Ensuring women鈥檚 participation and success at UC
As part of our overall approach to supporting students to succeed UC actively measures women鈥檚 participation and success, to help ensure that there are as few barriers to women鈥檚 participation as possible. UC has comprehensive internal reporting for staff to help them support students during their studies, and includes the ability to target support at specific student demographic groups.
聽In 2023, women accounted for 52% of enrolments and approximately 52% of all course completions. The qualification completion rate for our female students was 71%, compared to 63% for males.
UC also offers聽mentoring opportunities, support structures and facilities that enable all women to meet their educational aspirations.
| FEMALE | 聽 2019聽聽 | 聽 2020聽聽 | 聽 2021聽聽 | 聽 2022聽聽 | 聽 2023聽聽 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applications | 51.5%听听 | 52.0%听听 | 53.0%听听 | 51.7%听听 | 54.2%听听 |
| Enrolments | 50.4%听听 | 51.2%听听 | 51.6%听听 | 52.1%听听 | 51.9%听听 |
| Course Completions聽 | 51.8%听听 | 53.0%听听 | 53.3%听听 | 52.6%听听 | 52.3%听听 |
92 years of resilience and perseverance
At 92, UC graduate Dr Patricia Roberts-Pichette reflected on her pioneering career.聽After graduating 70 years ago with a Bachelor of Science followed by a Master of Science from UC, Patricia left in 1954 for Duke University in America on a Fulbright scholarship to complete her PhD in Ecology and Forestry. Dr Roberts-Pichette then taught for 10 years at the University of New Brunswick, Canada, and went on to lead the way in global ecology. To this day she continues researching and her work is regularly cited in academic research, specifically her work on the Venus fly trap. While she reflects on her life with pride, it was not an easy road: she often found herself the first or only woman in her work. Her best advice was about passion: 鈥淚f you really want to do something, and if it鈥檚 that important 鈥 go do it. Go around the corners, go under barriers, put your head down and go straight through, that鈥檚 what you do. But you鈥檝e got to love it; if you don鈥檛 love it, don鈥檛 try.鈥 Dr Roberts-Pichette鈥檚 career included roles in Environment Canada on a UNESCO Program, where she managed the Canadian Secretariat. After working at the Canadian International Development Agency, she was appointed to a technical advisory committee on international agriculture with an office at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome. Dr Roberts-Pichette later had a national award for excellence named after her by Environment Canada.聽
Alumni Q&A: Zoe McIntosh
Beginning her filmmaking career here at the Ilam School of Fine Art, Zoe McIntosh is now an award-winning director of commercial, documentary and dramatic works. Her latest feature film, Stylebender, had its global premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in June 2023, where it was nominated for Best Documentary and Best New Director. McIntosh notes it was difficult to get a break as a woman in filmmaking. McIntosh says, 鈥淚t is SO hard to become a film director and even harder as a woman. How I transitioned was by submitting two films I had made at University into a few film festivals overseas and in NZ. They got traction and won a few awards. This recognition opened doors for me to direct films in NZ while I was still quite young鈥. McIntosh鈥檚 most recent project, Stylebender, is a feature film about Israel Adesanya, the Nigerian-born, New Zealand-based MMA champion. The film goes beyond the ring and delves deep into an unlikely fighter鈥檚 journey.
Wahine of the waves
UC History Professor Katie Pickles highlighted research which explains how women broke down the boy鈥檚 club barriers to surf lifesaving in New Zealand. Girls and women now expect to be able to participate and compete in surf lifesaving in New Zealand, but it wasn鈥檛 always that way. Until relatively recently, patrolling the beach and waves was pretty much a male domain. Post-war years saw some gains: women were allowed to become summer beach patrollers and be paid for their work. By 2017, half of New Zealand鈥檚 surf lifeguards were women, but they made up only 28% of rescue boat drivers. A recent survey found girls and women still faced some barriers to participation. A wahine on water programme sets out to redress the remaining gender imbalance, providing mentors and training opportunities, while Surf Life Saving New 成人大片has made it a mission to include all peoples and cultures within the organisation.聽
Improving gender diversity
This year saw several initiatives to improve gender diversity, such as by increasing the proportion of external women engineers supervising and supporting UC students in their final-year design projects. Women in Space Aotearoa New 成人大片is a professional network, founded by members from UC, that supports women working in the space sector. This community aims to encourage women and gender minorities, including future generations, to pursue a career in space, particularly through studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematic (STEM) fields.
