Saranne Cooke appointed as first alumna Chancellor of Charles Sturt University

Dr. Saranne Cooke has been appointed as the first alumna to serve as Chancellor of Charles Sturt University. Having grown up in Condobolin and educated in the Central West of New South Wales, Dr. Cooke emphasizes the importance of regional tertiary education for community stability.

Dr. Cooke noted that over 80 per cent of students educated regionally by Charles Sturt University remain in those areas to fulfill vital roles. This contrasts with students who move to cities for study, only one in five of whom return to regional work. She highlighted that universities embedded in their communities provide essential services and local employment, allowing residents to live and work in their home regions.