Michelle, Carolyn2009-09-142009-09-142004Michelle, C. (2004). Country institutional report: New Zealand. In P. Bergstrom (eds), Women’s/Genders Studies in Asia-Pacific (pp. 324-334). Bangkok, Thailand: UNESCO Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education.https://hdl.handle.net/10289/2928Waikato University pioneered the development of Women’s Studies as an academic discipline in New Zealand, with the first paper on this subject being offered in 1974. By 1982, a programme of papers was offered within five departments and the subject could be taken as a second supporting subject. A Centre for Women’s Studies was established in 1986, and, by 1988, was offering five taught core undergraduate papers and six electives, all of which could be taken towards a first or second support. A supporting BSocSci major in Women’s Studies became available in 1988, along with a Diploma in Women’s Studies. The full major became available in 1990. At this time, the major comprised a limited selection of core Women’s Studies papers complemented by a wider range of elective papers offered by other departments. This structure ensured that the programme had strong interdisciplinary, and in some cases inter-faculty linkages, along with wide support across the university through a network of elective teachers. These linkages appear to have facilitated strong growth in student numbers during the late 1980s and early 1990s.application/pdfenThis article has been published in the book Women’s/Genders Studies in Asia-Pacific. © 2004 UNESCO. Used with permission.women’s studiesgender studiesNew ZealandUniversity of WaikatoChapter in Book