November 6, 2015

UOW recognised as national leader in gender equality

UOW has been recognised as one of the best workplaces in Australia for gender equality.

UOW has a proud history of gender equality and was committed to continually improving the experience of its valued employees, according to Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Wellings, CBE.

His comments followed the announcement that UOW has been recognised by the Federal Government as one of the best workplaces in Australia for gender equality and has been named an ‘Employer of Choice’ by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA).

“Not only is gender equality critical to an organisation’s success, it is also crucial for society as a whole.

“Research shows that companies and communities thrive with diverse perspectives and flexibility in thinking, which leads to higher levels of creativity and innovation,” Professor Wellings said.

“At UOW, we already have a range of strategies in place to achieve gender equality and we are committed to continual improvement.”

In September, UOW was announced as one of the first universities in Australia to participate in a new program to help further the careers of academic women in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine.

The Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) pilot is based on the successful UK Athena SWAN model, an accreditation and improvement program that recognises commitment to advancing women’s careers in traditionally male-dominated disciplines.

As part of the program, UOW commits to upholding the 10 principles of the Athena SWAN Charter aimed at further enhancing opportunities for women in academia.

A representative from SAGE will visit UOW on Monday 16 November to formally launch the pilot. A free public lecture on the pilot and the broader program, opened by the UOW Chancellor Jillian Broadbent AO, will be held from 12.30-2pm in Building 67.107.

Other policies, strategies and initiatives that UOW actively promotes in order to enhance gender equality include mentoring workshops, targeted development programs, flexible work arrangements (such as part time and job sharing) generous paid parental leave and on campus childcare facilities.