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Women in Information Technology
There is a noticeable gap between female and male enrollements into Information Technology courses.
In fact, there is a shortage of female professionals in the IT industry as whole.
A number of women in Faculty of ICT at Swinburne University have set out to investigate the reasons behind this gap, with a vision to encourage women to
become IT professionals.
WICT Project Coordinators
Prof. Judy McKay (Faculty of Information and Communication Technologies)
Ms Nargiza Bekmamedova (PhD candidate)
Ms Jessica Huynh (BIT student)
Achievements of WIT-S project
2008
• Analysis of student interviews – longitudinal qualitative
study to be completed in 2008
• Continued support of PhD students to manage the website and
organise various events
• Actively participate in Women in Leadership development
programs with the university
• Actively promote Women and Diversity issues within the Faculty
of ICT
• Consult with Faculty committees to advance implementation of
recommendations made from major research conducted
(Quantitative report; Gender audit; Qualitative report)
• Continue to publish in refereed journals and conferences
• Submit ARC Linkage grant application for Computer Club project
to extend to wider sample of schools in conjunction with researchers
from Monash and Deakin and supported by Department of Education,
Multimedia Victoria and Victorian ICT for Women Network
2007
• University wide Quantitative Survey report completed
• Gender Audit of FICT reported to Dean June 2007
• Interviews with current FICT students completed for first two years
of project. 2007 interviews to be finalised by December 2007
• Six conference papers presented to date at international and national
conferences
• One journal paper accepted (AJIS) and one in development. Projection of
several more conference and journal papers as final product of the
Interview component of the project
• Community of Women in ICT established and web-page created
www.swin.edu.au/ict/wict
• Information Systers events established and carried out in Semester
1 2007
• Regular lunchtime events held with invited speakers over the year
• Current and on-going trial Computer Club for Girls at co-educational
Government Secondary College run by WICT group
• WICT group very visible presence at Open Day
• Alana George (final year student) gained scholarship support to
attend Grace Hopper conference in USA
2006
• Established and launched support student group for women ICT students
(named WICT) and series of events held including very visible presence
on Open Day
• Held very successful Dean’s Welcome lunch for all new female students
in Faculty (March 2006)
• Held two other luncheon events with guest presenters.
• Completed a Gender Audit of student performance in ten FICT core
subjects and reported on seven factors that influence student
achievement. Presented to the FICT Dean in December 2006 with
several recommendations
• Continued longitudinal research and interviewed current FICT
students about their educational experience at Swinburne
• 3 Conference papers in 2006, GASAT, AusWIT and ACIS, two journal
papers and another conference paper in progress for 2007
• Visited Carnegie Mellon University and established links with
CMU student group and academics in their program.
• Invited Professor Lenore Blum, CMU to Swinburne in August 2007
2005
• Surveyed 1000 first year Swinburne students university wide to
establish student experience of ICT at home, school and university
choice
• Interviewed current FICT students about their educational
experience at Swinburne
• External Industry Reference Group meeting conducted
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