Prospective students searching for financial support for their studies at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Port Macquarie in 2013 can apply now for scholarships. Campus Director for CSU in Port Macquarie, Dr Muyesser Durur, said the University is committed to encouraging students to participate in higher education on the NSW Mid North Coast. “Charles Sturt University has established a range of scholarships specifically available for its students in Port Macquarie that can assist with tuition fees, living expenses and learning materials,” Dr Durur said. The scholarships include: CSU Port Macquarie Excellence Scholarships for students based on evidence of community leadership and citizenship as well as high academic results at school or TAFE; CSU Port Macquarie Equity Scholarships for students studying at CSU in Port Macquarie or a distance education course administered from Port Macquarie; The CSU TAFE to University scholarship program for TAFE students; and, The CSU Pathway and Partnership scholarship program for students in a CSU Pathway, articulated or integrated program with CSU and a TAFE institute. Accounting, business, creative industries, paramedic, health sciences, justice studies and social work courses will be offered on the Port Macquarie campus to start in February 2013.

Bathurst Charles Sturt University (CSU) students managed to bring home silver and bronze medals from the National University Games, despite representing just a fraction of the five and half thousand who attended. Sports Administrator Jean Ryan said CSU was successful in the Women’s Hockey and Mixed Touch Football at the Games, which were held in the last week of September, “41 CSU Bathurst students went along and everybody had a great time.” Jackson Goman is a fourth year Bachelor of Sport & Recreation/Bachelor of Arts (Communication-Journalism) student and Vice-President of the Touch club. “I always enjoy going away with CSU because we are a close Uni and we do support each other. As soon as we finished our bronze medal match we went straight to the Hockey match to cheer on CSU. It is that sort of unity between all the teams at CSU that make it all worthwhile.”

“Rural and remote health practioners, like their metropolitan and city-dwelling counterparts, enjoy meeting with their colleagues, chewing the fat, and seeing a face-to-face lecture”, says Professor Patrick Ball, from Charles Sturt University’s School of Biomedical Sciences. Inland-based pharmacists will have another chance to hear about how they can make a difference to the health of their community at the third and final Pharmacy Continuing Education Session to be hosted by CSU’s Wagga Wagga and Orange campuses. Speakers include Dr Judith Crockett, senior lecturer in the School of Rural Management at the University’s newly launched Orange Campus, who will talk about depression in rural communities and Dr Debbie Burton who will update attendees on asthma research and findings. Professor Ball adds that “Professor Carroll from the University of New South Wales will talk about Parkinson’s disease whilst Mr Rollo Manning, a well known mover and shaker within the profession who is based in the Northern Territory, will talk about his work with Indigenous communities and providing solutions for rural and remote pharmacy in general”.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) photography students currently in their final year of study will hold an auction of their photographic works at the Wilson Street Gallery in Albury on Friday 6 October. The images incorporate a variety of photographic styles and methods, spanning black and white images, colour and digital. Auction organiser and CSU student Sophie Koskela says the images are suitable for the home or business and “there will be something to suit everyone’s tastes”. All proceeds from the auction, which starts at 6pm, will go towards the annual CSU Graduation Exhibition to be held in the Albury Regional Art Gallery opening later in October.

A documentary following the life of a Tibetan Yak herder has given livestock owners a better understanding of challenges faced by Chinese agriculturalists. Anthropologist Baima Cuo has fascinated those attending a Charles Sturt University (CSU) public lecture with her presentation titled The Life of Yaks on the Tibetan Plateau. Born in Tibet, Baima Cuo completed her degree in Beijing and spent time in Norway before arriving in Orange. Baima’s presentation will become a documentary produced by Baima’s supervisor Professor Gunnar Haaland from Norway. The documentary follows the life of Tibetan herder who lives in Naqchu, Northern Tibet. “This kind of life is something not many people get to see, so to hear first hand about Baima’s experience in Tibet has been fantastic,” says lecture chair Kerry Cochrane.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) is continuing to expand its international links with the latest Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signings in Switzerland. Berne University of Applied Sciences (USAB) has strong similarities with CSU, according to Associate Professor Greg Walker, Head of CSU’s School of Marketing and Management. “Like us, USAB was formed out of a group of regional colleges of higher education and has the largest number of postgraduate students in Switzerland. It is this type of collorative and exchange agreement that strengthens an already robust relationship between senior CSU staff in the University’s Faculty of Commerce and UASB’s Management School,” says Associate Professor Walker. The relationship has already provided for enrolment of UASB students in CSU’s Doctor of Business Administration program, while CSU’s Master of Business Administration is now linked with UASB study tour programs in Europe and China. “The study tours enable CSU students to visit some of Europe's leading companies and provide a rich learning experience for students. There are also provisions for CSU and UASB staff to have extended working visits at our respective institutions.”

