* CSU partners with The Exchange to create exciting new co-working space in Dubbo * Keen interest from local startups to work at new centre * More business networking and training events to boost startups’ success and jobs growthCharles Sturt University (CSU) in Dubbo is set to become a Startup centre for aspiring businesses in the region.Head of Campus at CSU in Dubbo Ms Cathy Maginnis has announced the University is partnering with The Exchange Dubbo Pty Ltd (The Exchange) to build a community for new and growing business owners within Dubbo and the wider region.“Charles Sturt University and The Exchange confirm their intention to pilot this co-working space so new businesses can to co-work and thrive,” Ms Maginnis said.“We have already had a pleasingly fast response from startups keen to work here.“The community will use allocated space at the University in Dubbo free-of-charge, and The Exchange will coordinate with the existing service providers in Dubbo to ensure regular events will be hosted at the campus to bring this community and others together.“Members who join the community will have the opportunity to focus and collaborate; have pride of place; be inspired by ideas and education; feel safe starting companies; and be surrounded by peers and mentors.”Agrifutures Rural Woman of the Year Ms Jillian Kilby launched The Exchange with seed funding from her company The Infrastructure Collaborative. It is part of her commitment to “help people who have been sitting on that idea for too long or slowly chipping away from home and want to take their venture to the next level.“The Exchange is where space to think meets room to grow. Where co-working meets community. Where ideas meet their make,” Ms Kilby said.Throughout the pilot, the University will support The Exchange’s goal to ensure no future founder, business owner, or remote worker, stalls at the boundaries of their confidence, capacity and capability.The CSU innovation agenda supports the development of an entrepreneurial ecosystem across its footprint, encourages interaction between small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the University, and encourages jobs growth in the region.CSU already provides tailored programs and technical support for growth, as well as business networking and training events at a number of the University’s campus locations around NSW. The University’s mission is to build skills and knowledge in its regions.

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* NSW Police recruits undertaking the online offering in the NSW policing degree can now complete their compulsory residential sessions in Port Macquarie.* First residential to be held at CSU in Port Macquarie on Friday 14 September.* NSW Police Force now coming to the candidates to attract more country recruits.Policing students undertaking the Associate Degree in Policing Practice offered online by Charles Sturt University (CSU) and the NSW Police are getting the opportunity to undertake their compulsory residential sessions on the NSW Mid North Coast.Students in the online option of the Associate Degree will start their first residential school at CSU in Port Macquarie on Friday 14 September.While the first session of the course is offered full time at the NSW Police Academy in Goulburn, NSW, students seeking to enter the NSW Police Force can choose to study Session One online while they continue work in the community. Those studying online must also attend residential ‘phases’ to complete the course requirements for the first session.Commander of the NSW Police Academy, Chief Superintendent Rod Smith, said until now the residential phases were all conducted at the Police Academy.“We have created more opportunities for people to join the NSW Police Force and have developed a program that will allow the residential phases to be conducted remotely,” said Chief Superintendent Smith.A total of 35 students have enrolled in the online course to start their journey to become a NSW Police Officer, the largest online group since 2014. After completing the first session, the students will study full time at the Goulburn academy for 16 weeks.“It is encouraging to see people from the Coast take up the offer and commence their study to become a police officer,” Chief Superintendent Smith said.“The offering of residential phases at Port Macquarie minimises the time spent away from home, allowing them to continue to work while completing the first part of the course.”Executive Dean of the CSU Faculty of Business, Justice and Behavioural Sciences, Professor Tracey Green, said the University worked closely with NSW Police Force on this initiative.“Charles Sturt University is delighted to facilitate this ADPP offering at our campus at Port Macquarie.“We wholeheartedly support the initiative of NSW Police to make a policing career more accessible to people living in regional NSW,” Professor Green said.The NSW Police Recruitment Branch are also taking the entry assessments to the country. Testing has been conducted at Kempsey, Bathurst and Dubbo to date, with more sites scheduled throughout the remainder of the year. Applicants receive physical capacity and psychometric testing as well as face-to-face interviews.“In the past, applicants were required to travel to Sydney to take part in these tests. In an attempt to attract more country recruits and streamline the process, we are now coming to the candidates,” Chief Superintendent Smith said.The NSW Police Academy currently has 730 policing students studying full time on the Associate Degree of Policing Practice at Goulburn, with a further 55 studying for the Associate Degree online.

