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CDU Alumni E-News
July 2023 Issue
New CDU health facility breaks ground
Construction of Charles Darwin University’s (CDU) new $25.8 million Centre for Better Health Futures is about to commence, with a ceremony held on-site celebrating the start of a new health teaching and research facility.
The Centre will provide an innovative space to help train and prepare work-ready graduands to address the health challenges faced by the NT and its regions.
Professor Bowman said CDU is dedicated to enhancing the health and well-being of Territorians from all walks of life.
“The Centre for Better Health Futures will support students, academics, and healthcare professionals with quality education and resources in a modern and contemporary facility,” Professor Bowman said.
“It is so important to train a healthcare workforce that understands the way we live and the unique challenges we face here in the NT, with a focus on providing clinical care that is culturally safe and accessible.
“Through collaborative research, community engagement, and industry partnerships, we have the potential to drive positive change in healthcare outcomes, particularly for communities in regional, remote and very remote locations.”
CDU's second semester sees record enrolment, and explosion in numbers at Sydney campus
More than 1000 international students have started Charles Darwin University (CDU) courses this semester.
The new cohort are undertaking a mix of online classes and on-campus sessions offered across CDU campuses in the greater Darwin region, Alice Springs and Sydney.
This semester two intake breaks previous numbers of international students studying at CDU.
CDU Vice-Chancellor Professor Scott Bowman said he is thrilled to welcome such a diverse and talented group of students to CDU, an increase of about 800 students from the same time last year.
CDU alumnus and researcher makes ABC Top 5 Science
A Charles Darwin University (CDU) alumnus and researcher is one of only five academics across Australia to be chosen to attend this year’s prestigious ABC Top 5 Science media residency.
CDU’s Northern Institute Researcher, Dr Rohan Fisher has been chosen to attend the two-week media residency facilitated by ABC RN, which will see him spend time alongside the country’s best specialist journalists and broadcasters.
Throughout the program, Dr Fisher will have the opportunity to gain hands-on learning and engage with teams across ABC radio, TV, digital and social media.
Dr Fisher said attending the residency will help to develop his professional skills and further his work.
“I applied not expecting to be selected so I was excited to learn that I would be attending this program,” Dr Fisher said.
CDU welcomes Universities Accord interim report's recommendations for more accessible education
Charles Darwin University (CDU) welcomes the Federal Government’s commitment to making tertiary education more accessible for First Nations Australians, following the release of the Australian Universities Accord interim report.
The interim report identifies more than 70 policy ideas to improve higher education in Australia and highlights how significant and long-term change is required in the sector.
The Federal Government will immediately action five recommendations, which includes making courses more accessible to First Nations people across Australia and offering greater support to disadvantage students to complete their studies.
In April CDU made a submission to the Universities Accord panel proposing new ideas to improve higher education in Northern Australia, which included reintroducing demand-driven places, with first uncapping places for all First Nations students not just those in regional and remote areas.
Medical places key to breaking undersupply cycle
The Northern Territory’s critical undersupply of medical practitioners will continue unless the CDU Menzies School of Medicine is awarded Commonwealth Supported medical places.
The CDU Menzies School of Medicine has applied for 40 out of 80 places on offer from the Commonwealth government in the Increasing Rural Medical Training Grant Opportunity, which opened for applications in June.
The grant aims to increase rural university medical school training to encourage more medical students to practice in regional, rural, and remote areas of Australia.
It is the first time the CDU Menzies School of Medicine has applied for these places.
CDU Menzies School of Medicine Foundation Dean Professor Dianne Stephens OAM said receiving the places would be key to breaking the cycle of the Northern Territory’s historic undersupply of medical practitioners.
CDU unlocks education potential in Northern Australia
New teaching and training facilities to be built at Charles Darwin University (CDU) will unlock education potential across Northern Australia, preparing for a future where the dual sector University will reinvigorate industry growth in trades and manufacturing.
CDU’s new Trades Training Facility is ready for development, with tender applications for construction now being assessed and a decision anticipated by the end of the month.
At Casuarina campus, the 2400 square metre, two-storey building will feature a heavy equipment precinct, an assembly area and workshop space, an industrial sand pit, and classrooms.
The new facility is projected to cost $10 million, with $4.8 million invested from the Northern Territory Government’s annual VET Capital Grant for the ongoing development of Vocational Education and Training facilities, and the remainder from CDU.
CDU celebrates Roos' victory at Indigenous Nationals
Celebrations for NAIDOC Week at Charles Darwin University (CDU) kicked off with a victory, as First Nations students took home the trophy in the basketball final at the Indigenous Nationals games.
The CDU team went head-to-head with the University of Sydney, coming out on top with a 19-15 win.
CDU First Nations Student Support Officer Lucas Sharp said the team’s spirit and sporting skills throughout the games were “constantly inspiring”.
