Generating Regional Innovation
Charles Sturt University engages in innovative teaching and research, bringing global knowledge
and innovation to our regions, and extending regional knowledge and innovation to our world.
Below are some of the highlights for 2010.
FOOD AND WATER SECURITY
National Life Sciences Hub for
regional Australia
Food security, bio-security and climate change
are global challenges driving national priorities
in agricultural-animal research and requiring
the production of a new generation of highly
qualified scientists in rural and regional
Australia. In 2010, planning started on the
construction of Charles Sturt University's
new $45 million National Life Sciences
Hub. The National Life Sciences Hub will
create strong linkages between research
scientists, producers and students, building
the critical mass to extend undergraduate/
postgraduate training and improve interactions
across partners locally and internationally in
fundamental and applied scientific research.
Bringing veterinary innovation to
regional practice
Charles Sturt University welcomed final
accreditation of its new Veterinary Science
program in 2010, designed to address the
shortage of rural and regional veterinarians
with expertise in production animals in rural
and regional Australia. The program was
accredited by the Australasian Veterinary
Boards Council (AV BC) for practice in
Australia and New Zealand, and the Royal
College of Veterinary Surgeons for practice
in the UK. The final report concluded that the
program "will produce outstanding veterinary
graduates, selected and trained for roles in
rural Australia". The Council found the "sixyear
program, problem-based curriculum and
strong focus on production animals are unique
and important features of the degree" and that
the "facilities that have been built to support
student learning are exceptional".
Balancing the benefits of water
Researchers from Charles Sturt University's
Institute for Land, Water and Society are part
of a team working on a new CSIRO Flagship
program titled 'Ecological Responses to
Altered Flow Regimes' undertaking applied
research to assist water managers balance
the multiple benefits of water and achieve
enhanced environmental and social outcomes.
Indigenous business research
project launched
Charles Sturt University's Institute for Land,
Water and Society was awarded a $455,000
Australian Research Council Linkage Grant
for a three-year project to determine the
factors influencing the success of private and
community-owned Indigenous businesses
across remote, regional and urban Australia.
The research project will involve researchers
from Charles Sturt University, the University
of Technology Sydney and the University of
Newcastle, as well as Indigenous Business
Australia and the Cultural and Indigenous
Research Centre as industry partners.
University partners in groundwater
research and training
Charles Sturt University's Institute of Land,
Water and Society is one of 12 university
partners in the ARC National Centre for
Groundwater Research and Training. Charles
Sturt University researchers will focus on
the social construction of the concept of
sustainable yield as applied to groundwater
management. The research will also involve
Charles Sturt University researchers in two
case studies, one in the Namoi Groundwater
System in northern NSW; the other in the
Willunga Basin in South Australia.
Taking agricultural knowledge and
innovation to Lao
Charles Sturt University's collaborative
EH Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation,
a joint venture with the NSW Department
of Primary Industries, has commenced an
Australian Centre for International Agricultural
Research project in Lao that has the aim of
improving food security and rural livelihoods
in the rain-fed southern provinces of Lao. The
project involves collaboration between the EH
Graham Centre, the University of Queensland,
the International Rice Research Institute
and the International Centre for Tropical
Agriculture.
Translating research into practice
The EH Graham Centre for Agricultural
Innovation unveiled its new 15 hectare field
site in late 2010. The field site, located near
Wagga Wagga, showcases the Centre's
research outputs to assist farmers, advisers
and natural resource managers to develop
and maintain robust and sustainable food
production. It will assist the Centre to
deliver productivity gains and environmental
sustainability and address the challenges of
food security, bio-security, climate change,
water scarcity and the skills shortage in
agriculture. New technologies included in
2010 were: biochar for increased productivity,
weed resistance management, forage crops
for feed gaps, minimising crop damage from
herbicides, and new crop varieties. The site is
managed by an Industry Steering Committee.
Supporting regional industries to grow
Charles Sturt University's National Wine and
Grape Industry Centre is an alliance with NSW
Department of Primary Industries and the
NSW Wine Industry Association. The Centre
is working on research that will assist the
industry grow their businesses by creating
wines in styles that consumers prefer, in
contrast to conforming to traditional styles.
