Strengthening Indigenous entrepreneurship and business know-how is the aim of a one-week Charles Sturt University (CSU) program to run in August in Dubbo.Members of the Walan Mayinygu Indigenous Entrepreneurship Pop Up Hub project are visiting Dubbo on Monday 26 June to meet with the local organising committee and begin final preparations for a series of business innovation workshops to run from Monday 28 August to Friday 1 September.Launched by Charles Sturt University (CSU) in partnership with the New South Wales Government and Indigenous Business Australia, the Walan Mayinygu Pop Up Hub project aims to strengthen Indigenous entrepreneurship in regional communities across NSW.The program was developed by Associate Professor Michelle Evans to engage with and inspire Indigenous business people, as well as those thinking about going into business, by offering workshops, masterclasses, trade shows, networking events and opportunities for participants to pitch their business ideas."We're excited to be in Dubbo on Monday meeting with a range of local stakeholders including Aboriginal business people," said Professor Evans, who is with CSU's Faculty of Business, Justice and Behavioural Sciences."We have twelve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander entrepreneurs teaching and presenting at the Walan Mayingu Dubbo program alongside professors from Charles Sturt University and executive educators from Melbourne Business School and the University of NSW."In August, the Dubbo Pop Up Hub will begin with an official opening at the Dubbo Regional Theatre and Convention Centre, followed by a networking lunch and masterclass presented by a selection of successful Indigenous entrepreneurs.Other activities to occur during the week include networking lunches as well as workshops for established businesses on legal issues, business management, and social media engagement.Hour-long masterclasses held each day will focus on topics such as thinking as an entrepreneur, creating value financially and non-financially, and market orientation.There is also a day-long Youth Innovation Program on Wednesday 30 August, while several keynote speaker will also address participants during the week.  "The Pop Up Hub will provide local people with a sense of what's available in term of business support. For some, it will pave the way for them to further develop their entrepreneurial interests and talents," said Mr Paul Schenk, Business Development Manager for the Western Office of Regional Development, NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet."This is a great opportunity for local people, and I encourage them to get involved. Harnessing and developing the entrepreneurial energy and talents of the Indigenous business community has the benefit of improving the overall economy of the region."After the Dubbo event in August, Walan Mayinygu Pop Up Hubs will also take place in Albury, Port Macquarie and Lismore.For further information and to register participation in the Walan Mayinygu Indigenous Entrepreneurship Pop Up Hub,go to this site or the Walan Mayinygu Facebook site.

A leading academic in entrepreneurship at Charles Sturt University (CSU) believes small businesses should do considerable groundwork before they expand.CSU Professor of Entrepreneurship Professor Morgan Miles says that to grow, small business owners need a variety of new skills and information."They will need to identify opportunities and innovations, network and negotiate, target markets, develop effective selling strategies and communications, improve processes, gather financial intelligence, and prepare to manage larger teams," said Professor Miles, who is with the CSU Faculty of Business, Justice and Behavioural Sciences.Professor Miles will address these topics and more in the 'Next Stage Growth Program' to be presented by CSU's CenWest Innovate project based in Bathurst."Participants will be invited to think about the fundamentals of being an entrepreneur, as well as marketing and managing the growth process," he said."We will need to go back to basics to assess our core business strategies, mission and expected growth."In addition, we will conduct market research, develop marketing strategies and learn how to use digital and social media to build and manage customer relations."The six month program will cost $2 000 per business, with up to two participants per business. Scholarships are available.To apply to participate in or for details regarding the program, phone 02 6338 4503 or send an email. The first course is due to commence on Thursday 20 July at CSU in Bathurst.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst will be the centre of the local engineering world next week when it stages Engfest 2017.Hosted by CSU Engineering, the four-day event includes activities for the central west community, industry and schools as well as CSU Engineering students.This year, the degree is drawing international appeal by hosting staff from the renowned US-based Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) which are investigating what makes the internationally innovative CSU degree tick. This comes on top of a recent visit by delegates from the Minnesota Institute of Engineering in USA.The central west community is invited to Community Day on Tuesday 6 June at 9.30amto hear from the national winning team from CSU in the 2016 Engineers Without Borders Challenge on what it takes to win the annual Challenge, which is for engineering students across Australia.This year, the students have developed ideas that will address the needs of ten communities on Espiritu Santo Island in Vanuatu. These communities are seeking new income generating activities so the villagers no longer need to rely on income from harvesting the endangered coconut crab. Visitors can view this year's entries for the Challenge by first-year CSU student engineers throughout the day.CSU Professor of Engineering Jim Morgan will then present his thoughts on transforming his traditional academic career into the extraordinary opportunity of starting a unique program while being allowed to break most of the academic rules. The lecture commences at 6pm on Tuesday 6 June and is part of CSU's Explorations Series public lectures.Local engineering professionals and firms have been invited to Industry Day on Wednesday 7 Juneto view the Challenge exhibits by the student engineers in the morning, and will then discuss regional business, universities and entrepreneurship during an afternoon of professional development activities with CSU's CenWest Innovate, the Sydney School of Entrepreneurship and with the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia.CSU Expo Day on Thursday 8 June will include final tours of the first- and second-year exhibitions and the CSU Engineering building, which has been shortlisted for this year's NSW Architecture Awards.Finally, high school students, teachers and parents can learn more about engineering and the CSU engineering degree at MyDay on Friday 9 June. Year-12 students will also receive an exclusive opportunity to apply for early entry into the 2018 course.All activities during EngFest will be in CSU Engineering (building 1305), Panorama Ave, CSU in Bathurst.The full program for EngFest 2017 is here, andregister here to attend various EngFest activities.

