The new Smoke-Free Environment Policy 2012 is effective from Monday 30 January.

Smoking will only be allowed in the designated smoking areas, which are signposted on each campus. You can see the location of these areas on the Occupational Health & Safety website.

To find out more:

• read the Smoke-Free Environment Procedures 2012
• go to the Occupational Health & Safety website to read the frequently asked questions and learn about resources to help you quit smoking.

If you need to access computing facilities after normal operating hours, 24-hour swipe card access is now available at the Wentworth Learning Hub (Level 4, Wentworth Building).

After-hours access is only available via the Butlin Avenue entrance. The Wentworth Learning Hub is in the south corner of Level 4, behind the International Student Lounge. It contains computers, access to your virtual desktop, free internet, printing facilities, group and individual study areas, and power points to charge laptops and other mobile devices.

The Link Access Lab is no longer available for general student use, as it has been transformed into a teaching lab for the School of IT. The Access Lab facilities will be replaced with a Learning Hub within the Peter Nichol Russel (PNR) building, which is scheduled to open during Semester 1, 2012.

For locations, opening hours and further information about computing facilities on campus, please visit the Student IT website. For information about the Learning Network and new student facilities, please visit the Campus Infrastructure and Services website.

Scholarships are available for students to study in China.

Two exciting opportunities are now available:

• Chinese government scholarships for study in China
• short-term scholarships for foreign teachers of the Chinese language.

Both schemes are offered by the Chinese Ministry of Education, and administered by the China Scholarship Council. University staff and students in the disciplines of science, technology, agriculture, medicine, economics, law, management, education, history, liberal arts and philosophy may apply.

Register and apply online at the Chinese Scholarship Council website. Please email a copy of your application to David Boyd in the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International). The application deadline is Tuesday 10 April. For more information contact David Boyd.

The Accommodation Information Service is holding info sessions for students new to Sydney about their accommodation options, such as where to look, and other helpful tips.

The first session will be held on Monday 30 January at 11am in Eastern Avenue Seminar Room 310. See the full list of session times.

Researchers in the Faculty of Veterinary Science need volunteers for a study of separation distress in dogs, a common anxiety disorder that affects quality of life.

Affected and unaffected dogs (or controls) are needed. Owners will fill out a questionnaire to assist in determining if your dog will be eligible for the study. A DNA sample (saliva swab) from your dog may also be requested, depending on your questionnaire responses.

Contact Diane van Rooy on 0423 087 823 to participate.

Are you a male aged between 18 and 50 and feel you don't get enough sleep during the working week, and longs for the weekend to catch up?

If you're interested in participating in a research study about your sleep and health, contact Roo Killick at the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research on 02 9114 0499.

The study involves spending two weekends at the Woolcock Institute in Glebe. You will be reimbursed for your time.

The Dominik Mersch Gallery Award, now in its fourth year, is an annual award in collaboration with the Sydney College of the Arts (SCA).

As part of the award, the Dominik Mersch Gallery provides an exhibition space to show the works of one or more artists from SCA. The 2012 recipient, Kevin Platt, was selected from SCA’s annual end-of-year Postgraduate Degree Show. He is an emerging artist based in Sydney and is completing his Master of Fine Arts.

Event details
When: Exhibition will be on display from Thursday 19 January to Saturday 18 February
Where: Dominik Mersch Gallery, 2 Danks Street, Waterloo

For more information, visit the SCA website.

To celebrate the Chinese New Year on Monday 23 January, the Confucius Institute is joining with the City of Sydney to present several exciting cultural talks and workshops. One of the highlights is a free public talk on the history of Chinese cuisines.

This talk will cover the characteristics and development of the eight regional cuisines of China, the surprising historical cross-influences with Western cuisines, and tales of famous creators of Chinese dishes. 

Guest speaker Dr Richard Wu will also offer suggestions on where and what to order in Sydney for authentic Chinese dishes. There are also Chinese restaurants in nearby Glebe to cater for the audience's cravings after the talk.

Event details
When:  6pm, Wednesday 1 February
Where: Lecture Theatre 351, Education Building, Camperdown Campus
RSVP: confucius.institute@sydney.edu.au

Join the first talk of Nicholson Museum’s ‘Great Cities of the World’ lecture series for 2012.

In this talk, Dr Richard Wu uses photographs to track the tumultuous changes in Beijing from the last days of the Qing dynasty (1900) up to the end of the ‘nationalist regime’ (1949). Events explored will include the intrigue between Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu in the Forbidden City, and the invasion of the ‘League of Eight Nations’ armies. The talk will also focus on the nine city gates of Beijing, some of which still stand today as the last remnants of Imperial China.

Event details
When: 2 to 4pm, Saturday 4 February
Where: Nicholson Museum, the Quadrangle, Camperdown Campus
Cost: Free but bookings essential
Contact: Museum Reception on 9351 2812

The Macleay Museum celebrates Chinese New Year!

Bring the kids to an afternoon of craft and activities celebrating the Year of the Dragon. Learn about lizards and how they were cast as dragons in the realm of myth and legends. Hear our storyteller read the tale of the ‘Great Race’ in Mandarin and English, and discover the origins of Chinese New Year.

Event details
When: 12.30 to 4pm, Sunday 5 February
Where: Macleay Museum, Gosper Lane (off Science Road), Camperdown Campus
Cost: Free
Contact: Museum Reception on 9036 5253