Physiotherapy students from Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Albury-Wodonga and Orange will this month meet in the NSW Central West for an inaugural sports competition.The first ever CSU Inter-Physio Games will take place in Orange from Friday 22 July to Sunday 24 July.Money raised during the weekend will go towards Cerebral Palsy Alliance. Organised by the University's physiotherapy student associations from Albury-Wodonga and Orange, the weekend will see the students compete against each other on Saturday in netball, basketball, touch football, ultimate frisbee and soccer.CSU Vice-Chancellor Professor Andrew Vann is due to attend the event on Saturday as well as a social function for the students at the Hotel Canobolas from 7pm on Saturday 23 July. On behalf of the Cerebral Palsy Alliance, Mr Rob Martinez will talk about the impacts of physiotherapy within communities.On Sunday, the students will take part in a Pilates introductory course run by the Australian Physiotherapy and Pilates Institute.Bachelor of Physiotherapy student Mr David Ternes said, "In addition to further developing the skills of the students, the event is being organised to introduce a 'friendly' rivalry between the two campuses."The Bachelor of Physiotherapy is a four year program at CSU in Albury-Wodonga and Orange.

The engineering course at Charles Sturt University (CSU) will host a feast of all things engineering over three days next week on the Bathurst campus.Engineering firms, local high schools and the wider Central West community will see and hear how the engineering profession assists national and local economic development and learn about opportunities to study engineering at CSU.All visitors can view the first projects completed by the inaugural student group enrolled in engineering at CSU in Bathurst, which are part of the annual Engineers Without Borders challenge for university students. These projects aim to produce solutions that address engineering problems in developing countries. [See details here]Day one (Tuesday 7 June 2016) will provide an opportunity for local engineers and their employers to address issues affecting them, including water quality, regional development, and the impact of local government restructure on the provision of engineering services to the community.On day two, high school students will have their own work on show while teachers receive the latest information on engineering and technology for schools.In the afternoon, visitors can also enjoy a comic debate on whether engineers would survive a 'zombie apocalypse'. The debate will take place in the environmentally sustainable CSU Engineering building, which will also be open for inspection throughout the three-day event.During the debate, younger budding engineers will be entertained at the nearby 'creation station', with spaghetti bridges, gallery wall paintings, a magician and the magic of science.Day three is the final demonstration of the student projects before they formally 'pitch' and exhibit their ideas in the gallery of the Engineering building.EngFest 2016 runs from 10am on Tuesday 7 June to 2pm on Thursday 9 June.See the event program for details of activities.

The recent momentous discovery of gravitational waves is the topic of a free public lecture at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Orange on Tuesday 17 May.The Explorations Series public lecture will be delivered by Dr Philip Charlton, senior lecturer in mathematics in the CSU School of Computing and Mathematics. Dr Charlton was one of the Australian scientists who played a key role in the discovery of gravitational waves by the LIGO Scientific Collaboration in February 2016.His lecture will discuss the discovery and scientific implications of this first observation by scientists of ripples in the fabric of space-time (gravitational waves) arriving at the earth from a cataclysmic event in the distant universe. This confirmed a major prediction of Albert Einstein's 1915 general theory of relativity, and opened an unprecedented new window onto the cosmos.The public lecture will be presented at 6pm Tuesday 17 May in room 120, building 1004, at CSU, Leeds Parade, Orange. For more information contact Regional Relations Assistant to Head of Campus Orange, Ms Margot Drake on 6365 7500 or mdrake@csu.edu.au.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) will host the 2016 Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) Conference in Orange from Monday 11 April to Friday 15 April.RYLA is a worldwide Rotary youth program organised by Rotary Districts to provide opportunities for community leadership development.Manager of student initiatives in Residence Life (in the CSU Division of Finance) and member of host Rotary District 9700 Ms Joanne McRae said RYLA is about leadership, learning, communication, and confidence."The 2016 RYLA theme is Developing Your Leadership Potential, based on an Australian Leadership Capability Framework," Ms McRae said."The forum is for people aged 18 to 28 years who have demonstrated leadership, intelligence, and compassion within their local community, and seek to develop their skills further."RYLA is an intense program, challenging participants to activate their potential as leaders and to impact on their communities and the world. It includes top-class speakers and give delegates the chance to participate in an interactive adult learning environment."Keynote speakers include CSU Vice-Chancellor Professor Andrew Vann, Mr Charles Tarbey from Century 21, educational leader and author Ms Pam Ryan and CSU academic Dr Michelle Evans. The 2016 RYLA conference is hosted and sponsored by CSU under its Community-University Partnerships (CUP) Conference Grants Program. Through this program the University provides in-kind contributions such as the use of CSU facilities to host community-based conferences, seminars, and events on its campuses.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Orange will host nearly 50 learning technology experts for a workshop on analytics and adaptive learning and teaching on Thursday 17 March.Director of Learning Technologies in the CSU Division of Student Learning Associate Professor Philip Uys said the workshop is organised by the Australasian Council on Open, Distance and e-Learning (ACODE) and will provide insight into learning analytics as a barometer for student needs, strategies and technology to ensure adaptive teaching is possible and productive."Charles Sturt University has a strong learning analytics program and I'm pleased to say we were one of the first universities to establish an institutional strategy for learning analytics," Professor Uys said."As an institution we are excited about the potential for learning analytics to enhance learning and teaching, so we hope workshop participants will leave Orange feeling the same way."ACODE workshops provide a professional development forum for those involved in learning and teaching in the tertiary education sector. Participants engage with the latest information, exchange ideas and make contacts, with a focus on enhancing policies and practices for learning and teaching enabled by technology.

