Athena Swan Ireland Principles

In determining our priorities and interventions, we commit to the Athena Swan Ireland Principles as listed below:

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. 

By being part of Athena SWAN, institutions are committing to a progressive charter, adopting these principles within their policies, practices, action plans and culture.

The charter supports cultural and behavioural change, not just around gender equality but around equality and diversity in all its forms.

Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology has adopted these principles and seeks to embed them in all our activities. Adopting the Charter commits the Institute to removing the barriers that contribute to under-representation.