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Passionate about ecology and wildlife, Larissa Potter graduated from CDU with a Bachelor of Science with first class Honours. She was nominated by her lecturers as a Valedictorian for her outstanding academic record. Here's her full graduation speech, where she recounts what sparked her move to Darwin from Sydney, and where she shares her experiences doing field work on the Tiwi Islands while searching for the elusive, tiny mammal called Butler’s Dunnart.  

For Tatenda Simbarashe Mapuranga, moving to Darwin to study a Business degree at Charles Darwin University was a series of firsts. He’s the first in his family to study at university and the first to travel abroad in pursuit of education. It was also the first time he had left his home country, and the first time he’d been on a plane. Read on to find out how Tatenda coped brilliantly with the huge adjustment that comes with studying as an international student.

Let’s face it - we’re all guilty of making excuses from time to time, which ultimately stop us from achieving success. The reality is though, only we have the ability to make the positive change to be who we want to be and to stop letting excuses stand in our way of a better education, future and lifestyle. Here are some of the biggest barriers people can let hold them back from studying at uni:

In the wake of a  major earthquake on the island of Lombok in Indonesia, Dr Jonatan Lassa, a senior lecturer in Humanitarian, Emergency and Disaster Management at CDU, asks the question: is it time for Indonesia to embrace radical change? See why he's calling on authorities to prepare for tourists, look beyond technological solutions, and act now with building standards reform.  This article has been adapted from an article originally published on The Conversation.  

After completing Year 12, Mel Green took a few gap years and worked full-time before deciding on which university and course was right for her. After researching her options, she chose to study a Bachelor of Information Technology with CDU. Studying online from both South Australia and New South Wales, Mel has now completed her IT degree and made the trip up to Darwin to graduate last year!  We asked Mel who recently completed her IT studies about her experiences, goals, challenges and achievements.

Vincent Perry once busked on the streets of Queensland to pay his TAFE tuition but now is an accomplished percussionist with Darwin Symphony Orchestra and bringing his skills to the classroom as Charles Darwin University’s (CDU) new Lecturer in Contemporary Music.

During your time at university, you will master many new skills that you will use in your studies, and then in your professional life after you graduate. One of the most important skills is using accurate and clear language in your written and oral assignments. This section has materials that will help you polish your language. If you lack confidence with accuracy, look at the sections on Grammar and Punctuation. If you have been told that your style is too informal, read the section in Grammar about What to avoid in formal writing.

The Charles Darwin University TAFE Alice Springs hairdressing apprentices are receiving practical training in mullet cutting to help a local charity raise funds during the 2023 Red Centre Nats. CDU Mullet Madness partnered with Mulletfest, a not-for-profit that celebrates a unique hairstyle for a cause. The students offered Mullets by donation Thursday evening, at the Fringe Festival on the Town Council Lawns. They raised $1000 and all proceeds will go to the Royal Flying Doctor Service Alice Springs Division.

A new mental health resource, launched at Garma Festival, aims to enhance the capacity of mental health service providers supporting Yolgnu patients to achieve patient-centred approaches that include culturally sensitive and culturally informed practices. A website and app developed through a collaboration of Charles Darwin University researchers, Yothu Yindi Foundation and Yolngu Traditional Owners will equip mental health professionals and patients with easy-to-use resources that aim to break down cultural and language barriers that are often met when working in remote East Arnhem land.

A French Sociologist once said that ‘Academic language...is no-one's mother tongue’ (Bordieu & Passeron, 1995, p.8). This is because academic English is quite different to general conversational English, and each discipline has its own vocabulary. As a result, some students feel like they need to learn a new language when they start university. This can feel especially true for the large number of CDU students who are studying for their degrees in their second or third language.