Bathurst will once again be “humming” this week to the sound of V8 Supercars. Tomorrow, Wednesday 4 October, two of the official Fujitsu V8 Supercar Championship drivers, David Clark from Optima Sport, and Michael Caruso from Decina Racing, will drive simulated laps of Mount Panorama in the computer games laboratory which is part of Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) School of Information Technology. Paull Young from BAM Media, which looks after several V8 Supercar teams said it is like the real thing. “Michael hasn’t driven at Bathurst before, and David hasn’t driven a V8 Supercar around Mount Panorama, so their first experience of the Bathurst track will be in the computer lab.” As well, CSU lecturer in Computer Science Errol Chopping, says the computer games lab is well fitted out with enhanced graphics PCs, game consoles, a large fixed silver projection screen, high powered projectors, audio systems, joysticks and steering wheels. “The lab is used to research feedback which the user gets through feel, touch and motion, rather than eyes and ears. For example, we are hoping to mirror an experiment that was done in the United States about untrained pilots flying into cloud. They have a life span of about 147 seconds because they lose spatial orientation and they don’t believe their instruments. They go into graveyard spins and spiral dives because they have no feedback from their eyes.”

Matthew Pitcher, a fourth year Pharmacy student at Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Wagga Wagga Campus, has taken out the NSW finals of Pharmacy Student of the Year. The competition, run by the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, recognises outstanding pharmacy students. Matthew says the emphasis is on communication and counselling skills. “It’s about telling the customer exactly how to use a drug and what to look out for. This competition is trying to encourage best practice and at CSU they teach you to put best practice into place.” Head of the University’s School of Biomedical Sciences, Associate Professor Lyn Angel, says this is a very exciting outcome for CSU pharmacy. “In general it is a reflection of the calibre of our students and the quality of the academic staff who have put in the time and effort. They are passionate about their pharmacy profession”. Matthew will compete for the national title early next month. “The final will be a massive challenge. I'm expecting the calibre of the other state finalists to be of an exceptional standard. It will be difficult, but I'll give it my best shot."

Senior executives from Charles Sturt University (CSU) and North Coast TAFE (NCTAFE) will sign a Heads of Agreement at CSU in Port Macquarie on Tuesday 27 November to formalise the existing relationship between the organisations. CSU Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Professor Garry Marchant, said both organisations share a commitment to improving participation and success of students in higher learning and supporting the skills needs of the region. “Charles Sturt University wants to help build sustainable regional institutions and communities. Our collaboration with North Coast TAFE to build effective pathways to higher education for residents on the Mid North Coast builds on our organisations’ individual strengths and provides real opportunities for the region to prosper,” Professor Marchant said. “The development of educational pathways is a proven approach to improving higher education participation and attainment. Our partnership with North Coast TAFE sits alongside relationships we have with a number of TAFE institutions in regional Australia. Each partnership is different, but they all reflect the commitment of each organisation to improving success in higher learning.” The Institute Director for North Coast TAFE, Ms Elizabeth McGregor, applauded the value of the partnership for existing and prospective students, saying that the signing of the agreement was another important milestone in increasing higher education options and access for the Mid North Coast communities. “We at North Coast TAFE believe that educational partnerships and collaboration like this are essential in delivering prosperity and sustainability to the region,” Ms McGregor said.