“After each game, our teamwork and friendly competition grew stronger,” Mr Sharp said.
“It was a very proud moment to witness and be a part of First Nations Success. Go CDU Roos!”
Are you a Business or Accounting graduate and curious about the opportunities available to you with your qualifications?
Join us for an empowering event where industry professionals will share their inspiring career success stories, and representatives from CPA and CA will guide you through the exciting career pathways and incredible opportunities waiting for you!
Session Details:
Date: Wednesday 2 August 2023
Time: 4:00pm - 6:00pm
Location: CDU Waterfront Campus (Ground Floor Student Lounge)
Registration Essential!
This exclusive event is a golden opportunity for CDU students and graduates to network and build valuable connections in the industry.
Take advantage of this chance to unlock your potential and advance your career.
For all inquiries, email industry.consultant@cdu.edu.au
INPEX Foundation Scholarship Information Night
Join us for an information session about the INPEX Foundation's Scholarship program at Charles Darwin University.
The INPEX Foundation Scholarship provides opportunities for Australian students to study a postgraduate university course in Japan. Representatives from INPEX will be present to discuss the scholarship's benefits, eligibility, and application process.
Session Details:
Date: Friday 11 August 2023
Time: 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Location: Casuarina Yellow 01.1.39 - Lecture Theatre
The session will also be available via Zoom. Please email giving@cdu.edu.au to register and obtain Zoom details.
This scholarship is open to Australian nationals under 30 with an undergraduate degree. It covers school expenses, a monthly living allowance, and a return air ticket to Tokyo, Japan.
Don't miss the opportunity to learn more about this incredible scholarship program.
CDU receives a share of funding to help solve key industry problems
Researchers from Charles Darwin University (CDU) will play a vital role in shaping solutions for key Australian industries after receiving two of only 32 projects funded through the Australian Government’s National Industry PhD program.
CDU is one of only four universities that’s main campus is not in a state capital city to receive industry PhD funding in this round, the others being the University of Newcastle, Charles Sturt University, and the University of Canberra. The other three universities received funding for only one project.
CDU Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Fiona Coulson said this funding showed the level of quality CDU displays when it comes to research.
CDU student paramedics tested in a simulated explosion
Charles Darwin University (CDU) paramedic students were put through their paces in a real-life scenario that included the sights and sounds they would expect while responding to emergencies.
The students were required to treat patients in a variety of conditions, while all around them, there were chaotic scenes of destruction, noise, emergency lights and distractions.
The planned immersive scenario was devised by CDU Lecturer in Paramedic Science Paul Reeves, who planned an explosive event with multiple causalities and victims with various injuries.
Tourism training for First Nations Guides in the red centre
New First Nations tourism training is helping to build the professional credentials, business acumen and interpersonal skills of Aboriginal people, and in turn, secure new jobs and career options for Aboriginal communities in Central Australia.
The training is also building capacity in the Red Centre tourism industry, where there is significant international and domestic demand for First Nations tour guides, who can provide authentic cultural perspective and knowledge of the country’s desert heart.
Charles Darwin University (CDU) has introduced new industry-based training at Ntaria (Hermannsburg), as part of Certificate I in Tourism (Australian Indigenous Culture), in partnership with the aboriginal owned 100% Finke River Culture and Adventures, and Standley Chasm Angkerle Atwatye.
MOU to strengthen research and innovation in Central Australia
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Charles Darwin University and Desert Knowledge Australia (DKA) will aim to strengthen research and encourage a culture of innovation in Central Australia.
The MOU co-signed by CDU’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Scott Bowman and DKA CEO Jimmy Cocking, will foster a partnership between the two organisations through collaborative opportunities that will strengthen research, education, and innovation in the region.
Professor Bowman said the agreement will help build a foundation of collaborative partnerships in the region which will advance education and research opportunities in Central Australia.
Free expert tax advice for students and low-income earners
A Charles Darwin University (CDU) Tax Clinic is helping students and other low-income earners push back against the rising cost of living with free tax claim assistance.
CDU has launched its free tax clinic to assist unrepresented taxpayers to complete their returns and identify tax deductions.
CDU accounting lecturer and clinic organiser Raul David said that it can sometimes be difficult for people to do their returns, let alone do their homework on deductions.
“This should be very popular with low-income students who need help because they are working and studying, so don’t have time to think about tax,” Mr David said.
"The higher cost of living is really forcing low-income earners to look at ways of saving time and money, so this tax clinic is a breath of fresh air."
According to Mr David, selected CDU undergraduate and postgraduate accounting students are going to assist taxpayers under the supervision of academic staff and experienced practitioners.
“The CDU tax clinic is a great opportunity for accounting students to put theory into practice,” he said.
People with an annual income of less than $60,000 and have no tax representation are eligible to be clients of the free clinic.
