Ninth Level Ireland

“Trinity’s gender equality efforts are being ‘hampered by the fragmented structure’ in which many key stakeholders interact with each other, according to a confidential report obtained by The University Times. The report, which was published in May, also highlighted the lack of visible information on equality, diversity and inclusion in Trinity …” (more)

[Katy Amos, University Times, 8 November]

“Trinity rushed through the appointment of a top-ranking officer for gender equality, The University Times has learned, U-turning on an earlier decision not to create the position amid fears that its application for a new government equality initiative would be ‘seriously weakened’ without a senior equality advocate …” (more)

[Donal MacNamee, University Times, 5 November]

“Last November, The University Observer reported on UCD’s gender imbalance problem, specifically relating to the lack of women in senior-level staff positions. At the time, only 30% of UCD Heads of School were women and only 24% of UCD full professors were women. The target is a 40% balance …” (more)

[Jade Wilson, University Observer, 1 November]

“University College Dublin (UCD) today announced that the UCD School of Medicine, UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science and UCD College of Engineering and Architecture (made up of a further six Schools), have received Athena SWAN Bronze awards for their commitment to gender equality …” (more)

[AlphaGalileo, 10 October]

“This week saw a sober assessment of the impact – both positive but also depressingly negative – of schemes to improve gender equality. As the Athena Swan Review Group wrestles with how to improve their own awards, it is important to learn from mistakes as well as successes. In years gone by I spoke up for Athena Swan …” (more)

[Athene Donald’s Blog, 22 June]

“The IUA welcomes the announcement of the Call for Proposals for the Senior Academic Leadership Initiative (SALI). Our member universities are enthusiastic about engaging in this positive initiative to address the gender imbalance at senior academic level …” (more)

[IUA, 21 June]

“As someone who studies academic organizations and their efforts to encourage equality, I believe that dedicated programmes to address inequalities are essential. I also worry they might not be designed to provide support to the very people who need it …” (more)

[Charikleia Tzanakou, Nature, 18 June]

“The Technological Higher Education Association (THEA) congratulates IT Carlow and CIT on the success of their submission for the Athena SWAN bronze award and congratulates the teams who worked on these …” (more)

[THEA, 6 May]

“Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) has commenced its preparations to submit an application for the Athena SWAN Bronze Award – the gender quality benchmark – to the Advance Higher Education’s (HE) Gender Equality Charters Team. The submission is an institution-wide initiative led by the Research Office at DkIT …” (more)

[Talk of the Town, 13 April]

“On November 12th 2018, the Gender Equality Taskforce Action Plan for Higher Education 2018-2020 was launched by Irish Minister for Higher Education, Ms Mitchell O’Connor. In addition to this Action Plan, the Senior Academic Leadership Initiative has been launched, which foresees the creation of 45 senior academic posts for women in Higher Education colleges nationwide …” (more)

[ETUCE, 18 December]

“Following the 2016 National Review of Gender Equality in Irish Higher Education Institutes and the ‘exceptionally slow’ progress that has followed a Higher Education Authority (HEA) Expert Group report, Minister of State for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD has introduced a Gender Action Plan that will create 45 female-only professorships …” (more)

[eolas, 10 December]

“The Irish Universities Association (IUA) today welcomed the Report of the Gender Equality Taskforce Action Plan 2018-2020. The IUA is fully committed to working with the Minister and Department of Education and Skills to implement the recommendations arising from the Report in order to bring about meaningful and sustainable change in gender equality in universities …” (more)

[IUA, 12 November]

“Despite the fact that more women complete undergraduate and postgraduate degrees than men, and 51% of lecturers in higher education are women, the gender imbalance in higher education leadership is particularly prevalent. According to reports by the Higher Education Authority, women are grossly underrepresented in senior academic positions at third level institutions …” (more)

[Jade Wilson, University Observer, 1 November]

“Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) has been awarded the Athena SWAN Bronze Award in recognition of its commitment to advancing gender equality for women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and for bringing about organisational and cultural change within the Institute …” (more)

[THEA, 28 September]

“IT Carlow will make a formal application in November for an Athena SWAN Bronze Award, the gender equality benchmark. The college will be among the first in the technological sector to make an application, which it has been working towards, since IT Carlow is one of just two institutes of technology with a female president …” (more)

[Carlow Nationalist, 19 September]

“IT Carlow’s to make a formal application for an Athena SWAN Bronze Award. It would mean the third level facility would be the first in the technological sector to bid for the gender equality benchmark …” (more)

[Edwina Grace, KCLR96FM, 12 September]

“All but one of the 14 institutes of technology have yet to submit an application for the gender equality benchmark needed by the end of next year to be eligible for public research funding. Although institutes of technology (ITs) involved in planned mergers to become technological universities (TUs) have a longer timeframe in which to secure the Athena Swan bronze award, Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) has submitted its application this summer …” (more)

[Niall Murray, Irish Examiner, 4 September]

“As part of her opening address to the European Conference on Gender Equality in Higher Education today, Monday 20 August, Minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD announced the launch of the first Gender and Diversity Statement for higher education institutions …” (more)

[Technological Higher Education Association, 20 August]

“University of Limerick has the highest proportion of women at senior levels of academia, new figures show. 31% of professors at UL are female, the highest percentage in the country and 10% than the average of 21% across the Irish University sector …” (more)

[Nicole Glennon, Limerick Post, 12 August]

“The latest figures on gender progression among academics from the Higher Education Authority show some improvement in what has been an intractable problem, but illustrate the extent of the hill still to be climbed. The HEA figures show that among ‘core funded’ academic staff the proportion of female professors has increased from 23% to 24% since 2015 while the number of female associate professors has increased from 32% to 34% …” (more)

[Joan Donegan, Irish Times, 3 August]