Resources collated in a national education project, to be launched in Canberra on Wednesday 26 October, will provide a major boost for early childhood education students says Professor Sue Dockett, project team leader from Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Murray School of Education. “Funding for the Early Childhood Education Workforce Project was available for only a limited time, so it has been really important that the outcomes of this project are sustainable. Although funding for the collaboration will finish, the resources will have a life of their own. They will have an influence far beyond the life of the project and will be freely available across the country. Regional and remote communities, in particular, will benefit in lots of ways. The studying teachers are working in communities where there aren’t many educators and they should feel valued and important. This project recognises the value quality educators give to a community. They can upgrade their qualifications and stay within their chosen community It’s a chance to look at career options without necessarily having to change location, so quality education is accessible and the profession is gaining and retaining the best qualified educators.”

The pressures facing girls from intense marketing, popular culture, technology and the ‘cult of celebrity’ will be among the issues discussed during a free public forum to be held in Wagga Wagga this evening, Tuesday 25 October. Hosted by Charles Sturt University (CSU) and Wagga Wagga City Council, the forum will hear from a panel of local experts on the topic, What’s Happening To Our Girls? The forum is part of the Edversations Professional Forum organised by the School of Education at CSU in Wagga Wagga. The discussion will be held from 6pm to 8pm in the Council Meeting Room, Civic Centre, Baylis Street in Wagga Wagga. The members of the panel are: social work lecturer Ms Ruth Bailey from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at CSU in Wagga Wagga; Principal of Wagga Wagga High School (WWHS) Mr Michael Powell; WWHS 2012 School Captain Ms Laura Byrne; and allied health professional from Riverina Headspace, Ms Jessica Samways.

Music, sunset and the leafy surrounds of the Wagga Wagga Botanic Gardens will set the scene for a recital by members of the Riverina Conservatorium of Music as part of the public lecture series hosted by Charles Sturt University (CSU).  The ‘Music under the leaves’ recital, on Friday 4 November, will feature works for a combination of flute, guitar, violin, viola, bass, drums and vocals. Musicians Mr Jeff Donovan, Ms Tamaris Pfeiffer, Ms Lauren Davis, and Mr Brett Thompson will perform along with jazz ensemble The Conmen. Ms Davis said the informal setting means families will be able to come along and enjoy the recital. “This is a wonderful opportunity to sit outside and listen to a wide variety of music in a beautiful location,” she said. “As a musician it is a good way to reach a wider audience and promote a greater interest in music.” CSU wine and cheese will be served after the performance.

The stage is set for 21 acting students from Charles Sturt University (CSU) to perform for a local audience before auditioning in front of industry representatives in Sydney. The ‘2011 Showcase’ is the culmination of three years of study for the graduating students of the Bachelor of Arts (Acting for Screen and Stage). Held at the Riverina Playhouse in Wagga Wagga on Thursday 27 October, the show will feature short scenes from contemporary plays, with a mix of comedy and drama. Lecturer with the CSU School of Communication and Creative Industries. Ms Kim Hardwick said students  will next week begin job hunting with a performance for industry professionals in Sydney. “We have theatrical and casting agents, managers, producers and directors coming along,” she said “For most students this is their first contact with industry professionals. It gives them experience in auditioning and casting calls, while marketing their talents.”

NSW Minister for Small Business, the Hon. Katrina Hodgkinson, MP, will launch Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) newest business degree, the Graduate Certificate of Small Business Management in Wagga Wagga tomorrow, Wednesday 26 October. Ms Hodgkinson, who is also the Minister for Primary Industries, will be joined at the launch by Ms Yasmin King, the NSW Commissioner for Small Business who is currently conducting a listening tour throughout the state. CSU's Graduate Certificate in Small Business Management offers students access to industry peers, market leaders and other leading resources. On the eve of the launch, the Wagga Wagga Business Chamber has appointed course director Dr Lan Snell as an ex officio Board Member in recognition of CSU's contribution to the Wagga Wagga business community.  “The launch has already received an overwhelming show of support through the heavy representation of industry and local bodies,” Dr Snell said. “It shows how much support for small business there is in the region.”

Many years of dedicated rescue work has seen an IT training officer at Charles Sturt University (CSU) honoured as a ‘hidden treasure’ in the annual NSW government awards for women volunteers in rural communities. Ms Sue Dixon, who works in the CSU Division of Information Technology in Bathurst, was acknowledged in the NSW Department of Primary Industries 2011 Hidden Treasures Honour Roll for 15 years dedication since she joined the local branch of the State Emergency Service in February 1996. Ms Dixon is presently Deputy Local Controller/Rescue Officer, and an accredited rescue operator with the State Rescue Board of NSW. “It is empowering to have the skills to assist someone in their time of need,” Ms Dixon said. “I am just one of many who make a difference to people’s lives. And it is a privilege to be a part of making that difference, no matter how small my part may be. I love what I do.” The Honour Roll citation notes Ms Dixon has attended many rescues and spends approximately 20 hours per week training and responding to rescues and other emergencies such as storms and floods. She is a trainer and assessor of other SES members for road crashes and vertical rescues, and has been a member of several SES teams in national rescue competitions.

Places are still available for a new course directly addressing the shortages of doctors and dentists in inland Australia. Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) new Clinical Science degree, launched by CSU in 2006 and offered from the University’s Orange Campus, allows students to complete a degree specifically designed to prepare students for graduate entry into medicine or dentistry. Under a collaborative agreement signed with the University of Sydney (USyd), a number of rural and regional students from this course are eligible for facilitated entry into dental and medical degrees at USyd. Course coordinator Dr Debbie Burton said the course will see regional would-be doctors and dentists begin their training in regional Australia. "This is a great opportunity for suitable regional people to access a career path that they might not have previously considered," Dr Burton said. Further details on the CSU Clinical Science degree are available from Dr Burton on (02) 6365 7828.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) Council last week inducted four new members. Ms Geraldine Kennett is currently enrolled at CSU in the Doctorate of Business Administration course. “I am originally from the country, so an inland University appeals to me. CSU is in a position to address some of the skills shortages and population and demographic issues in regional Australia.” Ms Kennett is the Membership Strategy Manager at the Australian Industry Group and an affiliate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. The other new Council members are Dr Robert Macklin, an elected staff member from the Faculty of Commerce, Ms Heather Bell who is Acting Head of CSU’s Dubbo Campus, and primary education student Mr Mitchell Elks, who said 'as an undergraduate student living on campus, I want to have a voice, and being on the Council helps me do that. I also want to ensure that the best interests of CSU students are being considered in the University’s decisions.”

The Australian and Argentinian wine industries opened doors to closer collaboration when Charles Sturt University (CSU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Instituto Nacional de Vitiviniculture (INV) of Argentina last month. The MOU links the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre (NWGIC), based on CSU’s Wagga Wagga Campus, and INV, which is responsible for coordinating and overseeing grape growing and winemaking in Argentina. The agreement was signed by CSU Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Goulter and INV President Lic. Raúl Guiñazú in Canberra. NWGIC director Professor Geoff Scollary said, “Our wine industries have a lot in common, so there is much we can learn from each other. We are also discussing collaborative programs in wine business, research and law as well as student and staff exchange programs. This will place NWGIC in an ideal position to collaborate on issues facing the world wine community”.