Transforming Gender Equality and Inclusion in Higher Education in Ireland

Today, Ireland is recognised as a leader among European countries in advancing gender equality (GE) in higher education. The remarkable characteristic of this profile, though, is the speed at which the higher education (HE) sector has embedded GE as a distinctive and integral feature of the system. Although there were efforts to advance gender equality in the Irish higher education sector, the importance of the topic did not take hold until 2015-2016. At that point, two events of enduring significance occurred. One was consensus in the higher education institutions (HEIs), supported by the Higher Education Authority (HEA), to adopt the Athena Swan framework for gender equality plans (GEPs). The other was publication by the HEA of an investigative report, with recommendations, by a committee led by former European Commissioner for Research and Innovation, Maire Geoghegan-Quinn. Little is known about advancing change across a higher education system in one country as a national priority. This paper explores the changes within the Irish HE landscape to unearth lessons learned and to address how Ireland as a case study, with government focus and support, has transformed the EDI agenda in the context of GE. The paper is based on, and draws from, a recent publication on this subject to which change leaders have contributed reflections to embed an EDI landscape. It discusses the methods by which collaboration on this book project was developed and supported, and the value of this reflective approach in making sense of the fast-paced change of the last decade. The paper highlights challenges and well as opportunities encountered along the way and briefly reflects on the maturation of the gender equality agenda in the current context.