A new program for the collection and treatment of organic waste at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Orange is well underway in 2016.CSU Green spokesperson Ms Alesha Elbourne said the 'CSU Organics' initiative will be extended by a staged approach at each CSU campus as suitable local infrastructure is established."This roll-out is more than a trial, as compost collection has been trialled by the University in the past and CSU Green sees a significant need to establish a distinct permanent organic waste collection service," Ms Elbourne said. "Composting organics diverts 58 per cent of waste from landfill and helps to reduce the production of greenhouse gases."Ms Elbourne said CSU Organics is taking advantage of the opportunity provided by the food and garden waste green bin service established by Orange City Council."The University can have the organic waste in the twenty 240-litre organic waste bins collected weekly and processed off-site," Ms Elbourne said. "Organics caddies were installed in staff kitchens in Orange in November 2015, and the students' residences and Banjo's Cafe were set up in time for the start of O Week 2016. The organics waste bins can be filled to no more than half capacity (120 litres) to remain manageable for the waste collection service."CSU Green plans to establish CSU Organics at CSU in Bathurst over the next year as Bathurst Regional Council brings in its similar organic waste service.For more information about CSU Organics visit the CSU Green website homepage http://www.csu.edu.au/csugreen/csu-green-home

A new bioscience park at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Orange will be officially opened by the Vice-Chancellor Professor Andrew Vann at 10am on Tuesday 15 March.The Girinyalanha Aboriginal Nature and Bioscience Park at CSU in Orange is the result of planning and cooperation between the University and the Orange Local Aboriginal Land Council.Short talks on the cultural significance of Girinyalanha, Aboriginal dancers, bush food, poster presentations and photos will contribute to the occasion. Members of the Park Steering Committee will be on hand to answer questions about this wonderful new development on the campus. Morning tea will follow the official opening.

The excitement of starting their higher education will hit 153 new students when they commence 2016 Orientation Week (O Week) at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Orange next week.CSU Dean of Students Professor Julia Coyle welcomes all students to O week and said it is a fun and hectic time for all involved."The shift from school to university means students become adult learners and this transition may be more difficult for parents, who need to shift from strong engagement as a parent of a school student to only being involved in discussion with lecturers if their young adult gives permission," Professor Coyle said."For the students, there is much to learn as they consider their new lives in higher education. It is vital that they meet the people and find the resources that will make their studies at CSU a success, while also enjoying a rewarding and eventful life, often in a new town."Our students can use a wide range of services to improve their chances of success. For example, we have free after-hours and weekend tutors ready to help students in a various areas," Professor Coyle said.The start of O Week at CSU in Orange is officially marked by the Commencement Ceremony to be held in the Templers Mill at 10am Monday 22 February.This will be followed by a Market Day on the library lawn to promote clubs, services and businesses in Orange, with information sessions for parents and students run concurrently. A welcome lunch for all will be provided on the library lawn from 12pm.Other activities during the week include formal introductions and orientation to Faculties and Schools, with tips and requirements for effective and successful studying at university. Social activities during the week include a Scavenger Hunt at the library lawn from 6pm Tuesday 23, The Amazing Race from 5pm Wednesday 24 at Robertson Park, a Mini Olympix at the campus oval from 10am Thursday 25, followed by ten pin bowling from 5.30pm. On Friday 26 there will be a barbeque at Lake Canobolas from 11.30am.

Getting older people moving more and falling less is the motivation for new Charles Sturt University (CSU) research in Orange.Lecturer at CSU's School of Biomedical Sciences Dr James Wickham aims to recruit 300 people aged over 60 years old, to take part in his 'Coaching for Healthy Ageing' research which will use social groups, health coaching and personally negotiated physical goals for each participant."Research has shown that physical activity, particularly that which challenges balance, significantly reduces incidence of falls and the use of social groups for recruitment could be used as a motivational tool to encourage everyone in the group to keep up their physical activity levels particularly as they meet regularly," said Dr Wickham."We require 30 social groups of around ten people, to take part in the trial which will monitor their physical activity and any falls they may have over a 12-month period."The research is focused on Orange but social groups from across the Central West interested in being part of the trial are encouraged to contact Dr Wickham via email.