Staff + Student LoginWaikato Women in Leadership (WaiWIL)
These pages have been developed to support women in leadership at the University of Waikato. This includes support for women already in leadership roles and for aspirant and potential leaders. It also considers aspects of leadership such as leading practice.
The Human Rights Commission in 2006 reported:
Women hold 16.91 percent of senior academic positions in New Zealand’s eight universities, up slightly from 15.82 percent in the previous Census. The proportion of women professors (13.77 percent) is down slightly from 2003 but associate professors are up to 19.87 percent. Four universities improved their proportions of senior women (Massey, Victoria, Canterbury and AUT) and four lost ground (Auckland, Lincoln, Otago and Waikato).
Then in 2008 reported:
Women hold 19.19% of senior academic positions in New Zealand’s eight universities, up 2.28% since the previous Census (2005 data) and up 3.37% since the 2004 Census (2003 data). The proportion of women professors (15.18%) is up slightly from 2005 and women associate professors are up to 23.19%, an increase of 7.22% since 2003. Six universities improved their proportions of senior women (Canterbury, Auckland, Lincoln, Victoria, Waikato and Otago) while two lost ground (AUT and Massey).
The 2010 report states:
Women hold 22.45% of senior academic positions in New Zealand’s eight universities, up 3.26% since the previous Census (2007 data) and up 5.54% since the 2006 Census (2005 data). The proportion of women professors (17.22%) is up slightly from 2007 while female associate professors increased to 28.02%, an increase of 8.15% since 2005. Six universities improved their proportions of senior women since the last census (Waikato, Massey, Canterbury, Auckland, Otago and Lincoln) while two lost ground (AUT and Victoria).
A new leader, Waikato University, has jumped ahead of AUT and Victoria University in 2010 with females at 28.57% of professors and associate professors. AUT previously had the highest proportion of female professors and associate professors, reflecting its newer university status and the ability to appoint more women at higher levels rather than rely more heavily on promotion. AUT is the only university to have a negative percentage change of -4.62% over the period of census reporting since 2003.
Waikato increased its proportion of female professors since the last census by 6.11% to 25%, and female associate professors by 6.80% to 32.89%, which is the highest proportion of female professors and associate professors across all the universities.
While Waikato has improved its position in the 2010 report typically women occupy less senior academic positions in greater numbers and are not proportionately represented at more senior levels (from Senior Lecturer Range 2 upward).
The aim of these web pages is to raise awareness around leadership issues with regard to women and to provide encouragement, support and guidance for women who aspire to leadership roles.