CSU Riverina Playhouse re-opens Saturday 15 September after more than $3.5 million in improvementsMedia are invited to tour the refurbished venue at 11am Friday 14 SeptemberImprovements include seating, air-conditioning and improved facilities for theatre performance and presentationA new act opens on the Charles Sturt University (CSU) Riverina Playhouse with its reopening on 15 September after building work completed to ensure its long-term future as a teaching and performance space.CSU Division of Facilities Management (DFM) Executive Director Stephen Butt said prior to undertaking the work the University completed a significant review of the Playhouse where it identified over $3.5 million in improvements that were needed for the venue to continue for another 20 years.“Charles Sturt University undertook a comprehensive review of the building by working closely with the community.As a result of the review it became clear the Riverina Playhouse was a vital part of the Wagga Wagga creative community and a vital teaching resource for the University,” Mr Butt said.CSU Riverina Playhouse Manager John Jones said the venue had a history and connection with the Wagga Wagga community as well as students.“The Riverina Playhouse was opened in 1986 and for many locals it has become a venue that supports the Wagga Wagga performance community.The refurbished building will strengthen its role in servicing the needs of the community, provide Charles Sturt University acting and design students with an industry quality teaching resource and it will be a home for the University Theatre Ensemble,” Mr Jones said.Mr Jones said the completed works vastly improved the comfort of the venue with new seating and air conditioning, but most importantly too it enhanced the University’s performance and presentation ability.“The improvements to the Riverina Playhouse will make it a more attractive venue for performances by CSU students and the Wagga Wagga community as well as ensure it meets compliance and licencing requirements,” Mr Jones said.Media are invited to tour the refurbished venue at 11am Friday 14 September ahead of its opening on Saturday 15 September at 6.30pm.Following its re-opening the CSU Riverina Playhouse is looking forward to a packed three months as the University Theatre Ensemble will stage three productions over six weeks. This will be followed by “In the Spotlight” a production throughout November to raise funds for the Specialist Medical Resources Foundation, Darren Coggan returns with another show that has almost sold out, American Ragtime pianist Adam Swanson, and LIOR in early December.Working around the University Theatre Ensemble and CSU teaching program the Riverina Playhouse has interest for local and touring performances over 2019 and as far out as 2020.

* Multiple productions and performances during the last two weeks of September * Opening Ceremony from 6pm to 8pm on Wednesday 19 September is an evening of free entertainment starting with free barbeque, then a twenty-minute outdoor performance with fire twirling, large-scale puppets, dancing, and percussion * Festival to showcase five original productionsThe annual 2018 SPRUNG Festival of Creativity will leap to life at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst from Wednesday 19 to Saturday 29 September.The SPRUNG Festival is the work of theatre media students in the CSU School of Communication and Creative Industries in Bathurst and Cycle Productions. It involves dozens of students from all years and multiple productions and performances during the last two weeks of September.This year’s festival showcases the creative performance works of third-year theatre media students and will include five original shows each with a running time of 40 to 50 minutes.The Opening Ceremony on the Wednesday 19 September is a free evening of entertainment appropriate for the whole family, as part of the CSU Future Moves Community Fun Night.The event runs from 6pm to 8pm and starts with a free barbeque. It will feature a twenty-minute outdoor performance with fire twirling, large-scale puppets, dancing, and percussion, followed by live music and the festival bar.This is the third SPRUNG festival for final-year theatre media student Ms Sienna Dillon who is the 2018 festival coordinator and spokesperson.“It is so rewarding seeing all years of theatre media working towards the same goal,” Ms Dillon said.“Taking on the festival coordination for my final university role has been a tricky but rewarding experience. This year, we invite the Bathurst community to enter Festival though the elegant outdoor area of the Ponton Theatre courtyard.“Here they will be immersed in the exotic wonderland themed garden, where they will enjoy live music acts, the inexpensive bar between the shows, with the featured performing artist Bathurst’s own Ms Gabbi Bolt (pictured left).”The festival program includes: * Rumble (a scene pictured above) − An immersive, chose-your-own adventure theatre experience into the Amazon, featuring an interactive app * Schapelle, Schapelle − The musical, Corby’s adventure from ‘Brissie to Bali’ * In Between − A drama, where in the world of subconscious grief takes shape * I Will Be King − A scripted psychological thriller interwoven with dance * Sexpectatations − A verbatim and documentary-style theatre production exploring masculinity and femininity.In addition to the festival’s evening performances, the organisers are offering a special ticket price of $5 to encourage CSU staff to attend weekday matinee performances of two of the productions: * In Between, at 11am Wednesday 19 September * Rumble, 11am Wednesday 26 SeptemberTickets for the 2018 SPRUNG Festival are $15 for adults and $10 for students, and can be booked online here: https://www.sprungfestival.com/buy-tickets

