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Athena Swan Ireland

Transform equality in your institution through an Advance HE Athena Swan award.

The Athena Swan charter launched in the Republic of Ireland in early 2015. The extension of the charter to Ireland was made possible through funding from the Higher Education Authority (HEA), which covers applications to the charter from 21 higher education institutions. Engagement with the charter is a key pillar of Ireland’s national strategy for gender equality with progress linked to institutional eligibility for funding from Ireland’s major research agencies. All of Ireland’s universities and institutes of technology and several colleges participate in Athena Swan Ireland.

The Athena Swan Ireland charter has recently undergone a re-development in line with the findings of a national consultation and offers a framework for progressing equality in higher education and research that is unique to Ireland. The objective of the Athena Swan Ireland 2021 charter framework is to support higher education institutions, academic departments, and professional units in impactful and sustainable gender equality work and to build capacity for evidence-based equality work across the equality grounds enshrined in Irish legislation. 

Find out more about Athena Swan Ireland

You can request a resource pack which contains links to guidance documents, application forms and relevant sector information.

Request a pack
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Simon Harris
Athena Swan is one of the most important initiatives that we have in the higher education sector in Ireland.”

Simon Harris TD
Minster for Further and Higher Education in Ireland

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Athena Swan Ireland Principles

The charter principles are the commitments that underpin Athena Swan Ireland and articulate the shared goals that all charter participants agree to upholding. The principles act as the foundation for the Ireland charter, with all other elements of the framework – including criteria, application and assessment – aligned to these commitments and the values enshrined within them.

In committing to the principles of the Athena Swan Ireland charter, we recognise that we join a global community with a shared goal of addressing systemic inequalities and embedding inclusive cultures in higher education.

We acknowledge that equality, diversity and inclusion strengthens higher education communities—the quality, relevance and impact of teaching and research, and the talent pool of potential staff and students. 

By participating in the Ireland charter framework, we strive for impactful and sustainable gender equality work in higher education institutions and seek to build capacity in evidence-based equality interventions across the equality grounds enshrined in Irish legislation.

We recognise that each institution, department, and professional unit has different equality challenges and development priorities, and that these priorities should be developed based on an understanding of the local evidence-base and national and global equality challenges in higher education.

In determining our priorities and interventions, we commit to:

  1. adopting robust, transparent, and accountable processes for Athena Swan work, including:

a. embedding equality, diversity, and inclusion in our culture, decision-making and partnerships, and holding ourselves and others in our institution/department/professional unit accountable.

b. ensuring active leadership from senior staff, with those in senior roles at the forefront of taking action, and inspiring and fostering dedication and involvement from staff at all levels.

c. collecting equality monitoring data to measure, understand and publicly report on challenges and progress, taking steps when necessary to support and encourage disclosure.

d. undertaking transparent self-assessment processes to ensure priorities, interventions and actions are evidenced-based and inform our continuous development.

e. distributing tasks appropriately, formally recognising and rewarding work and ensuring there is not a disproportionate burden on underrepresented groups.

2. making and mainstreaming sustainable structural and cultural changes to remedy the effects of structural inequalities and social injustices, which manifest as differential experiences and outcomes for staff and students.

3. tackling behaviours and cultures that detract from the creation of an institutional campus culture that is safe, respectful and supportive, including condemning sexual violence and harassment, bullying, discrimination, unfair treatment, or exploitation of staff, students or partners.

4. addressing unequal gender representation across academic disciplines and professional, managerial and support functions, including examining gendered occupational segregation, and elevating the status, voice, and career opportunities of under-valued and at-risk groups.

5. fostering collective understanding that intersectional inequalities must be accounted for in the development of effective equality analysis and actions.

6. mitigating the equality impacts of short-term and casual contracts for staff seeking sustainable careers.

7. supporting flexibility and the maintenance of a healthy ‘whole life balance’ and mitigating the equality impact of career breaks and caring responsibilities.

8. fostering collective understanding that individuals have the right to determine and affirm their gender, and to implementing inclusive and effective policies and practices that are cognisant of the lived experiences and needs of trans and non-binary people.

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Charter materials and FAQs

Below is initial guidance to help you to use the charter framework. The Athena Swan Ireland team will be offering further to support for members who wish to use the new Charter in the coming months.

We also have an extensive FAQs section which contains answers to commonly raised questions about all aspects of Athena Swan Ireland. 

Click here to download a letter to sign-up to the new Charter principles.

Information pack for Institutions 

In this pack, Institutions will find all the information and materials they need to apply for an award under the Athena Swan Ireland 2021 charter framework.

Download the pack

Information pack for Academic Departments 

In this pack, Academic Departments will find all the information and materials they need to apply for an award under the Athena Swan Ireland 2021 charter framework.

Download the pack

Information pack for Professional Units

In this pack, Professional Units will find all the information and materials they need to apply for an award under the Athena Swan Ireland 2021 charter framework.

Download the pack
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Guidance

Topic guide 1: forming a Self-Assessment Team (SAT)

Guidance on forming a Self-Assessment Team (SAT)
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Topic guide 2: collecting and analysing data

Guidance on collecting and analysing data
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Topic guide 3: Consulting with your community

Guidance on consulting with your community
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Topic guide 4: developing and implementing a targeted action plan

Guidance on developing and implementing a targeted action plan.
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Topic guide 5: evaluating and evidencing progress and success for award renewal/upgrade

Guidance on evaluating and evidencing progress
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Word allocation guidance

Guidance on word allocation
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Scoring Matrix

Scoring Matrix for Athena Swan Ireland
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EDI Literacy Glossary

To support understanding of inclusive approaches to equality work.
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Consultation Template

The Consultation template for Athena Swan Ireland applicants.
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Horizon Europe Gender Equality Plans

Aligning your Athena Swan Ireland Action Plan to Horizon Europe Gender Equality Plan requirements.
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Briefing on the Second HEA National Review of Gender Equality in Irish Higher Education

The purpose of this briefing is to provide a summary of the alignment between the Athena Swan Ireland charter framework and the Second HEA National Review of Gender Equality in Irish Higher Education.
Read the report

Support available for Athena Swan Ireland applicants

Institutions, academics departments and professional units applying for Athena Swan in Ireland can benefit from a range of support. These include institutional visits from Advance HE’s dedicated Athena Swan Ireland staff, access to regular training and workshops, and applicant feedback sessions. See the Athena Swan Ireland information pack for further details. 

Advance HE’s work to expand and develop Athena Swan for use in Irish Higher Education is supported by a cross-sectoral national committee. A national Practitioner Network for Irish applicants was established in 2019. 

Two dedicated staff members support Athena Swan Ireland as part of Advance HE’s wider international charters work:

General enquiries about Athena Swan Ireland can be sent to: athenaswanireland@advance-he.ac.uk.

More on Athena Swan Ireland

Advance HE’s Athena SWAN Ireland Guide to processes

This guide outlines the processes supporting Advance HE’s Athena SWAN Charter in Ireland.
Find out more

Athena Swan Ireland: Award holders

A list of all current institutional and departmental award holders in Ireland
Find out more

Panellist and observers

Information on becoming an Athena Swan Ireland panellist or observer.
Find out more

Intention to Submit

Submissions for the Athena Swan Ireland April 2024 round.
Find out more