Gender Equity at JCU Gender Equity at JCU - Actions

Gender Equity at JCU - Actions

Gender Equity Actions are established and monitored within JCU's Integrated Dynamic Plan.  Focus areas for 2025/2026 include:

  • Women’s promotion journeys and support for navigating promotions.
  • Recognition and accountability for service, leadership and mentoring in promotion and workload models.
  • Succession planning for leadership positions to ensure equity in leadership pathways.
  • Standardising parental leave and flexible work arrangements across the university.
  • Increasing male participation in mentoring and sponsorship of female academics.

Performance Measures that have been set are available on the JCU Strategic and Dynamic Planning SharePoint page (login required)

WATTLE (Women ATTaining LEadership) is a carefully designed residential program aimed at empowering women to attain senior university leadership roles. It is owned entirely by participating universities, with all profits reinvested in the program.

JCU participates in the Wattle Professional and Academic Program.   More information is available here: https://wattleprogram.org/

Information on the 2026 Program will be available on the  JCU's Wattle Sharepoint site.

The Scheme is designed to practically support and encourage JCU women researchers to maintain their research momentum and career trajectory during extended parental leave. Women are under-represented in professorial positions and this scheme is one mechanism to assist to redress the disadvantage associated with a loss of research opportunities or research momentum from extended parental leave.

This scheme contributes to the JCU strategic priorities of Impactful Research and Empowering Our People by providing research continuity to increase the competitiveness and impact of JCU researchers and reflects JCU’s values of Excellence and Integrity by proactively identifying and acting on barriers to inclusiveness and diversity.

FUNDING

The Scheme provides up to $20,000 per application for research assistance to maintain research progress during parental leave. The funding entitlement will be calculated on a pro-rata rate of $500 per week (excluding GST) of approved maternity leave for a fulltime researcher, up to a maximum of $20,000.

The activity and expenditure must occur during the period of approved parental leave or within the first 3 months transitioning back to work.

Application forms are available on the JCU Intranet - Research and Innovation Services (log-in required).

The Scheme is designed to practically support JCU researchers to progress their research career by reducing the barriers to presentation at research conferences. The Scheme contributes to support for JCU researchers with care responsibilities to attend and present at a research conference.

This scheme contributes to the JCU strategic priorities of Impactful Research and Empowering Our People by providing opportunities for JCU researchers to collaborate externally and promote JCU research and reflects JCU’s values of Excellence and Integrity by proactively identifying and acting on barriers to inclusiveness and diversity.

FUNDING

The Scheme provides funding of up to $2000 to contribute to care expenses in excess of their usual carer arrangements or reasonable travel expenses for a spouse/support person to undertake carer responsibilities.

Application forms are available on the JCU Intranet - Research and Innovation Services (log-in required).

JCU runs dedicated Academic Promotions workshops for women. Check the Promotions page for details (JCU Login required).  Detailed information on ROPE is available on this page.

The  Women and promotion  at JCU: Reporting on findings from Employee Experience Survey and women's promotions focus groups (2025)  is available here.

Find out about a range of flexible working arrangements you can access at JCU (login required).

The Vice Chancellor’s Gender Equity Project Fund provides up to $30,000 in financial support for between 1 and 6 targeted projects led by professional and academic staff at JCU to facilitate gender equity initiatives. The fund seeks to support projects that can inform the objectives in JCU’s Integrated Dynamic Planning, by:

  • helping bridge real or perceived gaps between JCU policy and staff experience.
  • advancing professional and academic practice through the implementation of recommendations for practical improvements to current University programs, initiatives and/or practices; and
  • fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange between stakeholders within JCU to collectively promote gender equity.

This funding is for projects that would not normally be funded by Colleges, Institutes or Divisions.

Projects can address any aspect of gender equity at JCU, noting projects related to Integrated Dynamic Planning focus areas for 2025/2026 were particularly welcome, including:

  • Women’s promotion journeys and support for navigating promotions.
  • Recognition and accountability for service, leadership and mentoring in promotion and workload models.
  • Succession planning for leadership positions to ensure equity in leadership pathways.
  • Standardising parental leave and flexible work arrangements across the university.
  • Increasing male participation in mentoring and sponsorship of female academics.

2026 EOIs are due by May 13, with Applications due June 24. Find the Vice Chancellor’s Gender Equity Project Fund Guidelines here.

2025 Projects

  • Gender Equity in HDR Confirmation of Candidature project - Final Report here
  • Making the Invisible Visible: Service and Engagement project - Final Report here.

The JCU Respect program is a comprehensive suite of activities addressing sexual harassment,  sexual assault. domestic and family violence, and all forms of gender-based violence.

See this page to learn more about JCU's commitment and actions on Gender Pay Equality, and JCU's annual reports to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA).

All staff have access to Gender Equity online  training in the Staff Learning Hub.

Pathways to Politics for Women is increasing the number of women in Australian politics by equipping diverse women to boldly embrace their political ambitions, thrive as leaders and make a profound contribution to society.  Through comprehensive practical training, workshops, mentoring and career-long support, the program provides unparalleled expertise for women who are serious about driving change through political leadership. For more information visit:  https://pathwaystopolitics.org.au/about/

GEAR Forums are an opportunity for women at JCU to meet and discuss issues relating to progressing gender equity at our university.  The forums are scheduled to occur twice a year. The registration details for each forum will be sent by email to women working at JCU.  For more information contact GEAR@jcu.edu.au

Summaries of previous GEAR Forums are available here.

JCU makes annual reports to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA).  JCU employees may make comments on WGEA report's to the Staff Equity and Diversity Team in Human Resources or to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA). For further information, visit the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) .

WGEA  tracks 6 Gender Equality Indicators.

  • GEI 1 - Gender composition of the workforce.
  • GEI 2 - Gender composition of governing bodies
  • GEI 3 - Equal remuneration between women and men
  • GEI4 -  Availability and utility of employment terms, conditions and practices relating to flexible working arrangements for employees and working arrangements supporting employees with family or caring responsibilities.
  • GEI 5 - Consultation with employees on issues concerning gender equality in the workplace.
  • GEI 6- Sexual harassment, harassment on the ground of sex or discrimination.

See here for JCU's reports to WGEA.