A new centre to promote innovation by small and medium businesses in central west NSW will have its community launch at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst on Wednesday evening 29 March.As part of a partnership between CSU and the NSW Department of Industry, CenWest Innovate aims to help businesses in the region to develop the necessary skills and find technical expertise to convert ideas into viable business opportunities.CSU Vice-Chancellor, Professor Andrew Vann, said, "Charles Sturt University is pleased to partner with the NSW Government to support the development of the entrepreneurial ecosystems critical for sustaining our regional economies and the communities that they support."The goals of the government's Boosting Business Innovation Program which underpins CenWest Innovate are all about furthering a network innovation ecosystem across Australia, supporting small-medium enterprises (SMEs) that want to scale up and innovate, growing the regional start-up sector and creating innovation clusters, and providing access to high-tech equipment and technical expertise for SMEs."CenWest Innovate is designed to support the development of the entrepreneurial ecosystem across Central Western NSW, through support for new and existing businesses, and business leaders, through encouraging business innovation."Both the local member Mr Paul Toole and the NSW Government have been great champions of the University and we are pleased to partner with the Government in delivering this exciting suite of initiatives to boost business and commercial opportunity."Director of CenWest Innovate Professor Mark Morrison said, "The CenWest Innovate program seeks to build business capabilities and encourage collaboration between small and medium businesses and Charles Sturt University, aiming to help businesses to innovate and become more competitive."New entrepreneurs, existing businesses and business leaders will receive a range of support which commenced last weekend with our 'Getting into Business Bootcamp' for new entrepreneurs," Professor Morrison said."We are planning monthly events to help businesses develop key entrepreneurship capabilities, starting with a 'Digital Marketing Masterclass'."In July we are due to start a more in-depth business accelerator program, called the 'Next Stage Growth Program'. This is for existing sustainable businesses that want to move to the 'next stage', such as developing new markets or new products.Professor Morrison said CenWest Innovate would also administer a voucher system to increase access to CSU research and technical capabilities."We will also have 'Tech Vouchers' and 'Business Development Vouchers' to help businesses in Central West NSW get easier access to capabilities we have at Charles Sturt University that can help businesses to innovate."This includes access to our 'makerspace' facilities for developing prototypes, 3D printers and laser cutters, our machine learning capability, data mining, market research and many other research capabilities."CenWest Innovate forms part of CSU's Multi-Region Hub approach to fully harness the benefits of the Boosting Business Innovation Program.The CenWest Innovate community launch by Professor Vann will be at CSU Engineering (building 1305) in Bathurst from 6pm to 8 pm on Wednesday 29 March.

High school students from around the NSW Central West region will battle it out in a science and engineering 'Olympics' at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst on Thursday 23 March.More than 250 Year 10 students from as far as Lithgow, Oberon and Orange are taking part in this year's Science and Engineering Challenge, hosted by CSU."This competition encourages our brightest prospective brains in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to pit their abilities against themselves, the clock and each other in a series of challenging activities that run all day," said CSU Professor of Engineering Euan Lindsay. "It encourages high school students to follow their STEM passions by providing real-world problems to hone their skills. We show them that STEM underpins our modern society, and a career in these fields is a way for them to make a difference in the world."The Science and Engineering Challenge, which runs from 9am to 2.30pm, is a nationwide STEM outreach program presented by the University of Newcastle in partnership with the Bathurst community, various Rotary Clubs across Central West NSW, and sponsors.The event will be held in the University gymnasium, off Panorama Ave at CSU in Bathurst.