UC building to be renamed after victims鈥 advocate
A UC graduate and staff member who was a life-long advocate for victims and people with disabilities is being honoured when a building on our Ilam Campus is to be renamed after her.聽UC鈥檚 Psychology Staff Block building will be named the Ann Ballin building after Dame Reubina Ann Ballin.聽Dame Ann Ballin chaired the Victims鈥 Task Force from 1988 to 1993 and pioneered changes in the criminal justice system to improve justice for victims of crime. She also contributed expertise to other groups, including the Royal Commission on Social Policy. She received an honorary doctorate from UC in 2001. In 2002 she was awarded the country鈥檚 highest civilian honour 鈥 membership of the Order of New Zealand. 聽鈥淒ame Ann Ballin, who died in 2003, was a life-long advocate for people with disabilities 鈥 she herself was in a wheelchair 鈥 and for victims鈥 rights. She was also a UC graduate of psychology and a UC student counsellor. In recognition of her career and the impact she had on our students and staff over many decades, we think it鈥檚 very appropriate that the Psychology Staff Block building is renamed the Ann Ballin building,鈥澛爏ays Acting Executive Dean of Science Professor Janet Carter.
UC student launches into UC aerospace industry
Engineering student Jennifer Berry is one of 51 (mostly American) undergraduate students earning a place at leading aerospace organisations after聽winning a prestigious Brooke Owens Fellowship 鈥 the first person from the Southern Hemisphere to become a fellow.聽Part of the fellowship is to intern at an aerospace organisation and Berry will work at Space Capital in New York City. Space Capital is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests exclusively in space-based technology. Berry says it felt 鈥渦nreal and slightly overwhelming鈥 to discover she would be the first person from Australasia to join the American aerospace fellowship. During her second year at UC, she interned at Rocket Lab鈥檚 New 成人大片headquarters. 鈥淚t is a huge privilege to be in a position to uplift and support other young women and gender minorities in this part of the world with their future applications and in their journeys in the aerospace sector,鈥 says Berry.
How do people react to Women Doing Science?
International scientists are using social media to both promote images of diverse women in STEM聽(Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) and study how people respond to these posts. The research team, which includes researcher Dr Camilla Penney from UC, run an Instagram account where they share photos of women in STEM doing their research with accompanying descriptions. Although their research suggests social media can contribute to challenging stereotypes of women in STEM, the researchers emphasise that more effort is needed in other areas to alleviate gender and racial gaps. 鈥淪ocial media can only go so far 鈥 aspiring scientists need real-life role models to look up to, which ultimately needs more effort from institutions to get the diverse graduate students who represent most of the featured scientists on Women Doing Science into senior positions,鈥 says Dr Penney.
UC academic named in 2021 Honours List
Our congratulations to Professor Emerita Paula Jameson on receiving the聽Officer of the New 成人大片Order of Merit聽in the 2021 Queen鈥檚 Birthday Honours List. Professor Emerita Jameson is a leading plant scientist. In 2004, she was appointed inaugural Head of our School of Biological Sciences. Through her direct leadership and mentorship, the School became one of New Zealand鈥檚 highest ranked groupings of biologists. Professor Jameson鈥檚 work has been notable in combining internationally recognised research on the regulation of plant growth with leadership across the wider biological sciences. Professor Jameson received the 2019 Marsden Medal recognising a lifetime of outstanding service to the science profession.
Flicking the Leadership switch
UC Business School offers professional development and strategic leadership courses to women to build the skills to thrive in complex environments, better manage challenges and demonstrate resourcefulness in a fast-changing world. In our popular interactive introductory course, Flicking the Leadership switch, women explore leadership pathways. The course introduces women to a range of practical tools and topics, such as ideas and action plans to support future development, ideas for lifting leadership profiles, common challenges women face in the workplace and how to navigate them, and support from a peer group, to name a few. The course benefits women from diverse industries; commercial, local government not for profit or education. It is aimed at ensuring women鈥檚 pathways to potential can be identified and realised.
