To mark Adult Learners’ Week in September, Charles Sturt University (CSU) is recruiting for CSU Connect, a free bridging program that fast-tracks distance education students into undergraduate degree courses. Danielle Ranshaw, the StudyLink Program Coordinator at CSU Bathurst says CSU Connect came out of research into rural participation and attrition rates at university. “The idea is to get more people from the regions into the University and also adequately prepare students for study. CSU Connect takes people from a basic level to a fairly advanced level quite quickly.” Lisa Marr is one of the potential students who enrolled in the first CSU Connect program last year. “I saw a poster on a noticeboard in Mudgee. I wanted to go to university, but it has been a while since I left school. I know that if I had a degree, I might get the job I want and fulfil my life a bit more. I feel like I can meet the standard of university study now, that I can complete it and do very well at it.”

Twenty five general practitioner (GP) registrars commenced their training in regional NSW through Beyond Medical Education (BME), based at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst, on Monday 21 January. The registrars are fully qualified doctors who are undertaking specialist training to become GPs. BME’s Chief Operating Officer, Ms Megan Armstrong, said, “The GP registrars are undertaking the Australian General Practice Training program through Beyond Medical Education. They commenced their training in general practice yesterday under the supervision and support of the local medical practices and Beyond Medical Education, and they are committed to the area for at least two years. The start of term is always an exciting and busy time for Beyond Medical Education as all the registrars, medical educators and administration staff come together for the first workshop of the year”. The registrars are from diverse cultural backgrounds (Australia, China, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Burma), and, in NSW, will be living and working in Bathurst, Orange, Dubbo, Parkes, Forbes, Cowra, Lithgow, Mudgee, Oberon, Wellington, Wallerawang and Broken Hill.

A Charles Sturt University (CSU) social work graduate from far west NSW has been awarded the annual Lila Kirilik Social Action Prize for 2012 for a professional development and quality assurance project which aimed to improve the delivery of out-of-home-care services to NSW children and families in the far west. Bachelor of Social Work graduate Ms Sherree Tester conducted an audit of the program in addition to researching, writing, delivering and evaluating an education package for the out-of- home-care staff for one of her university subjects. “The Out-Of-Home-Care Quality Improvement Project aims to enhance the culture in the Out-Of-Home-Care (OOHC) team environment,” Ms Tester said. “I collected data about the working relationships of the team with carers, children in care and their families. This gives a baseline snapshot of the functioning of the OOHC team, including identifying areas of strengths and areas for further development.”  As part of Ms Tester’s prize, the University’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences will donate $500 to Lifeline Broken Hill. Employed by NSW Family and Community Services, Ms Tester studied for her social work degree by distance education, and graduated during a ceremony at CSU in Wagga Wagga in December 2012.

Wangaratta businesses are vying to be known as top retailer for the Good Access Awards, to be presented in November. Charles Sturt University (CSU) students in occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech pathology and podiatry courses will assess nominated businesses around Wangaratta for their level of physical and communication access for people with disabilties. Organised by Ovens and King Health and CSU staff, people with disabilities from the Wangaratta disAbility Access Group have helped the students appreciate the importance of access to their lives. The CSU students will assess the Wangaratta businesses on Wednesday 30 and Thursday 31 August.

Early childhood education graduates from Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Dubbo are enjoying very high employment rates, with more than 90 per cent securing employment. The new Head of the School of Teacher Education in Bathurst and Dubbo, Professor Tara Brabazon, attributes the success of these Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood and Primary) students, who graduated at the end of 2012, to a carefully targeted curriculum. “Employability and achievement do not come out of the air,” she said. “They are the result of an excellent curriculum that is carefully integrated into its context. “I am so proud of and thrilled for our Dubbo Bachelor of Education graduates. To have the overwhelming majority in full-time work is a remarkable accomplishment. “Dubbo can be proud of these graduates.  The School of Teacher Education is proud of these graduates.  The future of regional education is in safe hands.”

Charles Sturt University (CSU) will hold Wellness and Wellbeing Expos at its five main campuses, starting in Bathurst on Tuesday 5 and Wednesday 6 February, to promote happier, healthier, more satisfied and more productive employees who are also resilient in an ever-changing workplace. Mr David Tallentire, CSU manager of occupational health and safety, said, “Charles Sturt University recognises and values the importance of staff wellness and wellbeing, and aims to adopt a holistic approach to the treatment of workplace health and safety. The University appreciates that personal problems can adversely affect employees’ work performance, work satisfaction, health, and feelings of wellbeing. We’re running Wellness and Wellbeing Expos to provide information to staff on the many health and wellbeing services available to them at Charles Sturt University and in our local communities, and to participate in workshops.” The Wellness and Wellbeing Expos will be held at CSU in Bathurst on Tuesday 5 and Wednesday 6 February; at CSU in Orange on Thursday 7 February; at CSU in Dubbo on Friday 8 February; at CSU in Wagga Wagga on Monday 11 and Tuesday 12 February; and at CSU in Albury-Wodonga on Thursday 14 February.

The Vice-Chancellor and President of Charles Sturt University (CSU), Professor Andrew Vann, was one of the first to attend the Wellness and Wellbeing Expo for staff which commenced at CSU in Bathurst today, Tuesday 5, and continues on Wednesday 6 February. The series of expos will be stage at the five main CSU campuses, and aims to promote happier, healthier, more satisfied and more productive employees who are also resilient in an ever-changing workplace. Mr David Tallentire, CSU manager of occupational health and safety, said, “Charles Sturt University is running Wellness and Wellbeing Expos to provide information to staff on the many health and wellbeing services available to them at the University and in our local communities, and to participate in workshops.” Among the sessions, CSU psychology lecturer Dr Stephanie Quinton from the School of Psychology discussed eating disorders, and staff from the School of Human Movement Studies offered hi-tech balance testing. Other services represented include Relationships Australia, Men’s Sheds Australia, financial planning, and a range of counselling, health, fitness and wellbeing interests.

The Charles Sturt University (CSU) Regional and Remote Learning Support Team will visit Homebush in Sydney as well as Broken Hill in far west NSW next week to assist distance education students in person. CSU manager of Regional and Remote Support, Mr James Brann, said “The University’s outreach program is free for current Charles Sturt University distance education students, and is designed to assist them to be more successful in their studies. We hold both group and one-to-one sessions with students to provide advice and guidance about online learning, effective reading skills, note taking, time management, and assignment writing.” Learning support advisers will be at Sydney Olympic Park at Homebush on Monday 18 February for individual sessions from 1.30pm to 3pm, and for a group session from 5.30pm to 7pm. To book a place at the Homebush session students are asked to please email Mr James Brann on jbrann@csu.edu.au. On Tuesday 19 February at the Western Insitute of TAFE in Broken Hill individual sessions are from 10.30am to 12pm, then again from 1.30pm to 3pm, with a group session from 5.30pm to 7pm. To book a place at a session in Broken Hill please email Ms Diane Middleton on dmiddleton@csu.edu.au or Ms Sharon Patterson on spatterson@csu.edu.au .

About 200 Year 12 chemistry students and their teachers from Riverina high schools will join Charles Sturt University (CSU) scientists in Wagga Wagga in a series of laboratory activities and information sessions over four days from Monday 18 to Thursday 21 February. The HSC Chemistry Days are organised by staff within the chemistry discipline in the University’s Faculty of Science as part of its promotion of science in the wider community. One of the highlights will be four activities in a daily ‘Magic Show’ hosted by academics from the School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences in the new National Life Sciences Hub from approximately 1.30pm to 2.45pm.