It is a case of ”first Wagga Wagga, then the world” as the fourth annual Australian International Animation Festival (AIAF) comes to inland Australia. This year’s three-day festival, starting on Friday 18 May, has gathered the largest and most impressive collection of animated films to be seen in Australia. AIAF’s Malcolm Turner says, “It is the first time that the festival will open in Wagga Wagga.” He adds, “The NSW inland city is now placed firmly on the world map”. Charles Sturt University (CSU) lecturer Andrew Hagan said the festival, to be held at the Forum 6 Cinema, “Will be jam-packed with 100 spectacular animated films from 30 countries, intertwined with informative workshops, plus a few surprise screenings”. One of this year’s highlights will be CSU’s Damian Candusso discussing his role in the Oscar Award-winning film Happy Feet. The catalogue of animated films will then screen at festivals around the world including Hungary and embark on an extensive tour of regional towns across Australia.

The Dead Bones Society, a series of “comedy horror” workshops aimed at gifted nine to twelve year old boys, has won a NSW 2007 Local Government Cultural Award. The workshops, which take place after-hours at the Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum in Bathurst, are run by Charles Sturt University (CSU) tutor and literacy consultant Paul Stafford and mentored by male teacher education students from CSU. Mr Stafford describes the Society as a “secret club. Boys love the idea of a creepy old museum at night”. Scott Bell, a fourth year primary education student at CSU said he could see the boys’ self-esteem building over the course of the workshops. “To put it bluntly, reading and writing are considered by many boys to be girly, so these were boys who can be picked on because they like to read, but it was a good blokey environment where their writing styles improved. It pushed them into deeper levels of creative writing.”

Over 1 000 school students from across the Central West of New South Wales will descend on the Bathurst Campus of Charles Sturt University (CSU) later this month for FACTS Tertiary Information Day 2007. Organiser Denis Behan said the Day is designed “specifically for Year 12 students. They come from Lithgow, Molong, Blayney and Orange as well as Bathurst, from government and non-government schools. We have 60 different exhibitors including all NSW and ACT universities as well as private providers, TAFE and other agencies who help students.” Nicholas Williams was Captain of Kelso High last year and attended the 2006 FACTS Day. He is now studying the CSU double degree in psychology and secondary teaching. “There were a huge number of stands and a lot of information. I found it very helpful. You go away with something to think about.”

A ceremony at Charles Sturt University (CSU) on Friday 25 May will honour Mrs Sheila Swain, AM, by naming the School of Nursing and Midwifery complex on the Bathurst Campus The Sheila Swain Building. Among her many distinctions, Mrs Swain was appointed to the Council of Mitchell College of Advanced Education (MCAE), which became part of CSU, in 1980 and was elected Chairman in 1984. Head of the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Professor Elaine Duffy, said the University continues to be enriched by Mrs Swain’s contribution.  “As well as her service to what was then Mitchell College, Mrs Swain has maintained her links with CSU and has generously funded five scholarships to assist female nursing students experiencing financial hardship while completing their studies. Mrs Swain is an inspiration and an outstanding role model for all women, and especially for female nursing students, and that is why we chose to honour her in this way,” Professor Duffy said.

Melinda Fox should have graduated with a Charles Sturt University (CSU) degree early childhood education in 2006 but instead became a mother three months early - and assignments took a backseat to a new baby. Melinda, 23, will be the first Aboriginal to graduate from the program in Dubbo this Thursday having completed her studies soon after her daughter Shanaya was born. “I still had three assignments to do when Shanaya was born last January,” Melinda says. “My lecturers were really supportive and gave me extensions so I could complete the assignments by May.” Melinda enjoyed the practical side of the degree working in childcare centres in Dubbo, Orange, Mount Druitt and Narromine. “I loved working with children throughout my degree and the theory has helped me understand my own child’s developmental stages.” Sixteen month old Shanaya will be at the graduation ceremony with Melinda’s mum cheering her on as she celebrates her latest achievement.

Graduating with a PhD in early childhood education this Thursday 24 May, Charles Sturt University (CSU) lecturer Alison Lord has discovered there are many difficulties in operating children’s services in rural and remote Australia. Researching the Quality Improvement and Accreditation System (QIAS), the national quality assurance system for long day care children’s services, Alison examined how child care staff and parents living in rural and remote communities continue to engage with the system which is compulsory and tied to Commonwealth Funding. “There are many dedicated, educated early childhood practitioners that deal with geographical and professional isolation while working in low status, predominantly female occupations,” Alison explains. “I have also discovered the QIAS has not always improved the quality of outcomes for children and their families. Perhaps more access to funded professional development for early childhood professionals and direct funding of child care centres, rather than funding via parent subsidies, may lead to better quality services for young children and their families.

Following the Federal Budget announcing $65.1 million for a School of Dentistry and Oral Health at Charles Sturt University (CSU), the architectural design concept for the Dental Education Clinic on CSU’s Dubbo Campus will be unveiled on Saturday 2 June 2007. The Dubbo Dental Education Clinic is designed to complement and supplement existing public and private dental services in Dubbo and will be developed in close consultation with existing dental practitioners. The University will offer opportunities for dental practitioners to work as adjunct academic appointments in the program. The University will immediately begin the process of establishing the multi-campus infrastructure of the School of Dentistry and negotiating staff appointments. The first CSU dentistry students are expected to enrol in 2009, with the University aiming for 240 places for dental students over five years.

Associate Professor in Pharmacy Practice at Charles Sturt University (CSU) Maree Donna Simpson has spoken publicly about the development of a new online program designed to support rural based health professionals during clinical placements. A member of the Australian Consortium for the Education of Preceptors (ACEP), Maree explained, “The aim of the program is to ensure pharmacy students gain high quality learning experiences in rural health care settings by adequately preparing rural pharmacy student supervisors.” CSU is one of four Australian universities that are part of ACEP. Supported by two Pharmacy Guild Federal Government grants the consortium developed and offers an online training program for pharmacy student supervisors. Successful award of a Rural Health Support Education and Training grant last year has allowed the consortium to extend the program to allied health professionals such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists and audiologists.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) are embarking on a collaborative hydrology project of global significance in Wagga Wagga. Based on CSU’s Wagga Wagga Campus, the proposed Water, Agriculture, Technology and Environment Research (WATER) Centre for Food Security will develop strategies and programmes to ensure adequate, sustainable water supplies for agriculture and research while protecting the environment. CSU School of Environmental Sciences Professor Shabaz Khan says the work of the WATER Centre relates to all countries sharing concerns on managing water resources for food security and alleviating poverty while preserving the environment, through research, education and training. Two UNESCO representatives, Professor Siegfried Demuth from France and Mr Giuseppe Arduino from Indonesia, will visit CSU Wagga Wagga Campus for the launch of the WATER Centre. Professor Khan says, “The Centre will work on national and international water problems by seeking local solutions for global impacts on water quality issues”.