Breast cancer screening
Jessica Fitzjohn, UC PhD candidate, is part of a research team聽working on a breast cancer-diagnosis device聽with the potential to help overcome cultural and socio-economic boundaries, reach more rural communities, and make breast screening more accessible to women of all ages. Fitzjohn hopes a new breast-screening method could become a reality in Aotearoa. The new method involves lying face down while the device vibrates at different frequencies for cameras to capture surface motions. The images are analysed to detect possible tumours. Fitzjohn says: 鈥淐urrently, free mammograms are offered to women aged 45-69 in New Zealand, but only 67% of women in that age group make the most of this. Many women put off coming in for mammography because they find it uncomfortable and invasive. In addition, almost 20% of breast cancers occur in women under 45, who aren鈥檛 eligible for the free programme and for whom mammography is not generally recommended.鈥
Symposium initiates new women鈥檚 research networks
Women researchers from across Canterbury gathered at UC, to share knowledge, learn from each other鈥檚 experience and engage in discussions about future research. Deputy Vice- Chancellor Academic Catherine Moran opened the event, saying it was exciting to see so many women researchers together in one place. 鈥淲hat strikes me as I think about what this day means, is that it鈥檚 about women empowering women, celebrating one another and coming together to be stronger than we are on our own,鈥 she said. She welcomed her colleagues from across UC, as well as researchers from Ara Institute of Canterbury, Lincoln University, Crown Research Institutes and other organisations. Professor Ximena Nelson, from UC鈥檚 College of Science, first raised the need for a women鈥檚 research symposium. She was grateful for the support of her colleagues in bringing the vision to reality, including both academic and non-academic staff.
Exhibition on traditional Fijian female tattooing
An exhibition opened in September聽exploring the ancient art of female tattooing in Fiji.聽The exhibition was presented by Luisa Tora (Kadavu), the 2021 Creative New 成人大片Macmillan Brown Pacific Artist in Residence. Tora is an interdisciplinary artist, writer, and film maker, and has a special interest in indigenous, queer and feminist themes. Tora is Fijian and has lived in New 成人大片since 2009. In 2015 she became a member of The Veiqia Project, a collective of Fijian artists and researchers based in New Zealand, Hawai鈥檌 and Australia. The group is investigating veiqia, an indigenous Fijian female tattoo practice, and sharing its findings through creative outputs and community events. 鈥淭he exhibition highlights the journey each artist took to learn more about veiqia, our traditional tattoo practice that was part of a rite of passage for young girls when they reached puberty,鈥 Tora says.
Local politician graduates with a PhD
In April 2021 Sunita Gautam graduated with a PhD that聽focussed on self-employment as a strategy for Indian immigrants鈥 settlement in New Zealand.聽Gautam says: 鈥淚 come from a background where education was not a priority for girls. I strongly believe that education is crucial, and it plays a huge role in empowering wahine, and to change my destiny, I wanted to gain the world鈥檚 highest degree.鈥 Originally from Shaktinagar, a small town in India, Gautam moved to Christchurch nearly 20 years ago. She and her husband have made Christchurch their home, with Gautam giving back to the community through her work as the Community Board Member for the Central Ward, Justice of the Peace, and volunteer business mentor.
Matat奴 squad with UC connections
The South Island team for New Zealand鈥檚 new women鈥檚 rugby competition聽has several UC students and alumni. UC student Lucy Jenkins is in her third year of studying towards a Bachelor of Sport Coaching Degree along with Grace Brooker, as one of the first contracted players in Matat奴. Alumni of UC have also been named in the team. Chelsea Bremner graduated from with a Bachelor of Teaching and Learning in 2015, Liv McGoverne graduated with a Bachelor of Sport Coaching in 2019, and Grace Steinmetz studied Law and Commerce. Vice-Chancellor Professor Cheryl de la Rey said of the team partnership: 鈥淭he 成人大片 is committed to gender equity and social inclusion, and we are proud to support South Island w膩hine competing under the Super Rugby banner. It is pleasing to see nearly a quarter of Matat奴 contracted so far are UC-educated w膩hine, paving the way for future generations.鈥
Haere Mai to Amy Adams
Hon. Amy Adams, former MP and UC graduate, joined the UC Council on 8 September 2021. Amy graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree with First Class Honours from the 成人大片. Her legal career included becoming a partner in the Christchurch law firm. She was selected as the National Party candidate for the Selwyn region for the 2008 general election, and served as a Cabinet Minister for 6 years in a number of roles including as Minister for the Environment, Minister for Communications, and Minister of Justice. Amy was the Member of Parliament for Selwyn from 2008 until 2020, when she retired from politics.
