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Athena Swan Institutional Silver Application Student Consultation

Athena Swan Institutional Silver Application Consultation with the UCD students 

You can choose to attend on either of the following date options:

  • Thursday 8 February: 1pm – 2pm
  • Thursday 8 February: 4pm – 5pm
  • Monday 12 February: 4pm – 5pm

Please register your interest in attending this event via this LINK

In case you are experiencing any difficulty with the registration link, please contact (opens in a new window)edi@ucd.ie

You must be over 18 to participate in the focus group.

Overview

Athena SWAN is an accreditation process which recognises higher education institutions’ commitment to gender equality and inclusion. As part of the Athena SWAN accreditation process, the University is undertaking a consultation with students to understand gender equality and inclusion in UCD. This consultation supports UCD to develop an action plan to enhance gender equality and inclusion in the University.

Whilst the Athena SWAN process and action plan continues to have an emphasis on gender equality, the revised Athena SWAN Charter is now more encompassing of EDI more broadly across all equality grounds as well as intersectionality. To learn more about the revised Athena SWAN Charter please click here.

To support the institutional silver application a number of working groups with broad representation across the UCD community have been established, with co-chairs from an academic and practitioner background, to lead on the development of key aspects of the application and associated actions. 

These working groups are supporting key topics that are essential to achieving gender equality covering:

  • Recruitment
  • Promotions and Career Development
  • Leaves/Flexible Working/Wellbeing
  • Students and Diversity (separate consultation events will be held) 

Membership of each working group can be found here

Why have you been invited to take part?

UCD wants to get your views and experience of gender equality and inclusion at UCD.  Gender equality refers to people of all genders being equal, especially in status, rights, or opportunities.  

This focus group themes covers the following areas:

  • incorporating equality, diversity and inclusion into curricula, pedagogy and assessment;
  • creating a safe and respectful environment;
  • supporting students with family and caring responsibilities;
  • equality, diversity and inclusion in student intake, engagement and activities.

You are invited to give your honest opinions -positive and negative.  Your responses can help us develop a Gender Equality Action Plan to make UCD more inclusive.

We encourage people of all genders (male, female and gender non-binary* students) to participate.

*Gender non-binary describes a person who does not identify exclusively as male or female.

Please register your interest in attending this event via this LINK

D&RSS adviser and student adviser will be present if any support is needed. Focus groups will take place in a confidential setting that is accessible. The focus group will normally take approximately 1.5 hours.

You will be required to complete a consent form to participate in the focus group which will collect information on your personal opinions of gender equality and inclusion in UCD.

Under GDPR, consent means: “any freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous indication of the data subject's wishes by which he or she, by a statement or by a clear affirmative action, signifies agreement to the processing of personal data relating to him or her.”

Consent could be given, for example, by way of email – so long as the researcher can be certain that the email has come from the individual (the ‘Data Subject’) themselves, and not from any other person. For these focus groups, consent will be given by means of completion of the consent form or e-mail.

Age

You must be over 18 to participate in the focus group.

How do you give consent?

This UCD Athena SWAN Student Focus Group Consent Form will be send to the participant ahead of the session.

1. Do you feel the education experience at UCD is inclusive – are there any examples of where it is/is not inclusive? What actions do you feel UCD could take to make the student education experience at UCD more inclusive in relation to the following:

  • Course materials/course resources (physical and virtual environments)
  • How you are taught
  • Learning experience
  • Your experience of assessment
  • Feedback on your work

2. Safe and Respectful Environment

  • Do you feel there is a safe/unbiased space to have your voice heard?
  • Are you aware of any of the activities undertaken by the University to build a respectful study environment where bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct are not acceptable?
  • What activities do you think the University should be doing to create a respectful study environment (physical and cultural) for students?
  • Do you feel your social life is respected or supported by UCD?

3. What supports are you aware of for students who have parenting responsibilities? Is there anything additional that you would like to mention?

4. What supports are you aware of for students who have caring responsibilities? Is there anything additional that you would like to mention?

5. Do you think that UCD could take additional actions to support those who are trans/non-binary students?

6. Do you feel a sense of belonging to UCD, does the college life meet your expectations and what can be done to improve this?" How much do you feel the student voice is at the heart of the university?