Residents in the NSW Central West with ideas for innovations can learn the latest in startup and innovation strategy at a 'Starting a Business' boot camp to be held in Bathurst in March.Hosted by CenWest Innovate, based at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst, budding entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs and innovators will gain an understanding of agile planning, creating a minimum viable product, proof of concept development, ideas validation, risk mitigation, business modelling and more during the two day workshop."A major challenge for new entrepreneurs is developing products that customers will want to buy, will be competitive in the market, and generate enough cash flow for their business to remain viable," said CenWest Innovate director, Professor Mark Morrison from the University's School of Management and Marketing."New businesses need to be able to develop and test their ideas in the market in a way that helps refine their product or service and reduces the costs of not getting it completely right the first time."This boot camp aims to overcome some of these issues."The free boot camp will be led by Troy Haines, CEO of theSPACE in Cairns, who will share his ideas on the fundamental processes of effectively 'Turning Ideas into Reality' to invigorate and inspire a start-up business community in the NSW Central West.The boot camp will run from 6pm to 9pm on Friday 24 March and from 9am to 5pm on Saturday 25 March.To enrol or find out more information, contact Ms Marie-Christine Sweeney at CenWest Innovate on telephone (02) 6338 4503, or send an email.

Students at Charles Sturt University (CSU) are aiming to change their behaviours to significantly reduce their carbon use in 2017.During the recent Orientation Week, nearly 300 students at CSU in Albury-Wodonga, Wagga Wagga, Dubbo, Orange, Bathurst and Port Macquarie signed a pledge to reduce their personal carbon footprint.CSU Green Manager, Mr Ed Maher, said that the students' behaviour changes would also contribute towards the University's carbon neutrality status."Charles Sturt University is currently the only University in Australia that has been certified as carbon neutral by the federal government. This means that we have done a lot of work to reduce our emissions and the remaining amount of greenhouse gases we emit into the atmosphere are equal to the amount that we offset through certified offset projects associated with reforestation in central NSW and a range of internationally-based renewable energy systems," Mr Maher said."The student pledges, which are a new Orientation activity, also make students aware of what it takes to be carbon neutral. The students embraced the initiative with absolute enthusiasm. This reminds us that our strong leadership in this area is important to these future leaders and professionals in the making."Student pledges included actions aimed at reducing waste and improving energy efficiency as well as in conserving water.Mr Maher said popular pledges included 'I'm committed to turning off my computer at the power point when not in use, using reusable bags and saying no to plastic and packaging, and get my coffee in a Keep Cup because I know disposable cups are rubbish and are not recyclable'."Charles Sturt University is supporting the students' pledges by employing four student Sustainability Advisers who live on campus and will lead sustainability initiatives with students and help them fulfil their pledges," he said.The advisers will live on CSU in Albury-Wodonga, Bathurst, Orange and Wagga Wagga.

A leading expert will discuss truffles and fungi at the first Explorations Series public lecture for 2017 at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Orange on Thursday 9 March.Ecologist and environmental photographer Ms Alison Pouliot will speak on the significance of fungi in an address titled 'Between sex and death – Unearthing Australia's charismatic fungi'.Head of Campus at CSU in Orange Dr Heather Robinson said Ms Pouliot lives and works in Australia and Europe, and her special interest are lesser known lifeforms, particularly fungi and 'the spineless'."The lecture title derives from one truffle forager's description of the smell of the prized Périgord truffle from Europe," Dr Robinson said. "Ms Pouliot will explain that while this particular fungus is highly prized for culinary use, it doesn't occur naturally in Australia. It requires environmental modifications to flourish here despite Australia having a vast number of native truffles, and far more than Europe."Ms Pouliot says it's little known and underappreciated that nearly every eucalypt tree lives in association with native truffles.Her lecture will examine why biodiversity protocols rarely consider fungi as worthy of conservation despite their nutritional and potential economic value.The free public lecture starts at 6pm Thursday 9 March in room 120, building 1004 at CSU, Leeds Parade, Orange.

Two categories of Charles Sturt University (CSU) Community-University Partnership (CUP) grants in 2017 opened for applications on Monday 27 February.Head of Campus at CSU in Orange, Dr Heather Robinson, said, "A range of organisations that enrich our regional communities benefit from the practical support of the CUP grants."The CUP grants contribute to cultural, economic, sporting and related activities that support the development of our regions, which in turn promotes awareness particularly among young people in rural and regional communities and fosters their aspiration for higher education."I encourage the representatives of relevant and interested groups to consider applying, and I look forward to receiving their applications."The 2017 CUP grant categories available from Monday 27 February are CUP Head of Campus Small Grants Program, and CUP Rural and Regional Arts and Culture Program. Subsequently, the CUP Rural and Regional Education Development Program opens on Monday 3 April; the CUP Rural and Regional Indigenous Community Engagement Program opens on Monday 1 May; and the CUP Rural and Regional Sports Development Program has two opening dates – 'Summer' on Monday 1 May, and 'Winter' on 4 September.