Women Lead UC聽and UCSA
For the first time in our nearly 150-year聽history,聽UC is led by women. Chancellor聽Sue McCormack recently reflected聽on what leading her alma mater has聽meant to her. The Chancellor is proud聽of the growing relationship with Ng膩i聽T奴膩huriri and the ongoing work UC聽is doing to make sure our M膩ori and聽Pasikifa students have the space to excel,聽and the work ethic and community聽spiritedness of UC students and staff.聽The Chancellor also said a highlight was聽the appointment of UC鈥檚 first female聽Vice-Chancellor, Professor Cheryl de la聽Rey. In 2020, they were joined by the聽new UCSA President Tori McNoe and new Vice-President Katie Mills. Tori and Katie聽are the first female duo to lead the UC聽Students鈥 Association since it began in聽1894.
Pacific Artist in Residence
Nina Oberg Humphries was announced聽as the聽2020 Pacific Artist in Residence at聽UC鈥檚 Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific聽Studies. Exhibiting throughout Aotearoa,聽Nina鈥檚 work explores her dual Pacific聽and Moana Oceania heritage. Using聽traditional Polynesian art forms such as聽Tivaevae, costume and dance, combined聽with elements of popular culture, she聽seeks to convey issues of gender, identity聽and social politics. 鈥淎s the Macmillan聽Brown Pacific Artist in Residence I鈥檒l be聽researching taonga from the Pacific聽Collection at Canterbury Museum,聽conducting interviews with members of the Pacific community to find out what聽meaning and relevance, if any, these聽taonga still hold for them,鈥 she says.
UC Commits to聽Investigating Gender Pay聽Parity
In March 2020, on International Women鈥檚聽Day,聽UC committed to investigating聽gender pay parity for academic staff.聽The investigation follows findings by聽UC researchers showing that female
academics in Aotearoa are likely to earn聽less than their male counterparts over聽their career, despite equivalent research聽performance. UC鈥檚 commitment to聽action on investigating gender pay聽parity includes taking ethnicity into聽consideration. Further work is also聽planned to investigate pay parity for nonacademic聽staff at UC.
Gender and the Law
鲍颁鈥檚听Gender and the Law course聽examines the theoretical issues of聽equality, feminism and the intersection聽of gender and culture in areas of聽the law that raise gender issues in a聽bicultural legal context, including for聽M膩ori and Pasifika women. A range聽of topics are explored, such as norms聽on gender equality, legal responses聽to violence against women, and聽the challenge of intersexuality and聽changing gender. Students reflect聽upon the gendered nature of the聽law and its impact on society, on聽Aotearoa bi-cultural society and on the聽international level.
Gender Pay Gap in聽Academia
UC鈥檚 Associate Professors Ann Brower聽and Alex James analysed Performance-based聽Research Fund (PBRF) scores聽and academic ranks of all academics聽in New 成人大片for their聽聽in New Zealand聽Universities. Their finding of a 鈥榞ender聽performance pay gap鈥 is a world-first.聽It was made possible by measuring聽the research performance scores of聽all New 成人大片university academic聽staff from 2003 - 2012 鈥 nearly 6000聽individuals. Their finding shows that,聽when women and men perform at the聽same productivity level, women still聽earn less.
Women in Engineering聽Residential Programme
翱耻谤听Women in Engineering Residential Programme聽is a free 5 day/4 night聽programme for female high school聽students in Aotearoa interested聽in exploring the opportunities in聽engineering. The programme features聽various interactive workshops,聽inspiring presentations and fun social聽activities for eligible high school聽students who identify as female, who聽have completed year 12. During the聽programme the students are immersed聽in and experience the range of聽engineering subjects on offer at UC.
