Implementation of the GEAP 2020 – 2024

Inclusive Recruitment Practices

• Inclusive Recruitment Guidelines for Hiring Managers
• Search Committee Guidelines to support achievement of gender targets
• Pilot of gender target setting during the Ad Astra rounds  Inclusive recruitment training bundle including unconscious bias awareness raising tailored for assessment panels
• Review of job description template to incorporate EDI

Senior Academic Leadership Initiative (SALI)

• UCD successfully obtained funding for two Full Prof posts in each of the SALI’s held to date.
• UCD committed to matching the second round of HEA funding i.e. a further two Full Prof posts.

Women’s Reproductive Health

• UCD Breastfeeding Policy
• Menopause Policy (first in the sector) and hosting of National Menopause Conference
• Workshops around fertility treatment with a policy in progress
• Period Poverty initiative with free period products

Data Enhancements

• Development of Employee Self Service diversity screen (first in sector) to capture equality data for employees
• Host of national EDI Data Conference leading to the establishment of an IUA EDI Data Group (first chair was UCD)
• Development of Gender Pay Gap dashboard (first in sector) to enable reporting across all categories of employees and at College/School level over a five-year period
• Publication of EDI Survey Report 2022 (completion rate targets achieved of 35%)

Faculty Development

• Mentoring at UCD initiative is available with a stream specifically for Faculty who are preparing to submit an application
• Faculty promotions session with Heads of School now includes Faculty development and the role of Head of School in faculty promotions
• A specific faculty induction programme has been developed
• P4G training for New Reviewers covers the topic of Promotion for faculty
•  As part of the new Rise Programme, management/ career progression is included throughout

Faculty Promotions

• Development of a set of FAQs to support applicants to capture EDI related information in their application e.g. family leave, leading on EDI initiatives
• Availability of sample promotions applications
• A UCD statement on the Responsible use of Research Metrics recognising that many factors may impact upon an individual’s research performance and/or research metrics and also reflecting the EDI Policy
• Review of the Development Framework for Faculty to incorporate EDI across a range of aspects of the role of faculty
• Real time reports are submitted to UMT on faculty promotions
• GEAP targets were exceeded at all levels for the 2021 – 2022 academic year. Taking the cumulative figure for the five-year period 2017 – 2022, targets were also exceeded at all three levels

Race and Ethnicity

• Publication of UCD Race & Ethnicity Report with recommendations by EDI Race and Ethnicity Working Group
• Establishment of UCD EDI Anti-Racism group with aim of developing an anti-racism action plan

Dignity and Respect

• New Bullying and Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Policies
•  Establishment of D&R Support Service
• Establishment of D&R Oversight Group
•  Enhanced Data Collection around disclosures
•  Communications and Awareness Raising campaign
• Leadership on a sectoral pilot in relation to an innovative Dignity & Respect Assessment Tool

School Level Awards

• As of May 2023, UCD holds 24 Athena SWAN awards (includes one College with 6 Schools). This exceeds the University KPI set of 24 Schools by 2024. 65% of Schools are now accredited in UCD which covers 86% of employees working in UCD Schools and 81% of UCD students (as per numbers of employees and students in September 2022). The majority of remaining Schools have committed to applying or Athena SWAN and have engaged with the process.
• UCD obtained its first silver award (Agriculture and Food Science) in April 2023 which is the first silver award nationally under the revised framework.
• Launch of a Gender Equality and EDI Accelerator Fund to support Schools in the implementation of innovative actions in their gender equality action plans.