Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Port Macquarie will take a significant step forward with a ground-breaking ceremony for the $42 million stage one of its new campus on Friday 8 August. Head of Campus at CSU in Port Macquarie, Emeritus Professor Ross Chambers, will welcome guests to the Lake Innes campus site five kilometres from central Port Macquarie. "This is a very exciting for Charles Sturt University and an important landmark for developing education on the NSW Mid North Coast," Professor Chambers said. "The ceremony will formalise the start of construction on stage one of Charles Sturt University's permanent campus at Port Macquarie. It will accommodate over 1 000 students and 100 staff, and support a broad range of courses and research drawn from all Faculties. The University acknowledges the strong support of the Mid North Coast community and the hard work of many people from the community which has made the establishment of a permanent campus at Port Macquarie possible." Professor Chambers noted that planning is well advanced for developing student accommodation at Port Macquarie and preliminary planning has commenced for stage two of the campus. Find out more about the new campus to be constructed by Watpac Limited here.

 A Charles Sturt University (CSU) communication student is raising money for Bathurst charities Glenray Industries and Carenne School as part of her ambition to be a 2014 V8 Ambassador. Twenty-two year-old Ms Leilani Vakaahi from Forster, NSW, graduated from the CSU School of Communication and Creative Industries in Bathurst in 2013 with a degree in journalism and is currently undertaking second degree in commercial radio. She is presently working full-time at radio 2BS/B-Rock in Bathurst as an executive assistant in sales, and announcer and program producer. "It's such a great feeling to be out in the Bathurst community, fundraising for and creating awareness about two highly valued services - Glenray Industries and Carenne School," Ms Vakaahi said. "I've been blown away by the support that the Bathurst community and local businesses have shown, and I'm glad to have their support to make a positive difference. I'm inspired by the work of Glenray Industries and Carenne School, and I'm thankful for the support of the V8 Ambassador Program and Bathurst Broadcasters in fundraising for these important services." In the lead up to the annual Great Race V8 Ball on Friday 10 October, Ms Vakaahi will face an interview panel to determine the winner of the V8 Ambassador Program. Ms Vakaahi is holding a trivia night and raffle at the Panorama Hotel, Durham Street, Bathurst, at 7.30pm Tuesday 9 September with over $5 000 worth of prizes donated by local businesses to be won. Students and the wider community are welcome.

Outstanding service by staff at Charles Sturt University (CSU) will be acknowledged with the presentation of annual awards in Bathurst on Wednesday 6 August. The 2014 CSU Vice-Chancellor's Awards for Excellence, and Faculty and Division awards, aim to strengthen professionalism and reward staff for their commitment to the University and its mission. CSU Vice-Chancellor, Professor Andrew Vann, said, "As an institution committed to advancing the public good, Charles Sturt University relies on and acknowledges the dedicated service of its staff to achieve its goals. It is important that the University recognises the many individuals and teams whose innovative and sustained contributions benefit our students and regional communities. This is a welcome celebration of the University community's efforts." The Vice-Chancellor's awards include categories for excellence in leadership, sustainability, innovation, performance, teaching and research. The Faculty and Division awards recognise improvements in workflow, knowledge and understanding, cost-savings, work to enhance the student experience, and building the service culture at the University. A full list of the awards can be found here.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) students can learn about travel scholarships and overseas study opportunities at the second biannual CSU Global Showcase in Bathurst on Monday 4 August. Dr Shevahn Telfser, manager of CSU Global, said, "The CSU Global Showcase celebrates the many varied experiences that students have when studying at the University. It will be held on several campuses, including online, over the coming weeks, and is a wonderful event that lets many students showcase the opportunities they have had to study overseas and the benefits they gained. It will be a great opportunity to meet returned exchange students, past short-term program participants, incoming exchange students from partner universities, and CSU Global staff to share stories and details about the various programs on offer." CSU Global administers scholarships worth $3 000 to $5 000 to study in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, China, Hong Kong, and Korea. The CSU Global Showcase will be on-campus at: Bathurst, 12pm to 2pm Monday 4 August at the Library Learning Commons (building 1412); Online, 8pm to 9pm Tuesday 5 August at the CSU Global online meeting room; Wagga Wagga, 12pm to 2pm Wednesday 6 August at 'eat@20'; Albury-Wodonga, 12pm to 2pm Thursday 7 August at 'The G'; and Orange, 6pm to 8pm Thursday 14 August at lecture room 120, building 1004.  

