WGEA statement

Victoria University (VU) is dedicated to achieving gender equity and inclusivity, aiming to create an optimal environment for everyone. Our focus is on diminishing the gender pay gap through transparent reporting, acknowledging disparities, and employing targeted strategies to enhance equality.

As of 31 March 2023, VU’s average organisational gender pay gap (Total Remuneration) is 10.4%, compared to the WGEA Higher Education Industry Comparison of 11.9%. Our Median Total Remuneration was 7.8%, compared with WGEA Higher Education Industry Comparison of 10.6% and Median Base Salary was 10.4%, compared with 10.6%.

Efforts to foster a more inclusive work and study environment have been significant, ensuring a sense of belonging for all at VU. Our endeavours in the 2022-2023 period include:

• Leadership Engagement: Our leaders, including the Vice-Chancellor and senior executives, are actively pursuing gender pay gap reduction goals, integrated into our Strategic Scorecard.
• Transparent Pay Practices: We conduct thorough pay equity analyses and review senior appointments for equity, ensuring our remuneration structure is fair and transparent.
• Equitable Design Practices: Our strategies include removing systemic barriers across the employee lifecycle, ensuring gender-balanced selection processes, and implementing programs that promote inclusive leadership.
• Advocacy and Partnerships: Partnering with Our Watch, we are addressing gender inequality and violence, aiming to effect change within and beyond our community.
• Inclusive Policies: We continually update our policies to ensure they support fairness in employment, covering recruitment, promotions, pay, and professional development.
• Accountability and Measurement: We set measurable objectives, regularly evaluate our progress in closing the gender pay gap and maintain transparency through reporting to the VU Council and independent reviews.

 Figure 1: WGEA Annual Compliance Report Gender Composition by Management Levels, 31 March 2023

Figure 2: Total remuneration full-time equivalent pay of all VU employees four equal quartiles, WGEA 2022-2023 submission

An independent review of VU’s Gender Pay Gap, as part of the 2023 WGEA compliance submission, provides the following insights. The gender pay gap at VU is historical and structural with higher representation of men at senior academic levels and a corresponding over-representation of women, gender diverse and non-binary staff at the lower professional levels. 

Pay equity is connected to everything – representation, recruitment, promotion, career development and progression, secondments, higher duties and progression, exit, career breaks, parental leave, caring, flexibility and superannuation. Solving the gender pay gap requires an integrated approach. 

We acknowledge the importance of closing this gap to ensure fairness and equity for all our workforce. These insights form the basis for our priority actions. 

We are committed to promoting and implementing actions in the Gender Equality Action Plan, 2022-2025 to help sustain gender parity in leadership roles, work towards gender parity in the professoriate, and reduce structural pay gaps at leadership and management levels. Key areas of focus include:

• Data and Insights: Continue to monitor pay equity performance, longitudinally and benchmarked, in a transparent way and draw insights to drive action and practice across the university.
• Leadership: Build understanding of pay equity considerations amongst university leadership to inform policy and practice and position VU as an employer of choice for women, gender diverse and non-binary people in senior leadership roles. 
• Development: Identify the pipeline and build the necessary career support mechanisms to progress the career trajectory of women, gender diverse and non-binary staff, especially into senior academic leadership roles.

With the support of our leaders, and working with community and the sector more broadly, we will close the gap and ensure gender pay parity for all.