 

No, the focus group is not recorded. Notes on the discussion are taken by the facilitator/notetaker but will not take note of specific statements made or who made them, just the themes arising.

You can be assured that all of the data collected will be anonymous and it will be analysed together with the other participants’ data. Any data published will be part of the collective and no data will be attributed to any individual. Data will be used to support the development of the Athena SWAN application and gender equality action plan. Emerging themes during the focus group may be included in the Athena SWAN application. The application will not be published, it is only the gender equality action plan that will be published.

Data collected will be stored securely on a google drive with limited access.

Given the nature of focus groups, confidentiality cannot be guaranteed but it will be made clear to all participants at the beginning of the session that adherence to ground rules (including confidentiality) is expected. Any emerging themes will be anonymous and not attributed to a particular individual. Any data collected and included in the application will be anonymised. Only the action plan will be published on the website, the application itself is not published.

You are free to withdraw from the focus group at any time with no negative consequences. The data captured up to that point of withdrawal will be recorded but no data is assigned to any individual.

Once the Athena SWAN process is completed, the findings of the focus group will be available to you upon request from the EDI Unit carrying out the focus group. In additional Athena SWAN Gender Equality Action Plans are published on the EDI website.

There will be no direct benefit right away from taking part in this focus group. However, your participation will help take steps to improve gender equality and inclusion in UCD.

There are no monetary benefits to participating in the focus group.

There are minimal risks in participating in this focus group. You are not required to answer any questions you feel uncomfortable answering. You can refuse to participate if you wish. If a question or topic makes you feel uncomfortable you can leave the focus group at any time. If you need support, let the facilitator/notetaker know. Section two provides a list of contacts should you seek support (internal and external supports, please see below).

There are no consequences from taking part in this focus group.

This research is being undertaken to support the University Athena SWAN application. Athena SWAN is an accreditation process which recognises higher education institutions’ commitment to gender equality and inclusion. As part of the Athena SWAN accreditation process, the University is undertaking a consultation with students to understand gender equality and inclusion in UCD.

This consultation supports UCD to develop an action plan to enhance gender equality and inclusion in the University.

The Higher Education Authority requires higher education institutions to participate in the Athena SWAN accreditation process which the HEA has linked to funding requirements. Engaging in Athena SWAN is also part of UCD’s EDI Strategy 2021-2024 and UCD’s Gender Equality Action Plan 2020-2024.

Internal and External Supports Available (all are free)

If you have experienced bullying, harassment or sexual misconduct, or find that some questions or aspects triggered distress, please contact:

External Supports

Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) – Phone 1800 77 88 88

The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre is an external source of support that offers counselling services to help people recover from the trauma of sexual violence. 

Their telephone counsellors are available 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year, to listen, provide information and organise counselling if desired. The Helpline is available to people who have experienced rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment or childhood sexual abuse. It is also available to those supporting victims -family, friends and professionals.

Men’s Aid

Men’s Aid Ireland is the only dedicated national service supporting men and their families experiencing Domestic Violence including coercive control in Ireland. Their professional and qualified support team have years of experience in supporting men and families experiencing domestic abuse.

National Confidential Helpline – 01 554 3811

Women’s Aid

Women's Aid is a leading national organisation that has been working in Ireland to stop domestic violence against women and children since 1974. The Women's Aid National Freephone Helpline 1800 341 900 operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and provides support and information to callers experiencing abuse from intimate partners.

Pavee Point

Pavee Point Traveller & Roma Centre is a national non-governmental organisation comprised of Travellers, Roma and members of the majority population working in partnership at national, regional, local and international levels.

Phone: +353 (01) 8780255
Email: (opens in a new window)info@pavee.ie

Transgender Equality Network Ireland

Gender Identity Family Support Line: 01 907 3707

Akidwa

Akina Dada wa Africa-AkiDwA (Swahili for sisterhood) is a national network of migrant women living in Ireland. AkiDwA consults with migrant women and other key stakeholders, identifies discriminatory practices and develops evidence-based and representative solutions that address key issues like health, sexual and gender-based violence, and discrimination.

Phone: 01 8349851

Contact details for further information

Institutional Athena SWAN Project Manager: Marcellina Fogarty, Senior EDI Manager

E-Mail: edi@ucd.ie

Contact UCD Equality Diversity and Inclusion

University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
E: edi@ucd.ie