If you are a Bathurst resident affected in some way by adoption, a Charles Sturt University (CSU) student's research project needs your help. Ms Alesha Elbourne, an honours student in the CSU School of Communication and Creative Industries in Bathurst, is researching the use of art-based methods to explore stories, experiences and issues concerning people affected by adoption. "I am seeking adoptees, parents, siblings, grandparents, close relatives and persons who identify themselves as being part of the community of people affected by adoption," Ms Elbourne said. "My research will ask participants to participate in small art-making workshops in which art works exploring their stories and experiences of adoption will be presented through creative activities such as collage, drawing, sculpture and storytelling. No artistic skills or training are required as a homemade style is appreciated, materials will be provided, and I will help you throughout the art-making process." As an adoptee herself, Ms Elbourne's research aims to study interactive arts-based methods as a tool for bringing cultural awareness to the broader community. Through this study participants will have an opportunity to contribute their story and experience of adoption to a community art project while maintaining anonymity if they choose. Several two to three hour-long workshops for participants are planned, starting in mid-August in Bathurst. For further details or to register your interest, please contact Ms Alesha Elbourne on 0407 871 202 or aleshaunleashed@gmail.com.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) and Goulburn Ovens TAFE (GOTAFE) will host a professional development day for school teachers across North East Victoria to show how agriculture and horticulture topics can be incorporated into their programs. Speakers from the Victorian Farmers Federation, Murray Dairy, Rural skills Australia, CSU and GOTAFE will show how teachers can build contacts with rural industries, find teaching resources and build partnerships with local farmer groups such as the Alpine Valley Dairy Pathways Project and TAFEs to help incorporate agriculture and horculture into the school curriculum. School Outreach Coordinator with CSU's Wangaratta Study Centre, Ms Anne Geddis, said the workshops provided an opportunity for teachers with similar objectives but different experiences to build a supportting network for themselves. The day long workshop will run from 9.30 am to 3.30 pm on Tuesday 5 August at the GOTAFE-CSU Rural Industries Campus, 218 Tone Rd, Wangaratta.

Indigenous education advocate Professor Jeannie Herbert AM has been appointed as the new Head of Campus at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Dubbo. Professor Herbert, who is based in Dubbo, is currently Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Education) and Foundation Chair of Indigenous Studies, positions she will continue to hold. "Professor Herbert has many years' experience in community engagement and is passionate about providing greater access to education for Aboriginal people," said CSU Vice-Chancellor Professor Andrew Vann. Professor Herbert said her key priority is building quality relationships between the University and the diverse community in the Dubbo and western regions of New South Wales. "Open and meaningful engagement with all these groups, will not only grow Charles Sturt University's capacity to deliver quality programs that reflect the learning needs of the communities it services, but will also increase the numbers of students from those communities, including Aboriginal students, successfully getting what they want out of their tertiary education," she said.  Professor Herbert replaces Dr Beverley Moriarty as Head of Campus at CSU in Dubbo. "I would like to acknowledge and thank Dr Moriarty for her outstanding leadership of the Dubbo Campus over the last five years," said Professor Vann. Read more about Professor Herbert here.

A free seminar at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga will tap into the expertise of a leading neurosurgeon, Dr Charlie Teo, to raise awareness of brain cancer. The event at 5.30pm Friday 25 July is supported by CSU, TAFE NSW Riverina Institute, and Cancer Council NSW. Dr Janelle Wheat, Associate Dean of Learning and Teaching with the CSU Faculty of Science , said Dr Teo is a renowned neurosurgeon and philanthropist who is devoted to the advancement and treatment of patients with brain cancers. "Brain cancer kills more Australian's under the age of 39 than any other cancer but it's also one of the least understood. Further research is needed to improve survival rates," said Dr Wheat. "Charles Sturt University is proud to support the Cancer Council to host this free, interactive presentation." Dr Teo will participate in the seminar via Skype conference and will answer questions from the public. To attend, contact Cancer Council NSW Wagga Wagga office on (02) 6937 2600 or send Dr Wheat an email.

The month of fasting, or Ramadan, is well under way for Muslims in Australia and around the globe, and two Charles Sturt University (CSU) academics will explore the meaning of the month. During Ramadan, Muslims are not allowed to eat or drink between sunrise and sunset. The month ends with a celebration known as Eid al-Fitr.  Dr Waseem Afzal and Dr Hassan Obied will present a public lecture, What is Ramadan (the Month of Fasting) anyway?, from 1 to 2 pm Thursday 24 July at CSU in Wagga Wagga to address questions about this month of fasting. The lectureis presented by the University's Islamic Students Association. "Ramadan carries special significance in Islam, and is aimed at many physical, social, and spiritual aspects. In this lecture, we aim to introduce some of the essentials concerning the Month of Ramadan," said Drs Afzal and Obied. There will be time for questions and answers at the end of the lecture which will be held in Room 278, Connected Learning Space, building 13 near car park 7, Nathan Cobb Drive, CSU in Wagga Wagga.