On this page
- Increasing proportions of female students
- High achievement rates for female students
- Encouraging females in traditionally male-dominated areas
- Increase in women in senior positions
- Books published on topics of importance to women
- Development and launch of Kāhui Irarau – a student-led project!
- Related content
Increasing proportions of female students
In 2021 and 2022, 64.7 per cent of all Massey students identified as female. In 2022, this comprised 17,824 students of 27,534.
This percentage has steadily increased over the last five years. The percentage of students identifying as female in:
- 2018 was 63.5 per cent
- 2019 was 63.8 per cent
- 2020 was 64.2 per cent.
The percentage of female Māori and Pacific students is higher at 72.5 per cent and 70.5 per cent, respectively. These rates have been stable since 2020.
Conversion rates for female students are slightly higher than those for males.
- 62.4 per cent of applications in 2022 were submitted by female applicants.
In recent years, the number of students identifying as another gender has also increased from less than 20 in 2020, to 70 in 2021 and 167 in 2022.
High achievement rates for female students
In 2022, completion rates for full-time, bachelor-level students were 68 per cent for female students compared with 64 per cent for male students (based on Tertiary Education Commission Educational Performance Indicators data).
The percentage of female students completing all Massey qualifications was 65.3 or 4,319 out of 6,616 qualifications awarded.
- 63.0 per cent for bachelor degree-level qualifications.
- 69.1 per cent for postgraduate qualifications.
Encouraging females in traditionally male-dominated areas
Annual STEM day
This event aims to inspire the next generation of scientists and get more young women involved in the male-dominated disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. The event is a collaboration with local science organisations.
Secondary school workshops
Annual workshops for female secondary school students focus on food technology and business, and sustainability.
Scholarships
A range of scholarships to encourage females to study at Massey are available.
Women in Economics and Finance
This student-led group aims to build connections between women and create a supportive community where women feel confident and represented throughout their study.
Zonta Manawatū Aviation Award
Kate de Lautour from Massey’s School of Aviation received the inaugural award in 2022. The establishment of the Zonta Manawatū Aviation Award was to encourage young women to enter the traditionally male-dominated career field of aviation.
Increase in women in senior positions
The proportion of women in senior positions at the university is rising.
The percentage of female Professors and Associate Professors was 41 per cent in 2022, up from 34 per cent five years ago.
Women made up 55 per cent of Senior managers, Directors and Managers in 2022, compared with 46 per cent five years ago.
Books published on topics of importance to women
Dismantling Rape Culture: The Peacebuilding Power of ‘Me Too’ is a new book by Massey’s Dr Tracey Nicholls that analyses rape culture through the lens of the “Me Too” era.
Postfeminism and Body Image, co-authored by Massey’s Professor Sarah Riley, is a new book exploring the postfeminism idea that women empower themselves by working on their appearance. The research looks at how the pursuit of ideal femininity can undermine women and make them vulnerable.
Development and launch of Kāhui Irarau – a student-led project!
In 2022, a team of College of Creative Arts students who identify with the rainbow community worked alongside the university to develop a community service to support rainbow and takatāpui community individuals.
The initiative, known as Kāhui Irarau (loosely translated to a flock or gathering of many lives), is an indigenous-led approach to promoting LGBTQIA+ inclusion.
The name draws inspiration from the whakataukī (proverb) e koekoe te kōkō, e ketekete te kākā, e kūkū te kererū. This signifies the diverse richness of both our native birds and our people, much like the tūī squawking, the kākā chattering and the kererū cooing.
Kāhui Irarau serves as a platform for fostering connections and offers a range of events throughout the year.
You can find out more about this initiative using Facebook and Instagram.
Related content
