Research
The 2007-2011 University Strategy resulted in the creation of a series of research concentrations, reflecting a mix of traditional strengths in working with industry end-users (agriculture, food, water), collaboration with other quality institutions (applied ethics, theology), and strategic investment aligned to professions (health, education and IT). These foci were apparent in CSU’s 2010 ERA results, where work was ranked at world standard or better in the broad Fields of Research 03 Chemical Sciences, 06 Biological Sciences, 05 Environmental Sciences, 07 Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences and 13 Education, as well as in the narrow fields of 0301 Analytical Chemistry, 0502 Environmental Science and Management, 0607 Plant Biology, 0703 Crop and Pasture Production, 1301 Education Systems, 1302 Curriculum and Pedagogy, 1506 Tourism, 2201 Applied Ethics, 2203 Philosophy.
The 2011-2015 CSU Research Plan builds on these foundations and emphasises the continuing need for focus, coupled to investing in capacity building that will lead to increased overall performance. The University commits to establishing itself as an internationally recognised teaching and research university, creating new knowledge and practice.
CSU will continue to achieve international recognition for its research addressing key challenges faced by the regions and the global society. CSU’s emphasis on strategic and problem-based research will continue to produce outcomes published in high-quality academic publications. The impact of the research outcomes will be evidenced through advances in the disciplines, the changing practices of those implementing the solutions, and improvements in the quality of life, economic viability, agricultural production and the environment of the national and international constituencies CSU serves.
The research profile will focus strengths in areas that are world class or better and which:
- include national research priorities;
- contribute to the international community of scholars;
- invite/attract strategic collaboration; and
- demonstrate an elevated level of performance.
Research at CSU will produce new knowledge and practice through research that:
- is of high quality and increased quantity;
- creates solutions for the benefit of our communities locally, nationally and internationally;
- is ethical and sustainable;
- informs disciplines and the professions;
- informs the University’s course profile; and
- takes place in an environment that supports skills development.
CSU will enhance research culture that:
- supports ethical research development and outcomes;
- creates national and international alliances;
- encourages participation in research;
- promotes research within and beyond CSU; and
- celebrates achievement.
Research Centres Accredited by the Australian Research Council (ARC)
Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics
The Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics constitutes the largest concentration of philosophers working on applied philosophy and public ethics in Australia, and one of the largest such concentrations internationally. The largest centre of its kind in the world, the Centre is a national special research centre that brings together the strengths of Charles Sturt University, the University of Melbourne and the Australian National University. Research areas are criminal justice ethics, business and professional ethics, computer ethics and the ethics of nanotechnology, biotechnology, welfare and political violence.
Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security
The Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security was established in 2007 and aims to boost policing and security research capacity in Australia, drive local and global policy and practice amid the growing complexity and internationalisation of transnational crime in the post 9/11 environment.
CEPS is a complex research enterprise consisting of multiple, collaborating researchers and university and partner organisations. CEPS also aims to play a key role in developing the next generation of policing and security scholars. The Centre provides research and training opportunities and facilitates multiple opportunities to engage with industry and practitioner environments.
http://www.griffith.edu.au/arts-languages-criminology/centre-excellence-policing-security
Centres of Research Excellence Accredited by the CSU Council
Institute for Land, Water and Society
The Institute is an internationally recognised provider of integrated research that contributes to enhanced social and environmental sustainability in rural and regional areas. The Institute combines the expertise of over 100 environmental scientists, hydrologists, social researchers and economists, plus 80 PhD students to address critical sustainability issues in inland Australia. The five research themes are; Ecology and Biodiversity; Economics and Regional Development; Human Dimensions of Environmental Management; Rural and Social Research, Water Systems and an emerging theme of Arts Culture and Communications.
EH Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation
The Centre is developing innovations for profitable and sustainable agricultural systems through integrated and collaborative research, extension, education and training, and is speeding up the delivery of new information to land managers. The EH Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation has an international reputation as a centre of excellence for integrated agricultural research and extension in mixed farming systems.
Research Institute for Professional Practice, Learning and Education
The Centre focuses on understanding and developing professional practice in a range of professions including education, occupational therapy, speech pathology, nursing, accountancy, management and other professions. Researchers are working on problems including attracting and retaining professionals in rural and regional Australia and responding to increased diversity in the professions through initial and continuing education and research.
