Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst will host the 'Small Schools Gala Sports Day' today, Friday 7 November. Head of Campus, Mr Col Sharp, will welcome 166 students from public schools at O'Connell, Perthville, Meadow Flat, Wattle Flat, Sofala, Black Springs, Rockley, and Burraga. "It is great to have the community coming onto campus and using our fantastic facilities," Mr Sharp said. "The University facilities - a lecture theatre for assembly, three sporting fields, netball and tennis courts - are being provided at no cost. The Community-University Partnerships' (CUP) 'Healthy, Active, Sporting Regions program' is funding a barbeque lunch and all children will go home with a CSU water bottle." Mr Sharp will welcome the students and their teachers to the campus at their assembly in lecture room 223, building 1292, at 9.30am Friday 7 November.

The 2014 Vintage Dinner at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga will be a chance to raise a glass and toast the University's retiring Chancellor Mr Lawrie Willett AO. More than 250 guests are expected to attend the event at the CSU Convention Centre on Friday 14 November. Vintage Dinner host and Head of Campus of CSU in Wagga Wagga Ms Miriam Dayhew said, "This will be Lawrie Willett's last formal occasion in Wagga Wagga after 12 years as our Chancellor and it's a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge his contribution to the University and the local community while celebrating the 2014 Vintage." The evening will showcase CSU wines from various vintages, the tables decorated with CSU lavender and people will be entertained by local musician Mr Jarryn Phegan.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Dubbo will host regional high school students to explore ideas for their future at a day of exciting interactive Future Directions Workshops on Wednesday 5 November.Up to 50 Year 9 students from schools in Tottenham, Trangie, Narromine and Trundle will spend the day on campus participating in a selection of workshops to give them first-hand experience of university life and a memorable university experience. Students will participate in two hands-on 90-minute Faculty-based activities delivered by CSU personnel from disciplines including paramedics, nursing, art education, communication, and theatre/media. They will also explore the University library, enjoy a tour of the campus and residences, and will have lunch in the student dining room. The students will finish the day with a question and answer session led by the student leader team who understand the transition from school to university. Ms Kristie Daley, CSU School Outreach Officer with Future Moves, said, "Events like Future Directions day are a great way to start a conversation with students about the idea of future aspirations for further education. After their workshop experiences students are often heard to say, 'I never considered university, but now I really want to go'."  

Grants totalling $13 250 have been made by Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Port Macquarie to ten organisations in the Mid North Coast region. Professor Ross Chambers, the Head of Campus at CSU in Port Macquarie, said the Community-University Partnership (CUP) grants support a range of schools and community-based groups. "The University is proud to provide these grants to assist schools, sport and cultural groups to conduct activities that benefit their students and members," Professor Chambers said. "The CUP program supports Charles Sturt University's engagement with its communities, and has been enthusiastically supported on the Mid North Coast. The program demonstrates the wide range of ways in which a university in a regional setting is able to work with and add value to its community." The grants were made under three distinct CSU CUP programs; the Rural and Regional Schools Development Program, the Rural and Regional Arts and Culture Program, and the Rural and Regional Sports Development Program. Learn more about the CSU CUP here.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) information technology (IT) students have designed and constructed robots to compete in a unique race. The race was staged on Tuesday 7 October in the Mining Research Lab at the CSU School of Computing and Mathematics in Bathurst around a track layout similar to the Mount Panorama motor racing circuit. Researcher and PhD candidate Mr Allen Benter said, "The robotic cars were programmed to respond to sensor input and make autonomous decisions to navigate around the track and avoid obstacles such as other cars, without any driver control. The prize for the winning team was a visit to V8 Supercars motor racing legend Dick Johnson Racing at the Pits at Mount Panorama on Thursday 9 October prior to the 2014 Great Race. There they learned how modern race cars collect data and how that data is analysed to improve driver and vehicle performance." The School of Computing and Mathematics would like to thank the sponsors for assisting with the running of the competition this year:  XMOS Semiconductor (UK), Dick Johnson Racing Team, and LEGO Australia. For more information please contact Mr Allen Benter at the School of Computing and Mathematics on (02) 6338 4225 or 0425 399 468.