Improving industry productivity
and returns
Potentially hotter climatic conditions and
proposed reductions in water allocations
threaten the productivity of vineyards within
warmer Australian wine regions. Those
regions produce a very significant proportion
of Australia's wine exports. Research led by
the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre
in 2010 examined the relationship between
productivity and management of grapevines
after harvest; ensuring leaves continue
to photosynthesise to replenish depleted
reserves of carbohydrates and nitrogen
needed for root and shoot growth in the
coming Spring.
Preparing Australian wine regions for
warmer, wetter summers
Bunch rot of grapes is a significant problem
in vineyards that experience rain and high
humidity close to harvest. Distinguishing
bunch rotting fungus and understanding
where and when each is likely to occur lie at
the core of effective grapevine management
practices. Researchers with the National Wine
and Grape Industry Centre are revealing the
epidemiology of the various fungal organisms
that cause grape bunch rots in the different
wine regions of NSW and examining grapevine
disease strategies under forecast climate
change scenarios of warmer, wetter summers
in dry vinicultural regions.
Sharing food and water security
knowledge globally
Feeding their burgeoning population is a
critical challenge for national policy makers
in South Asia. Endemic poverty and food
insecurity are associated with water scarcity,
while rural livelihood security and good
agricultural performance remain firmly linked
to sustainable water resources management
for food crop production. A team from Charles
Sturt University's International Centre of Water
for Food Security was awarded an AusAid
Leadership Award Fellowship to provide six
weeks training around the theme "Knowledge
Sharing for Food and Water Security in Asia"
to senior scientists from leading institutes in
China and Pakistan. The program aimed to
increase the exchange of knowledge and
information and build common purpose and
understanding between Australia, China and
Pakistan through the development of effective
networks and capacity building.
Working with industry to improve
water management
Irrigated farmers in the New South Wales area
of the Murray Darling Basin often require a tool
to assist them to make decisions about long
and short term investment options for their
irrigation business. Researchers from Charles
Sturt University's International Centre of Water
for Food Security, together with the Irrigated
Cropping Forum, have developed a program,
'WaterWorks', for farmers and their advisers to
answer the question "How should an irrigator
use water for best use in any given year?"
The model was developed to include a range
of business indicators and returns to capital.
'WaterWorks" has been developed over a
period of time with the active involvement
of researchers and the irrigation community
through the Irrigated Cropping Forum.
*Improving agricultural and health
outcomes in South Asia
Rice wheat is the major cropping system in
the Indo-Gangetic Plains of South Asia and
is grown on 10 million hectares in India. As
part of an Australian Centre for International
Agricultural Research project, Charles Sturt
University researchers have been instrumental
in the development of the 'Happy Seeder',
a seeder capable of direct drilling wheat
into heavy, machine harvested rice straw
to give farmers an alternative to burning.
Burning results in extensive damage to the
environment (reduced air quality, particulates,
greenhouse gases) and human health, as
well as substantial loss of plant nutrients
and organic carbon, which has important
implications for soil health. The Punjab
Farmer's Commission has finalised a program
to supply about 750 Happy Seeder machines
along with a dedicated tractor to different
cooperative societies in the state to facilitate
the supply of these machines on a contract
basis.
EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL
PRACTICE
Placing the regions at the centre
of national education debate
In 2010 Charles Sturt University's Research
Institute for Professional Practice, Learning
and Education brought together leading
international researchers in regional NSW to
prepare a draft position statement on transition
to school. Researchers also met with policy
makers from Federal and State governments,
early childhood education authorities, and
non-government organisations, where
they presented and discussed the position
statement. On the last day of the conference,
approximately 100 early childhood educators
from schools and prior-to-school settings
joined the group for a series of workshops
presented by experts in the field.
Exploring key national challenges
from our regions
Charles Sturt University's Research Institute
for Professional Practice, Learning and
Education based in Bathurst is delivering an
ARC Discovery Project exploring the practises
of leading, professional learning, teaching and
student learning. The research will examine a
range of issues including inclusive practices
that contribute to overcoming social injustices
that sometimes arise for students with special
needs and ways to develop VET teaching
practices and programs to address the needs
of the VET sector in the different economic,
social, cultural and educational conditions.
