UC Accepts Males Study Downward Trend; No comment on causes or action

UC responds to questions about gender equality among UC students, when it has received the lowest ranking on the Times Higher Education site for gender equality.

UC has acknowledged a worrying trend that shows a drop in male graduation rates across almost every qualification type and fewer and fewer men entering into post-graduate study, especially in honour’s and master’s level tuition. However, it would not specify what steps it was or will take to rectify the gap.

Source: UC

“These trends are not unique to the University of Canterbury but can be seen globally”

UC statement to The New Zealand Reporter

The trends appeared despite UC receiving the lowest ranking amongst all New Zealand universities for 2023 on the Times Higher Education website. The site assesses universities globally “against the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)” with an emphasis on “universities’ research on the study of gender equality, their policies on gender equality and their commitment to recruiting and promoting women.”

NZR

Women aged 20- to 34-year-old also outnumber men in every one of its faculties aside from the Engineering and the UC Business School. The trends are based on UC data collected between 2020 and 2024.

From the Arts to the Sciences, women are outperforming men in almost every area and in areas such as law they are graduating at about two women for every man.

The trends appeared despite UC receiving the lowest ranking amongst all New Zealand universities for 2023 on the Times Higher Education website. The site assesses universities globally “against the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)” with an emphasis on “universities’ research on the study of gender equality, their policies on gender equality and their commitment to recruiting and promoting women.”

The ratings appear not to measure universities’ attempts at tackling male under-achieving.