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The University of Western Australia has been named an Employer of Choice for Women for the eighth consecutive time.

The University has been named in every list published since the national awards began in 2002.

Federal Minister for Women Tanya Plibersek announced the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency list at an event marking International Women's Day yesterday.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Alan Robson said UWA was an advocate of equal opportunity and gender equity and, as a result, had increased the number of women at senior levels.  The University also provided development plans for high achievers, paid parental leave and family friendly working arrangements, he said.

"It is part of the University's culture to help women and men achieve their full potential while also helping them to find a balance between work and family.  It is very important to us that women working at UWA feel supported and valued and we work very proactively to achieve this," Professor Robson said.

UWA Associate Director of Equity and Diversity, Beverley Hill, said that over the past two decades UWA had worked on removing structural barriers that could impede the careers of female staff.

"Both women and men have benefited from the ongoing review of how the University enables its staff to contribute and succeed in their careers," Ms Hill said.

More than half the women employed at UWA who accessed parental leave in 2009 returned to work on a part-time basis.  Sixty-eight per cent of staff recruited or promoted into professional manager roles were women.  Of the seven staff promoted or recruited into executive positions, three were women.

The Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency awards the Employer of Choice for Women citation to non-government organisations with more than 100 employees that have demonstrated they have policies and practices supporting women across the organisation and that these have had a positive outcome for both women and business.

Media references

Beverley Hill (UWA Associate Director Equity and Diversity)  (+61 8)  6488 3791
Janine MacDonald (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 5563  /  (+61 4) 32 637 716