Strategic Research Centres Accredited by the CSU Council
The National Wine and Grape Industry Centre
The National Wine and Grape Industry Centre undertakes and integrates scientific research with education and extension to the promote the sustainability of grape and wine production across regional Australia. The NWGIC is a CSU alliance with NSW Department of Primary Industries and the NSW Wine Industry Association. Its key research themes represent the areas identified by the Australian wine industry in its analysis of research and development needs.
Centre for Public and Contextual Theology
This research group breaks new ground in the theological scene in Australia. Traditionally, theology has been undertaken within an ecclesiastical environment, which can narrow its scope and not account for wider contexts. The focus of this group is the concern for questions and issues relevant in contemporary society, placed within the Australian setting. Public theology needs be concerned with the engagement, via dialogue, of faith tradition with wider social and intellectual concerns of the day. Contextual theology in Australia must take account of our pluralist, multicultural society, in order to remain relevant to our diverse population, across the scope of our wide land and beyond. The context created by Aboriginal settlement, colonisation and progress to nationhood provides a perspective which influences the various strands of theology, to provide a unique resource for the tasks of theology today.
Centre for Research in Complex Systems
The Centre for Research in Complex Systems carries out world-class research in complex systems theory and applications. The many projects in the group cover a range of themes, from fundamental analysis of cellular automata and agent based modelling to virtual environments. CRiCS has a 3D visualisation lab, a computer vision and a mining and robotics lab and supports around 20 PhD students.
International Centre of Water for Food Security
The Centre is an international centre for excellence in strategic research, smart technologies and applied training in integrated water resources management to secure and improve food production, environmental sustainability and communities’ well-being through advanced research, enhanced technical and scientific cooperation, and knowledge transfer in related topics at both regional and international levels. The Centre is the Australasian host of the UNESCO's Hydrology for the Environment, Life and Policy (HELP) initiative under the International Hydrology Program (IHP).
Centre for Inland Health
The Centre for Inland Health conducts research with a focus on the health on people living in inland, rural and regional communities. People from inland communities of Australia experience poorer health than their city-based and coastal counterparts. Population dispersion, large distances between communities, sparse services, occupational profiles, socio-economic and environmental factors, and other, sometimes unrecognised, factors all play a role in these health differences. The Centre’s research is designed to elucidate these factors and to determine ways in which key health determinants can be addressed in, and with, communities.
Cooperative Research Centres
Cooperative Research Centre for Future Farm Industries
The Centre is a unique co-investment between meat, grains and wool industry research corporations, the Landmark agribusiness company, and the combined research power of CSIRO, six state agencies and four universities, including Charles Sturt University. The aim of the CRC is to transform agricultural systems across southern Australia by developing Profitable Perennials™, and applying perennial plant technologies to innovative farming systems that increase productivity of existing livestock and grain industries, develop new regional industries through investment, reduce the risk of natural resource degradation, including dryland salinity, and improve conservation of biodiversity and water resources.
Cooperative Research Centre for Plant Biosecurity
The CRC Plant Biosecurity’s vision is to be a world leader in the generation, development and delivery of plant biosecurity science and education. The mission is to provide leadership in the development, execution and delivery of plant biosecurity research to safeguard Australia's plant industries, ensure food security for Australian consumers, and improve market access for agricultural exporters.
Cooperative Research Centre for High Integrity Australian Pork
Charles Sturt University is a supporting participant in the Pork CRC. The Centre aims to enhance the international competitiveness of the Australian pork industry by providing and adopting new and novel technologies that reduce feed costs, improve herd feed conversion efficiency and increase the range and functionality of pork products. The Centre is focussed on breakthroughs in pig and plant biology to advance knowledge and facilitate the development of technological innovations for the pork industry.
Cotton Catchment Communities Cooperative Research Centre
The Cotton Catchment Communities CRC’s mission is to undertake collaborative research, education and commercialisation activities to provide innovative knowledge that is adopted for the benefit of the Australian Cotton Industry, Regional Communities and the Nation. CSU is a supporting participant in the CRC.