AUT tops universities for women in senior position

AUT tops universities for women in senior academic positions

AUT University has the highest number of women in senior academic positions of any New Zealand university.

The figures from the latest New Zealand Census of Women’s Participation 2006 show AUT increased its overall proportion of senior women to 30.36% and retained its top ranking from the 2004 report.

Victoria University ranked second, followed by Waikato, Massey, Auckland, Otago, Lincoln and Canterbury.

The report was prepared by former Massey Professor Judy McGregor, now Equal Opportunity Employment Commissioner, and Dr Susan Fountaine. They say AUT’s ranking partly reflects its newer university status and the way it has appointed senior academic staff.

“It reflects a deliberate strategy,” says AUT University Vice-Chancellor, Derek McCormack. “Our appointments and promotions are based solely on merit, aimed at accessing the broadest range of capability.”

Across New Zealand’s eight universities women hold just 16.91% of senior academic positions, up slightly from 15.82% in the previous census.

Overall, the proportion of women professors (13.77%) is down slightly from 2003 but associate professors are up to 19.87%.

AUT also has strong representation of women on its university council. Out of 16 council positions, seven of these are filled by women.

The Census of Women's Participation is a bench-marking tool produced every two years by the Human Rights Commission and the Massey Centre for Women and Leadership. This year's report includes an 'Agenda for Change', which identifies a range of strategies to help increase women's participation in leadership roles.

Full report on Human Rights Commission website http://www.hrc.co.nz/

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