The applications are reviewed by an experienced Tax Clinic member and a student volunteer, and successful applicants will be notified.
There will be free tax clinics in Alice Springs, Katherine and Darwin.
Anyone who wants to attend the clinic should register here
Annual Giving Appeal
Invest before birth
Almost 1 in 5 women will experience a mental health condition during pregnancy or in the year after a birth.
Among women with perinatal mental health conditions, 20% will experience suicidal thoughts or undertake acts of self-harm. Ignoring mental health not only risks women’s overall health and wellbeing, but also impacts infants’ physical and emotional development.
The importance of screening, diagnosis and management of perinatal mental health conditions has been highlighted by the World Health Organisation in 2022.
Research also shows that the experiences and relationships we have in the earliest years of our lives, including before birth, impact on our brain’s development. Stress and adversity experienced during pregnancy can have a negative impact on babies’ physical and mental health in the womb and as they grow up. But this doesn’t have to be the case.
Charles Darwin University's project Antenatal detection of vulnerable mother-infant relationships is focusing on improving perinatal mental health diagnosis and management support services in the Northern Territory, beginning in early pregnancy to optimise outcomes for parents, their babies, and families.
Your donation will enable this important research to positively and invaluably change the life of Territory mothers and their babies. Please consider making a tax-deductible gift to this important appeal.
CDU Art Gallery presents:
Manburrba: Our story of printed cloth from Bábbarra
Women’s Centre
5 August 2023 - 15 October 2023
The exhibition Manburrba: our story of printed cloth from Bábbarra Women’s Centre celebrates how Maningrida women have mastered the design, lino-block and screen-printing mediums over almost four decades.
It is a story of women’s empowerment and how they have harnessed contemporary textile art forms to transmit ancient stories and knowledge.
Image: Raylene Ngarridjdjan Bonson and Genevieve Smith screen-print Bawáliba design by Lucy Bulandjan Yarawanga. Image reproduced courtesy of Bábbarra Women's Centre. Photograph by Ingrid Johanson 2018.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Sachin Sharma
Class of 2020 - Master of Business Administration
Sachin was a Superintendent of the NT Police when he thought about expanding his skills in leadership and management. His decision to study a Master of Business Administration online at CDU would change his worldview—and his career.
Armed with the knowledge, insight and experience from the MBA program, Sachin is taking his mission to protect the community to the next level.
Share your story
Have you got a great story to tell? We know that CDU Alumni go on to achieve incredible things. We'd love to hear about your achievements.
Provide a work placement
Could current students contribute to your workplace success? Consider the staffing needs of your workplace and industry.
Be a mentor
Develop the next generation of talents by sharing your skills and knowledge through mentoring students.
Be a speaker
Becoming a speaker is an opportunity for you to impart your knowledge and share your life experiences with the next generation of aspiring CDU students.
Are you a CDU graduate living outside of Australia?
CDU alumni are a vibrant community of more than 80,000 former students and are spread across more than 140 countries around the world.
Remaining connected and engaged with our alumni is important to us. No matter where you go, CDU will always be there for you.
We are hoping to better connect with our overseas-based alumni by developing international alumni chapters in countries that our graduates reside in.
If you graduated from Charles Darwin University and are currently living outside of Australia, we would love to hear from you!
Update your details by clicking below, or reach out to us by email to alumni@cdu.edu.au
LinkedIn Learning Access
You can obtain advice on all matters relating to building your career or even making a change to your current. Here you can access over 15,000 courses, delivered in 7 languages. You can learn a wide range of new skills, anywhere and at any time. You can learn a new language, learn how to build a website or app, become an expert user of Microsoft Office, or even learn how to play a musical instrument!
Alumni Access to CDU Portal
You can now access the CDU portal after you've graduated, so you'll have continued access to online and on-campus library resources, careers centre and your CDU email address.
CDU Careers Centre
Are you currently seeking a job, aiming for a promotion, or considering a career change? Did you know that you still have access to CDU Careers Centre resources? Absolutely FREE!
The Careers Centre is designed to help you navigate the next step of your professional journey. To get started, access your alumni account and head to the CDU portal, and click on the Career Centre tile.
Stay updated and explore exciting opportunities! The CDU Careers team regularly share job postings and other opportunities on their CDU Careers Centre Facebook and LinkedIn pages - be sure to check it out!
Library Access
Though you may have finished your formal study at CDU, with an alumni account, you will have access to a select range of CDU Library’s online resources, which includes access to a growing number of high-quality databases, e-journals and e-books, you are always welcome to borrow physicals materials from any our campus libraries.
Are you passionate about education, research and innovation, or did you benefit from the generosity of others during your studies? Consider a gift to reward outstanding scholars, support a student scholarship or research project, or to develop the resources of the university.
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Charles Darwin University acknowledges all First Nations people across the lands on which we live and work, and we pay our respects to Elders both past and present.