Gathering global thinkers in our regions
In December 2010 Charles Sturt University's
Research Institute for Professional Practice,
Learning and Education gathered 40
international PhD students from Canada,
Australia, Sweden, the Netherlands and the
United States at Charles Sturt University in
Wagga Wagga for a Doctoral School, including
a forum to discuss draft manuscripts of
articles and book chapters, and cross-national
empirical projects currently underway.
Innovative new classrooms for
teacher education
The Faculty of Education is charting new
directions for teacher education with the
design of two new innovative learning spaces
at the Wagga Wagga and Bathurst campuses.
The buildings will deploy cutting-edge
technology to ensure student teachers are well
prepared for working with new technology in
schools. The new learning spaces will include
high definition video conferencing to enable
connections between the University and
schools located in the Riverina and Western
regions. This will enable school teachers to
talk to student teachers from their school
sites; student teachers to observe classrooms;
mentoring groups between student teachers
and school teachers; and professional
development for Charles Sturt University and
school-based staff.
HEALTH AND WELBEING
Improving Indigenous rural and
remote health
A Memorandum of Understanding signed this
year between Charles Sturt University and the
Wiradjuri Condobolin Corporation will enable
the parties to work together in research and
education that will enhance the wellbeing
of the Aboriginal community in Condobolin.
Researchers from the University's Centre for
Inland Health will work with the Corporation to
design and conduct a local community health
survey, as well as identify and train Indigenous
people at Condobolin as research assistants
as a starting point for developing local
community capacity for research.
Addressing regional needs
through innovation
With critical shortages of paramedics in
regional Australia, and growing national
demand, Charles Sturt University and the
Ambulance Service of NSW have established
a new program designed to fast track
entry into the paramedic profession. This
cutting-edge course has been developed
in consultation with ambulance industry
representatives from NSW and other states
and territories. It has received the formal
endorsement of the Ambulance Service of
NSW and accreditation by the Council of
Ambulance Authorities.
Unique Indigenous mental health
program
Charles Sturt University's Djirruwang Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health
program is the only program of its type in
Australia. The aim of the program is to build
workforce capacity for the future of Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander people. Since its
inception, it has produced 97 Indigenous
graduates in mental health, including students
from the Torres Strait Islands. There are 75
Indigenous students currently completing
the course. In 2010, two submissions for
Federal funding to expand the program into
WA, involving collaboration with the Western
Australia Statewide Aboriginal Mental Health
Service and the Ngunnawal Local Aboriginal
Land Council, were successful.
Creatively expanding rural health
education and services
Charles Sturt University completed
construction in 2010 of its fifth community
Dental and Oral Health Clinic located in
Bathurst. The University now has community
Dental and Oral Health Clinics in Albury-
Wodonga, Bathurst, Dubbo, Orange and
Wagga Wagga. Expanding on this successful
initiative, the University will commence a
$5 million expansion of its Dental Clinic in
Albury-Wodonga to allow it to offer a broader
range of allied health services. The expanded
Clinic will include a surgical suite, primary
health care rooms, training spaces and
additional health teaching facilities to deliver a
range of expanded services to the community,
and provide clinical training for allied health
and dental students.
Bringing the latest educational
innovation to our regions
Charles Sturt University is building a new
Regional Inter-Professional Clinical Simulation
Centre at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst.
The Clinic will be the most advanced of its
type in regional NSW incorporating a
state-of-the-art clinical education centre
consisting of an Emergency Department
Resuscitation Simulation Unit, a Multi-Purpose
Scenario Unit, a Control Room, lecture
theatre and break-out rooms. It will allow
nursing and paramedic students to practise
emergency health management skills in a
realistic environment prior to undertaking
'real-life' practice in the community, hospitals
and health facilities. The use of realistic
simulators will allow students to obtain high
levels of competency in health assessment,
critical thinking and decision making in a
safe environment before they practise on real
patients in high-pressure situations.
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