especially for younger children and teenagers. Horses can teach things like responsibility, humility and patience – all important in everyday life.” The school will be run by experienced instructors in a safe, controlled environment at the CSU Equine Centre at Orange.