Professor Andrew Vann
Australia’s largest regional university and leader in distance education, Professor Vann discusses Charles Sturt University’s growing appeal.
Noted explorer Charles Sturt once wrote that his commitment to exploration was not for personal gain but rather because of an earnest desire to promote the public good. When Charles Sturt University (CSU) was established in 1989, it adopted a refined version of those writings as its motto, ‘For the Public Good,' to guide its actions as an educational institution. Twenty-five years on and this ethos still resonates strongly.
CSU provides a learning environment that embraces diversity and nurtures individual growth. President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Andrew Vann says it is a university focused on serving the needs of its communities and its professions, offering opportunities to students, and working with local industries to achieve successful outcomes.
"hat was what really attracted me to come here," Andrew explains. "CSU is very much an institution that's devoted to access and creating opportunities for people. One thing I am very proud of is, according to 2013 figures, we actually have the highest number of Indigenous enrolments and Indigenous completions in all of Australia. So we are making a substantial difference to Indigenous higher education. Furthermore, we have the second-highest number of low socioeconomic students in the country."