Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) long-standing association with the Australian Defence Force (ADF) has received a boost at a contract signing in Canberra on Tuesday 31 January. Under the new agreement, CSU will maintain and expand current training initiatives especially developed for the ADF. The University provides postgraduate training in a three stage program, with many officers then enrolling in CSU’s Master of Arts (Communication – Organisational Communication). “Through its strong training focus, ADF is always trying to do things better, and we can work with them to develop that, and to continue to grow our relationship,” said coordinator of CSU’s postgraduate program for Defence, Zoe Hibbert. “I found the CSU academic staff always supportive and was grateful that they readily recognised the demands placed on students who had to juggle employment and a high study load,” said ADF Strategic Communication Adviser and CSU graduate, John Anderson. “Another benefit to me as a student was that most of my lecturers had been previously employed in the corporate or public sectors, so they were able to demonstrate their professional and practical experiences within an academic context,” he added.