The Higher Education Review

Charles Sturt University has a century rich history of traditional learning on various courses as it roots its teaching from the excellence of Bathurst Experiment Farm, which was formed in 1895, with the mission of entrusting knowledge and skills amongst the people of South-Western and Western parts of New South Wales. Bathurst Experiment Farm imparted only one course on vocational agricultural education at the beginning and gradually incorporated other courses in different regional institutes under its name. On July 19, 1989, under the Charles Sturt University Act 1989, these regional institutes were integrated into one central learning hub ­ for ease of learning. "We are a Public Australian University and at present, we have various undergraduate, postgraduate courses and higher education research courses and have been listed as a finalist in the global awards for `Global Teaching Excellence Award 2018'," shares Tom Burton, Acting Pro Vice-Chancellor, Community and Global Engagement, Charles Sturt University.

Teaching with Practical Approach
Offering a plethora of choices and flexibility of learning to students across various regional campuses, Charles Sturt University adopts practical teaching methods that prepare students for best career practices. "We teach by taking real-life examples so that students are able to relate theoretical catches with practical implementations on a single learning session. Also, there are advantages for students coming from across the world and joining Charles Sturt University as the international students-to-teacher ratio is marginal and they exclusively receive individual attention. Through our inspiring, valuable and innovative education, we provide them a friendly learning ambiance. This has helped us create a

community of international and Australian students who cater to the needs of shaping the world that is worth living in. In addition, we have collaborated with industries and communities in teaching and research to give the students best possible learning facilities to make the world living heaven," explicates Tom Burton.

"There are advantages for students coming from across the world and joining Charles Sturt University as the international students-to-teacher ratio is marginal and they exclusively receive individual attention"

Joining Charles Sturt University is a joyful experience for students coming from different parts of the world. They get a unique experience in terms of course prices, high-quality teaching in attractive and vibrant regional locations in small class sizes. "Once a student is enrolled in any of the courses, they get help from the Australian students, who nurture their English language skills and unfold the Australian culture. These little gestures from the Australian students further prove beneficial for international students during recruitment periods. If you search the records you will find Charles Sturt University has the best graduate employment rate for both international and Australian students," explains Tom Burton.
While describing the facilities available for the students, Tom Burton reciprocates the scholarship terminologies for international students. He says, "International students opting to study Accounting, Information Technology or Business are eligible for scholarships ranging from 9 percent to 16 percent. We are going to announce the scholarships for 2020 session in September 2019."

Importance to Research Education and Overall Skill Development
Facilitating research education, the university has established four research centers for the students where they can practice research in the fields of science, business, arts and education. Apart from that, they have full-fledged campuses in different regional locations through which students get access to well-furnished educational spaces, libraries, food outlets and

residential hostels. There is 24/7 security services, on-campus staff, mobile patrols available in these regional campuses. "We connect to the security services by special security phones and mobile applications as we always prioritize student safety more than anything," states Tom Burton.

In parallel to its security measures, Charles Sturt University has a sports club, many social clubs and student communities where students can engage with others in beneficial topics like education, social interests, spirituality and much more. Very frequently, the Sports club's members achieve distinct recognitions in national competitions like UniGames. "We have a small-sized international student cohort at every campus that includes Indian students. We invite the students coming from India to become members of the International Student Association; our international student liaison officer makes sure that they face no difficulty in socializing with relevant members of the local community," speaks Tom Burton.

Aligning University Goals with Student Benefits
Being the largest regional university in Australia, Charles Sturt University gives the students a chance to stay in Australia with post-study work visa. They provide cost-free career service programs that give the students access to skill enhancing workshops and support them in finding suitable works. "The students get a face-to-face discussion with our career development officers from whom they receive unfathomable career advice in job applications, resume writing, interview techniques and job research strategies. We also conduct career fairs for them to help them out in joining a resourceful company," elucidates Tom Burton. Now, Charles Sturt University has aligned its goal of producing more successful graduates and making the university stronger than ever. It wants to create new vibrant regional communities. They want to increase the intake of international students and give them a unique and qualitative study experience in the years to come.