SDG5 Gender Equality
Gender equality – commencements and graduations
CQUniversity tracks and monitors student success including attrition, retention, and completion rates by cohort type including gender. This data assists the University in identifying possible areas of emerging disparity and helps to inform future strategic and practice directions. The data is reported to the Australian Government and is publicly available through the links below. To explore CQUniversity's results, click on a link below, select the type of information to explore on the left-hand side of the screen, then search for CQUniveristy:
Scholarships, mentoring and targeted support
Our students are availed of many mentoring and scholarship opportunities. These form part of our student support initiatives that help enhance their experience and career opportunities when they graduate. Aligned to themes of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 Gender Equality these opportunities include women's access schemes. Explore a sample of the women's access schemes available in 2022.
Scholarships to support women awarded in 2022:
- 2023 Zonta Club of Mackay STEPS Scholarship
- 2023 CQUniCares Downer Scholarship
- CQUniCares Sedgman Scholarship (Donor-funded)
- Women in Finance and Economics Scholarship
- TMR Women in Engineering Bursary (External)
- Elevate: Boosting Women in STEM
WinTECH STEM Club
WinTech (Women in Technology) STEM club we are committed to improving gender disparity in Science Technology, Engineering and Maths + Computing (STEM+C) education, and in doing so STEM+C workshops and mentoring opportunities are hosted every year for young and mature women across the community. These workshops are conducted in response to bringing change in STEM education, making female students more interested and more confident in taking up STEM+C subjects as their career.
Future Female Conference
The Future Female Conference is an annual event to connect and empower international students in Victoria is going virtual and hopes to reach its biggest audience yet despite COVID-19 challenges. The sessions are Transition into Workplace Culture in a Globalised World and a Mentoring Masterclass with education and business leaders including International Business Development Manager Alison Gutierrez.
Women in Agri-Tech
The ‘Women in Agri-tech’ project will create and foster a strong network of females who will become leaders in digital literacy, STEM and entrepreneurship in regional, rural and remote areas. They will be guided and mentored by female researchers, professionals and entrepreneurs to develop engaging learning resources which will, in turn, inspire girls in the classroom to realise the opportunities available to them.
Ally Program
There is an Ally Program Network on Moodle as a connection point for any student who would like to be involved, with resources, links, and forums. It is a place for students to access support and get in contact with an Ally.
We participate in outreach activities and collaborations to encourage increased participation by women in areas where they are historically underrepresented. Explore stories of our activities, workshops and projects that occurred in 2022.
- Indigenous Girls Academy- A CQUniversity-led program that works with young girls at Mount Morgan State High School and Baralaba State School to encourage them to stay in school.
- Women Who Weld- The program aims to build gender diversity in the workplace and address Australia's trade skill shortage by exposing young women to welding.
- Reframing Our Future- this innovative program empowers women to imagine and design the careers they want, that meet the needs of a changing world.
- WinTech Society- The Women in Technology (WinTECH) Society has developed free online workshops teaching students skills in data science using Excel and Python software. The workshops encourage students to choose STEM career paths.
- Women in Agri-tech project – a project that aimed to create and foster a strong network of female teachers who will become leaders in digital literacy, STEM, and entrepreneurship in regional, rural, and remote areas.
- Women in STEM – with only one-quarter of students studying STEM in Australia being women, we aim to inspire young women to pursue careers in science through programs and events through STEM Central. Events such as these work to change society's gender assumptions about scientists and increase the public visibility of women in STEM.
- Queensland Centre of Domestic and Family Violence Research – Queensland Centre for Domestic and Family Violence Research (QCDFVR) is based in Mackay and contributes to the prevention of domestic and family violence by informing, promoting and supporting the actions of individuals, communities, services and governments through state-wide leadership in research, professional development, education and community engagement.
- Girls STEM Camp – we hosted over 40 female high school students from account the region and on Curtis Island, promoting courses and seagrass restoration research. CMERC researchers ran an activity with the Boyne Island Environmental Education Centre.
- Seven Women – our university through appointed social innovation ambassadors called “Change Champs” has partnered with Nepal-based social enterprise, Seven Women, for project collaboration and global study experiences. Seven Women has helped thousands of disadvantaged and disabled women through education, training, health and income generation programs. The Seven Women range is available through the Bookshop thanks to a collaboration with the Office of Social Innovation, and every purchase supports women in Nepal through education, training, health and income-generation programs.
We are dedicated to creating a safe and supportive atmosphere for all students with a zero-tolerance approach to bullying and discrimination. As part of this, we have implemented an Ally Program to promote acceptance and understanding for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer (LGBTIQ) students.
There is an Ally Network on Moodle as a connection point for any student who would like to be involved, with resources, links, and forums. It is a place for students to access support and get in contact with an Ally.
We take our commitment to providing a safe and respectful environment for our students, staff and visitors to our campuses seriously and have implemented a range of activities and initiatives to help. Visit our Safer Communities page for more information
Policies
Explore the policies that align with SDG 5 Gender Equality.
Our Code of Conduct (Code) provides guiding principles and standards requiring employees to work with integrity, diligence, honesty and respect to deliver the University’s aim to be a great university. The Code reflects the commitment of our University to ensure fair and ethical behaviour in an institution dedicated to the pursuit of enquiry and academic excellence, engagement with people and ideas, as well as equity and diversity amongst our students and employees. In delivering this commitment within a truly great university, we operate in accordance with our organisational values as well as abiding by the Federal and State ethics acts, the Human Rights Act 2019 Qld and other relevant legislation, and the Academic Board Position Statement – Academic Freedom. We do this not only because we are legally obligated to do so, but because it is right and just.
We do not accept any form of discrimination including discrimination towards women and transgender people, this is outlined in our Workplace Harassment, Workplace Bullying and Unlawful Discrimination Policy and Procedure, our Sexual Harassment Policy and Procedure and our Code of Conduct.
The workplace harassment, workplace bullying and unlawful discrimination policy and procedure outline how that reporting discrimination for educational or employment disadvantages are protected.
Our Parental Leave Policy and Procedure outlines the maternity and paternity leave policies available to staff.
Our Equity Policy ensures that we take all necessary steps to create a safe, fair, equitable and inclusive learning and work environment. It ensures that no matter your ethnicity, religion, disability or gender you have access to activities, programs and opportunities provided and delivered by our university. This policy also guides us as we take a positive role in informing and educating students and staff of their rights and responsibilities in fostering a learning community that values equality. We do not tolerate unlawful discrimination, harassment or victimisation in any form.
We are a university of access and opportunity, and the tertiary institution of choice for a diverse cohort of students from all around Australia and the world. All students, regardless of their background, gender, location or career aspirations, are welcomed and supported to participate fully in education, training and university life, and to achieve their personal goals. Our Student Participation, Retention and Success policy supports this mission.