* CSU seeks exercise and research participants aged 50+ in Bathurst * Information session answers ‘Why exercise? What type of exercise? How much exercise?’ * Regular exercise like Tai Chi can help older people feel safer in their ability to balance and  decrease their fear of fallingCharles Sturt University (CSU) will host an exercise and research information session on Thursday 15 November for people aged 50 and over in the Bathurst area who are interested to learn more about exercise to help prevent falls and improve their health.The CSU Active Living Longer (ALLong) program led by Dr Eevon Stott (pictured front left in group photo), an adjunct Research Fellow in the CSU School of Exercise Science, Sport and Health in Bathurst, said, “People often wonder, and we are often asked, ‘Why exercise? What type of exercise? How much exercise?’.“We may not have all the answers, but as a university we’re interested in measuring people’s progress over time, and this shapes our research.“We recently concluded an eight-week Tai Chi for Arthritis workshop for those aged 50 years and over because offering Tai Chi is aligned with ALLong’s aim to empower the community to get healthier,” Dr Stott said.“Now that the Tai Chi workshop has concluded, the ALLong program is extending its efforts to bring more people into the gym to exercise to improve health and help prevent falls.”Dr Stott noted that statistics indicate that one-in-three people aged 65-years or over has a fall at least once a year.“We must also remember that even if the fall does not lead to a physical injury, it can have a big social, psychological and economic impact on older individuals and their families,” Dr Stott said.“The gym is a safe and comfortable environment, and who would have thought we’d have women and men, some aged over 80-years, pumping iron? We started with group exercise sessions at the University gym in Bathurst, and in just a matter of weeks, we celebrated ‘small’ successes such as standing from a seated position without pushing off using the arms.”Dr Stott said she understands, however, that the gym environment is not for everyone, and cited the example of the recent eight-week Tai Chi program as an example of an alternative form of exercise that might interest some people.“Some who may be starting from a very low level of fitness may find Tai Chi a better place to begin an exercise program,” she said.Dr Stott said she attended the workshop hosted by Health NSW last year to learn all about Dr Paul Lam’s Tai Chi for Arthritis program.“It was the simplicity of the program that I felt contributed to the solution to getting people to practise at home,” Dr Stott said. “Comprising just six basic movements, I practise at least three times a day which helps me step away from working at my desk.“Being able to speak Mandarin, I find myself using literal Mandarin-to-English translation to provide cues for the moves. It may sound like pidgin English, but it provides the important cues which help the participants learn and memorise all six movements in just eight hours.“Fostering this independence to practise at home is our key objective in this Tai Chi program.“We use a simple survey to track progress over the eight weeks because we are interested to know whether just eight weeks of Tai Chi can help a person feel safer in their ability to balance or perhaps decrease their fear of falling.“When the current participants attend the exercise sessions at the University in the morning, we rarely get a chance to gather socially, so the research information session on Thursday 15 November will also be a valuable opportunity to tell the whole ALLong story!”Active Living Longer Research and Information Session:When: Thursday 15 November, at 5.30pm for a 6.00pm startWhere: in the lecture room at the CD Blake Auditorium (CSU gym), building 1220, Village Drive, Charles Sturt University, Panorama Avenue, BathurstPlease RSVP via email by Tuesday 13 November with numbers attendingTo find out more about ALLong, email estott@csu.edu.au

