SDG 5 Gender Equality

Scholarships to support women awarded in 2024:

• Transport and Main Roads (TMR) Women in Engineering (Regional) Bursary
• Transport and Main Roads (TMR) Women in Engineering (SEQ) Bursary
• CQUniCares Downer Scholarship
• Female Founders Program
• 2025 National Council of Women of Queensland Inc (NCWQ) Bursary Program
• Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering's (ATSE) Elevate: Boosting diversity in STEM
• Stronger Smarter Institute Teachers of Stem Initiative

For more information head over to our Scholarships page.

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 unite global minds and advance gender equity for international students in Victoria. 

Regional Female Founder Accelerator

This 14-week program is designed to propel regional Queensland female founders who are driving social impact. 

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. 

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 2024.

• 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. Thirty-three Indigenous girls from Mt Morgan State High School and Baralaba State School participated in the Indigenous Girls Academy Leadership Camp at CQUniversity’s Rockhampton North Campus. Now in its second year, the camp is held in partnership with the Q-Coal Foundation and is based on principles of respectful relationships, strength-based approaches, and cultural support. The four-day camp provided opportunities for the girls to experience life at the student residence, attend TAFE and university classes, and engage in cultural activities. The camp included resume-writing workshops, boxing, traditional art sessions, and cultural insights from female elders. The event focused on empowering the girls, encouraging them to stay in school, and fostering pride in their Indigenous heritage, reinforcing their sense of identity and strength as young Indigenous women.
• Women Who Weld- The program, held at CQUniversity’s TAFE Trade Training Centre in Mackay, aims to tackle Australia’s skills shortage in male-dominated sectors, such as industrial welding. The program introduces young women to welding and the broader manufacturing industry, encouraging greater gender diversity in trades where 76% of jobs are held by men. It aims to boost female participation in trade pathways and expose students to various career opportunities in sectors like aerospace, biomedical, and defence. Through hands-on experience and interactions with women working in manufacturing, the initiative seeks to build confidence and challenge gender norms. Industry leaders, including Cummins and Monadelphous, provided mentorship, underscoring the need for skilled workers in these critical fields.
• 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 project empowers women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths + Computing (STEM+C) education. Through annual workshops, the club aims to address the gender disparity in STEM+C by fostering interest and confidence in female students. The project investigates the impact of interventions on self-efficacy, designs strategies for classroom integration, and promotes female students' interest and confidence. It has established partnerships, engaged diverse audiences, and built a network for STEM+C education advocacy. 
• Women in Agri-tech project – The project aims to create a network of female teachers who will lead in digital literacy, STEM, and entrepreneurship in regional, rural, and remote areas. Guided by female researchers and professionals, these teachers will develop engaging educational resources to inspire girls in the classroom. The project also includes an agri-tech accelerator competition, offering female students the opportunity to further develop entrepreneurship skills. With the agricultural sector undergoing digital transformation, there is a growing demand for STEM and entrepreneurial expertise. Women are currently underrepresented in this field, comprising only 30% of the agricultural workforce and even fewer in leadership roles. The project seeks to inspire the next generation of women to explore careers in agri-tech, helping to bridge this gender gap.
• 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.
• 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. 

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

Childcare Centre

The C&K nGundanoo Imbabee Community Childcare Centre, located on CQUniversity's campus, provides early childhood education and care in a nurturing environment. The center offers programs for infants to preschoolers, emphasising play-based learning tailored to each child’s development. Eligible families can access government subsidies, although some gap fees may apply. For more details on programs, fees, and eligibility, please visit C&K's website.

Parent and Feeding Room

Located on the ground floor of Building 36 within the Commercial precinct of the Rockhampton North campus, an air-conditioned room is dedicated to supporting the needs of parents and breastfeeding mothers. The room features comfortable seating, a selection of children's toys and books, and a microwave for heating milk or formula.

CQU is 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 the CQU Ally Program, which aims to promote acceptance and understanding for the LGBTIQ+ community (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer/questioning and others). The Ally program is for ALL students, whether you identify as LGBTIQ+ or not.

There is an Ally Network on Moodle (your student learning portal - MyCQU) 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.

This is also the place where students who want to become trained as Allies can do so.

We join many other universities around Australia in having an Ally Program and making CQUniversity a welcoming place for all.

What is an Ally?

An Ally is simply any person who is informed about, is sensitive toward and has an understanding of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex (LGBTIQ) people and their issues. An Ally supports the experience and rights of LGBTIQ persons and encourages tolerance in a variety of ways, including by individual example and personal awareness. Allies are not identified as being either heterosexual or LGBTIQ but are representative of the entire CQUniversity community.

What do Allies do?

An Ally is someone who can guide students to resources and support staff, inform students about CQUniversity policies and procedures, listen to students' concerns, reassure students, and discuss ways of dealing with issues that arise.  It is not counselling, and you are not expected to be an expert in LGBTIQ issues.  Students will not be allocated to Allies, but may be referred to the program by staff or academics.  Allies will also pro-actively combat homophobia, either in conversations or by referring the matter to Student Support Centre staff.

Find out more

You can find out more about the Ally Program at CQU via your student portal, MyCQU. 

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.