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Twelve speakers from all over Australia will meet at Riverina Playhouse in Wagga Wagga on Thursday 7 and Friday 8 August to discuss the state of play in Australian arts. The meeting, Symposia 08, will be opened by Professor David Green, Head of Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Wagga Wagga Campus. Speakers include youth commentator Mr Craig Schuftan from ABC’s national youth radio station Triple J, Sydney-based designer Mr Eddy Herringson, Mr Nick Pill from Rising Sun Pictures, Mr Justy Phillips from the Tasmanian School of Art, Ms Elli Ioannou from Elli Photography in Melbourne, and CSU lecturer and embroiderer Ms Julie Montgarrett. There will also be a student forum and live music during the event. To book a place at the conference, call (02) 6933 2589.

Predictions of a looming skills shortage in agriculture are being met head-on with twelve new students starting three-year research doctorate courses this year with the innovative agricultural research group, the EH Graham Centre in Wagga Wagga. As a partnership between Charles Sturt University and the NSW Department of Primary Industries, postgraduate education is essential to train the next generation of scientists and researchers who will be ready to meet the research and development needs of Australian agriculture. Director of the EH Graham Centre, Professor Deirdre Lemerle, said, "The Centre’s research into mixed farming - in plant and animal sciences - aims to generate new knowledge to underpin the capacity of farmers to manage risk in a changing environment". The new group of students, who bring the total number of students studying at the EH Graham Centre to 36, are focused on research including animal and crop production, pastures, socio-economic issues relating to the adoption of new technologies, and the impact of agriculture on the environment.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) biomedical sciences lecturer, Dr Deborah Burton, will encourage high school students to look at their options at the 2008 Central West Job Expo on Thursday 31 July. “With increasing living costs, petrol prices and city rent, local high school students seem keener than ever to investigate studying and working within the region,” Dr Burton said. Information on CSU courses in agriculture, nursing, pharmacy, clinical science and the new dentistry and oral health courses will be available. Dr Burton will join academics from across CSU to answer questions and discuss study and career options with students and their families. “It’s an important time in students’ lives and the Expo is a fantastic opportunity to gather information on all the options. Schools have indicated that there will be over 1 300 students attending the Expo,” she said.

Local dental therapists and Charles Sturt University academics are encouraging children to grit their teeth and take on a seven day boot camp during Dental Health Week. Albury dental therapist Mrs Anne Pritchard is passionate about children's oral health having been an instrumental contributor to state-wide child health programs. "It's a fantastic initiative," says Mrs Pritchard. The Australian Dental Association (ADA) is conducting an online seven day dental boot camp offering a variety of dental health fact sheets and children's activity sheets to read and download. "The more parents and children know about their teeth and diet, the more they can help dental therapists in their job." Dental therapy has been in the news recently with CSU launching an Oral Health Therapy course in 2009.

The Charles Sturt University (CSU) School of Marketing and Management is holding a short film competition to promote the courses of the School and to raise money for local Bathurst youth service ‘headspace’. Known as the CS[U Flix] - M&M Short Film Awards, the 2008 competition focuses on ‘Life as a business student with the CSU School of Marketing and Management’ and offers filmmakers the chance to win three $2 000 prizes. The short film competition guest judges include Mr Rod McCulloch, Head of CSU’s School of Communication; Mr Jimmy Foggo, digital media producer for Fremantle Media Australia; and Mr Mark Waters, managing director of advertising agency PPS in Sydney. Entries close at 4pm on Friday 15 August, and the winners will be announced at a special awards public screening at the Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre (BMEC) on Wednesday 27 August.

Climate change and international markets are influencing the demand and supply of conserved fodder in Australia, and this year’s Riverina Outlook Conference will focus on the strategies needed to manage these changes. Hosted by the EH Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation at Charles Sturt University (CSU), the conference will be held in Wagga Wagga on Thursday 14 August. EH Graham Centre Director, Professor Deirdre Lemerle said, “The aim of the event will be to highlight key issues that make the difference between profit and loss from conserved fodder. The Conference continues the long-standing tradition of highlighting future challenges for agriculture while offering suggestions and solutions to deal with them. Managing risks and the challenges of maintaining livestock production levels in a variable climate make the theme for this conference highly relevant to producers, agricultural advisors, consultants, educators and agricultural industry representatives.”  

For the first time, more than 80 sheep and lamb producers will converge on the NSW town of Cowra for Charles Sturt University's (CSU) annual Asia Today forum on Thursday 14 August 2008. Director of the CSU Asian Agribusiness Research Centre, Dr Claus Deblitz, says the day will cover all aspects of marketing lamb, from trends in the Asian markets to hearing from a local marketing group on their ability to lift returns. Dr Deblitz said, “Cowra is an important town within CSU’s region, with many of its residents studying at one of its campuses, so this is why we decided to hold this major conference there. Two areas which will receive attention on the day are the threats from and opportunities offered by climate change and current developments and their consequences for grain markets.” said Dr Deblitz. “We are delighted to be able to bring such a major conference to the local area, and given the high standard of speakers we hope local lamb and sheep meat producers will take part in these discussions.“

Not only are Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) wines rated among some of the best in the country, but the ‘Cellar Door’ on the Wagga Wagga Campus has been hailed as one of the top four outlets in the Tourism Winery category of the 2008 Inland NSW Tourism Awards. CSU Winery Marketing Manager Mr Richard Lawson said, “It’s a great effort considering the number of wineries in inland NSW”. Meanwhile, in the recently released 2009 James Halliday Wine Companion, the renowned wine critic again rated the CSU Winery at four and a half stars, which matches its 2007 rating. All wines submitted by CSU were rated four stars or higher, with five stars awarded to the 2007 Chardonnay, which was also placed in the ‘Top 10 Best Value White Wines ($10 - $15)’ category in Australia. Mr Lawson said, “It shows the quality of CSU wines and that they more than hold their own in a crowded and competitive wine market”.