The future for higher education in Griffith and the western Riverina is positive with the renewal of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Griffith City Council, TAFE NSW Riverina Institute and Charles Sturt University (CSU) on Friday 24 October. The MoU aims for the three organisations to continue to actively support and develop higher education opportunities for the communities of Griffith and the western Riverina. The key aim of the project is to provide a flexible and innovative education model for higher education in the region through the Regional University Study Centre which is part of the Griffith Campus of Riverina Institute. The three organisations have been working together formally since 2007 when they signed the inaugural Memorandum of Understanding and agreed to work together as part of the Western Riverina Higher Education Project. CSU Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Professor Ken Dillon said, "This model has proved successful in bringing higher education to rural areas, particularly in Griffith. "There are two important aspects of the study centre model – the support we provide to distance education students, particularly as we are the largest university provider of distance education in Australia, and also the opportunity to provide a smooth pathway for our TAFE students who account for one third of Charles Sturt University students."

Sustainable living is the focus for a week-long event sponsored by Charles Sturt University's (CSU) Regional Centre of Expertise in Education for Sustainable Development for the Murray Darling Basin (RCE-MD) starting Sunday 26 October. Activities commence with public tours of CSU's award winning environmentally friendly buildings at its Albury-Wodonga campus, off Elizabeth Mitchell Drive, Thurgoona, commencing at 3 pm. "Host of the ABC's Gardening Australia show, Costa Georgiadis, will be at various events for adults and children during the week to encourage the people of Albury and Wodonga to support sustainable living in our region," said RCE coordinator, Dr John Rafferty. RCE-MD staff will also present displays on solar power and saving water from its mobile learning centre at the Sustainable Solutions fair in QEII Square, Dean Street, Albury at 10 am on Monday 27 October, and at Eco-Living @ the Cube, Hovell Street, Wodonga, at 10 am on Wednesday 29 October. Dr Rafferty will also host Sustainability at the Pub at Paddy's Hotel, Kiewa Street, Albury, starting at 7 pm on Wednesday 29 October, to look at local renewable energy projects and how local residents can become part of community-owned power.

Two Charles Sturt University (CSU) staff members have reached a significant milestone in their work careers: they have both worked for CSU 30 years or more. Mr Ian Hume and Mr Laurence Till will be joined by seven other staff from the University's Albury-Wodonga campus who have worked with CSU for 20 years in a celebration of loyal service and commitment to the University and the Albury-Wodonga community. Head of CSU in Albury-Wodonga Professor Julia Coyle said such displays of loyal service are rare in these days of ever-changing career paths and mobile populations. "All staff being recognised in this ceremony have provided individual contributions that have been key to the success of the University's Albury-Wodonga campus, both in central Albury and when we moved to Thurgoona," said Professor Coyle. Professor Coyle will present medals to the nine staff in recognition of outstanding and loyal services to the CSU community at 10.30am on Monday 27 October in the Board Room, Gordon Beavan building, CSU in Albury-Wodonga.

A free Charles Sturt University (CSU) Explorations series public lecture will explore the science of cultural heritage in Bathurst on Tuesday 28 October. CSU Faculty of Science Executive Dean Professor Tim Wess , will present the lecture. Professor Wess has a background in biophysics and international research in historical and archaeological artefacts, including the change in molecular structure of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Domesday Book. He says the documents, objects, artwork and remnants of everyday life that have defined our society and culture are at risk of being lost due to the continual molecular changes that occur with ageing. "The study of these changes, and what we can and need to do to protect our future, form the basis of cultural heritage science," Professor Wess said. "This discipline also can tell us more about the provenance, history, and origin of artefacts that goes beyond the surface and visual information from objects such as paintings, sculptures and manuscripts. In the lecture I will describe the new and exciting techniques, projects and challenges of understanding the changes that pose a threat to keeping our history, and how information can be retrieved from documents which were thought to be lost to the ravages of time."