* New entrepreneurs will present their initiatives at a ‘Pitch Evening’ at CSU AgriTech Incubator on Monday 10 September in Wagga Wagga * Media opportunity at 10am with founder of Outback Wings which will provide animal health care and 24-hour emergency vet services across a 7.69 million square-kilometre area * Guest speaker at the ‘Pitch Night’ is an internationally recognized food systems innovation expert and CEO of AgThentic, a global food and agriculture strategy firmSix more emerging entrepreneurs from across the Riverina will present their initiatives at a ‘Pitch Evening’ at the Charles Sturt University (CSU) AgriTech Incubator on Monday 10 September in Wagga Wagga.Earlier that day a media opportunity at 10am at the AgriTech Incubator, building 6, CSU Wagga Wagga (car park 11) is available to meet AgriTech Incubator participant and founder of Outback Wings, Ms Mackenzie Bond, a first-year CSU student studying a Bachelor of Animal Science.AgriTech Incubator project officer Ms Siobhain Howard said, “The emerging entrepreneurs have been developing their business ideas at the third CSU AgriTech Incubator program. “The AgriTech Incubator aims to spark innovation and economic development in the Riverina region by supporting the development of start-up companies and facilitating innovation within small-to-medium-sized enterprises by providing access to University expertise and facilities.“While the AgriTech Incubator specifically encourages start-ups seeking to leverage new technologies from ‘farm to fork’, it is open to participation by any ‘tech-enabled’ regional start-up.“The current cohort of start-up founders have been refining their business concept in a supportive and collaborative environment at the University in Wagga Wagga.“Participants have been working on a number of diverse ideas, ranging from food labelling to a disruptive insurance platform and veterinary services for the outback.“The Incubator Program concludes with a ‘Pitch Evening’ on 10 September, with participants having five minutes to pitch their business idea to the audience.”The guest speaker at the ‘Pitch Night’ is Ms Sarah Nolet, an internationally recognized food systems innovation expert and the CEO of AgThentic, a global food and agriculture strategy firm. Ms Nolet has been instrumental in building the early stage agtech ecosystem in Australia. She has advised dozens of start-ups, designed accelerator programs, and consulted to established agribusinesses, as well as helping industry, universities, and government to develop and implement forward-looking initiatives in food system innovation.Agritech Incubator participant Ms Mackenzie Bond (pictured left), a first year CSU student studying a bachelor of Animal Science, is the founder of Outback Wings. Outback Wings will aim to provide animal health care and reliable 24-hour emergency vet services across a 7.69 million square-kilometre area and is inspired by the Royal Flying Doctors Service of Australia. The services will aid sustainable crop and stock feed production, as well as growth in commercial livestock enterprises. Outback Wings is dedicated to improving animal health and biosecurity in rural and remote regions of Australia.More information can be found at: http://innovate.csu.edu.au/incubators/agritech

* Free masterclasses designed for people looking for a career in business * Will help create resumes and job applications for business professions * Held on successive evenings in mid-September at CSU in BathurstCharles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst is offering two free workshops for aspiring business people in the central west on the evenings of Thursday 13 and Friday 14 September.The ‘Business Career’ workshops focus on how to create a professional resume, and how to write a job application that gets an applicant shortlisted for a job.The workshop masterclasses will be delivered by CSU’s Career Development Service led by Ms Cecilia Hunt, and are for people interested in a career in business and who are wanting support in the application process.“The workshops are part of the University’s commitment to support the community,” Ms Hunt said.“We aim to engage with people who really want a career in business but might be at the early stages of that journey, and also those who are looking to apply for a promotion or transition into the business sector.“If participants are interested in further related study and feel they would benefit from supported learning and the co-curricular and industry connection approach, they might also be interested in the new degree, the Bachelor of Business (Industry Professional Practice).”Anyone interested to attend either or both of the free workshops needs to register on the Eventbrite site as places are limited: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/business-career-workshops-tickets-49675667258Choose to attend one or both workshops across two evenings:Workshop 1: Create a professional resume, from 5.30pm to 7pm on Thursday 13 September Register for this free masterclass to learn how to write a professional resume for your career in business.Workshop 2: Write a job application that gets shortlisted, from 5.30pm to 7pm on Friday 14 September 5.30pm to 7pmBook now to learn insider tips for creating a strong job application to get shortlisted for an interview in your business career.Email CSU's Career Development Service for more information about how the University supports students.

* Policing students raise $3,000 charity donation * Goulburn’s ‘Angels For The Forgotten’ and Goulburn Base Hospital benefitDonations by students in the Charles Sturt University (CSU) School of Policing Studies at the NSW Police Academy in Goulburn have made a local charity and hospital very happy.Student liaison officer (Engagement and Appeals) in the CSU Division of Student Services Ms Dee Carroll  said students at the NSW Police Academy are offered the chance to donate to a charity chosen by the Student Representative Council after consultation with the student cohort.“During every academic session the students undertaking the Associate Degree in Policing Practice (ADPP) are enthusiastic to contribute to the local community where they are living and learning.“During the previous session (May to August 2018), the students chose two worthy recipients.“The students collected and purchased warm clothing and non-perishable foods for ‘Angels For The Forgotten’ in Goulburn, and made a sizeable cash donation to the paediatric ward at Goulburn Base Hospital.“The total funds raised during the session came to the amount of $3,003. This is an amazing effort, and we are very proud of the students here at the NSW Police Academy for their generosity and community spirit.”The goods donated to the Angels For The Forgotten came to a total value of $1,163.Ms Melina Skidmore from Angels For The Forgotten was overwhelmed by the response from the students and said, “This time of year was perfect to receive a donation of this size and it is very much appreciated”.Student representatives and the principal of the Academy presented a cheque for $1,840 to staff at the hospital for use in the paediatric ward.The General Manager of Goulburn Base Hospital Mr Denis Thomas was invited to attend the student dinner to receive the official cheque. He thanked the students for their generosity and said the donation will be used to buy bravery awards for the children in the paediatric ward.