The University of Queensland has again been named an Employer of Choice for Women (EOCFW).
UQ was awarded the Employer of Choice citation by the Federal Government’s Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA) on February 4.
The citations are awarded to organisations that have transparent, supportive women’s policy, an inclusive organisational culture, staff development programs and that educate workers about rights and obligations for sex-based harassment.
This year, 115 organisations in Australia and 15 in Queensland qualified.
UQ has been and EOCFW since 2002 and the current citation is valid until February 2006 which allows UQ to continue to use the EOWA logo in its advertising and recruitment.
EOWA’s director Anna McPhee said accredited organisations were not only supporting their female staff but providing a positive and flexible environment for all staff which led to improvements in the ‘bottom line’.
“These organisations challenge the status quo and try new work practices ,” she said.
“They understand that people have different needs at different times in their careers and that it’s necessary to be flexible around these changes.
“Organisations that are willing to do this are giving themselves a competitive edge in the battle for talented staff.”
UQ`s Pro-Vice-Chancellor, responsible for equity matters, Professor Alan Rix, said the award recognised University staff who had developed and supported appropriate policies.
“We are proud of our support for women staff and students and will continue our efforts in these areas,” Professor Rix said.
“We wish to see more women involved in all areas and at all levels of the University.”
University figures show women made up about 36% of UQ’s academic staff last year, a one percent rise on 2003 figures mostly due to new professors, senior lecturers and associate lecturers.
Comparing 2004 and 2001 data, the most significant increases for academic women have been at associate professor and senior lecturer levels with respective increases of 3.3 percent and three percent.
More women worked at Higher Education Worker (HEW) levels 10, 8, 6, 5, 3 and 2 in 2004 with most increases at level 8 (3.7 percent),10 (3.6 percent)and 6 and 5 (both 2.3 percent).
Some of the ways UQ supports female staff are:
- Upgraded parking for new mums and infant feeding parking permits
- Amending UQ’s design guidelines to incorporate parenting rooms in major buildings
- Negotiating improved parental leave
- The first Australian university to receive the Breastfeeding Friendly Workplace Accreditation
- Revamped governance structure for equity and diversity, which includes the Senate Standing Committee for Equity, Diversity and the Status of Women with three subcommittees: Cultural and Linguistic Diversity and Indigenous Australians, Disability; and Gender Equity.
Media: contact Professor Rix (phone: 07 3381 1002, email: a.rix@uq.edu.au) or Miguel Holland at UQ Communications (phone: 07 3365 2619, email: m.holland@uq.edu.au)
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