EDI 2023 Annual Report

DCU is a  ‘People First’  university and is deeply committed to embedding the values of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI). By fostering a culture  that is diverse, open and inclusive, and where all perspectives, backgrounds and experiences are valued, DCU is committed to making EDI a lived experience for all.  

In 2023, DCU launched its 2023 - 2028 strategy which included a new value that recognised being inclusive as core strategic purpose for the organisation. As a university community, we have long been striving to ensure that inclusion is a meaningful experience by all staff and students and this represents another significant step forward in continuing to embed that experience. This was reinforced by the publication of the University's revised Dignity and Respect and Work and Study Policy - this policy re-emphasises the rights and responsibilities we all have when it comes to dignity and respect. We also welcomed a brand new Sexual Misconduct Policy which further contributes to setting the very highest standards of respectful behaviour for all at DCU. 

The following report highlights and celebrates many of the various ways that the values of equality, diversity and inclusion are embedded in the work of teams across DCU. The full extent of DCU staff’s dedication to EDI is not possible to capture in one report, but we hope this snapshot serves to demonstrate the positive journey that DCU is on. 

Great progress was made at department level throughout 2023, with a total of three Schools attaining an Athena Swan Bronze Award - School of Nursing, Psychotherapy and Community Health (April 2023), School of Applied Languages and Intercultural Studies (April 2023), and School of Psychology (November 2023). This brings the total number of departmental Bronze awards to eight. The remaining academic units have committed to engaging with the Athena Swan process by 2026; many in various stages of conducting their self-assessment processes. 

At an institutional level, 2023 was an important year for the progression of Athena Swan here in DCU. As part of our current Athena Swan Bronze Award, we continued to implement our ambitious gender action plan 2020 - 2024, with oversight from the Athena Swan University Self-Assessment Team (SAT) and Governing Authority’s EDI sub-Committee. Additionally, the process of developing an application for a Silver Award commenced in January 2023 and will continue until its submission in April 2024.  The SAT, chaired by Prof. Anne Sinnott (Deputy President and VP for Diversity and Equality), conducted a thorough self-assessment process to support the development of our Silver award application. The self-assessment process consisted: 

• Gathering and analysis of quantitative staff data in relation to recruitment, promotion, uptake of family-leave, uptake of training and development opportunities;
• Gathering and analysis of quantitative student data in relation to registrations, enrolments, degree attainments;  
• Staff consultation via pulse surveys in the areas of disability, race equality, and career progression for researchers (Jan - Mar 2023);
• Staff consultation via an all-staff Athena Swan survey, focusing on areas such as career progression and career development, flexible working, family-related leave experiences, dignity and respect, leadership culture; 
• Staff consultation via staff focus groups on the themes of career progression, experiences of taking family-related leave, and dignity and respect. 

A Summary Report from the staff consultation survey was circulated to the staff community in September 2023, and can be viewed on our dedicated webpage. The findings from the self-assessment process directly informed the development of our Silver award application and associated action plan 2024 - 2028. This will be published and made available once the Silver Award is attained in Q3 2024.

Further detail on the Athena Swan Charter and our progress here at DCU can be found on our dedicated webpage.

A busy and demanding working schedule, and sometimes my own scotomas, might have hindered me from perceiving the bigger professional picture and visualising my career goals. At this stage of my career, I had the privilege to participate in the Preparing for Academic Advancement (PAA) Programme. The programme was both inspiring and empowering. Not only did the programme prompt me to reflect and discover ‘the best of what is in my career/life’, but it also offered me an opportunity to fully appreciate the importance of creating a vision to build influence and impact for career progression. I also greatly benefited from a cross-institutional mentor provided by the programme. My mentor's insightful experience, extensive academic network, clear vision for career development, and generosity with her time are truly commendable. In short, I highly recommend the PAA programme for those aiming for career advancement that also benefits the University.

Dr. Yuhui Gao, Associate Professor, DCU Business School

Professorial Promotion Stats 

Since the establishment of the Women in Leadership initiative in 2015, there has been progress made on increasing female representation across academic grades, particularly focusing on senior grades. We have seen great strides made in attaining appropriate gender balance at Full Professor level, where female representation rose from 21% (2015) to 35% (2023). The introduction of gender quotas within the process for promotion to Associate Professor in 2017 resulted in a steady increase in female representation at this level, with 50% of employees now in this position being women. 

To ensure that we do not lose the very valuable momentum gathered since 2015, the Academic Promotions Committee, HR Director and Executive Deans are committed to continuing to review data and any decisions that may impact progress twice yearly going forward. There are also specific actions to address gender underrepresentation at academic, research and professional senior grades being considered for inclusion in the institution’s plans for Athena Swan progression. 

Female representation at non-academic level (pay scale with maximum point above €70,000) has remained at 55%. An increase of 4% in 2022, male representation at non-academic level (Pay scale with maximum point on or below €70,000) remains at 34%; with actions to further reduce the gender disparity at these grades to be considered in our institutional Athena Swan action plan 2024 - 2028. 

DCU Gender Pay Gap Report 2023

As an employer with over 1,800 full-time equivalent employees, we are pleased to share our second Gender Pay Gap (GPG) report in compliance with the Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021. The Gender Pay Gap is defined under this legislation as the difference between the average hourly wage of men and women across a workforce, expressed as a percentage of men's pay. It does not inherently indicate discrimination, bias, pay equity issues, or imbalances in our university's pay structures and policies. Instead, it serves as a measure of gender representation within our organisation.

Our overall gender pay gap for 2023 stands at 8.18%, reflecting progress compared to last year's figure of 10.39%. Notably, it remains below the 2022 gender pay gap in Ireland, which was 9.6%, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

As a public sector employer, we adhere to salary scales and hourly rates of pay for specific roles and grades. Our commitment to salary parity remains resolute—we compensate all employees based on qualifications and experience, irrespective of gender. Our pay determination procedures ensure fairness, eliminating unequal pay and unconscious bias. We take pride in being an employer that upholds principles of equality and fairness.

Recognizing that addressing the Gender Pay Gap at our institution is a complex and ongoing process, we are committed to continuous improvement. This involves practical steps to dismantle barriers women may face and fostering a shift in attitudes and behaviours across our entire community. By prioritising diversity and inclusion in all matters related to our people, we aim to enhance the diversity of our organisation at all levels.

Our report is based on snapshot data as of June 30, 2023, covering payments for those employed during the 12-month period from July 2022 to June 2023. We acknowledge that not all data for claim payments could be included in our GPG analysis due to the way data is captured across our systems. However, significant progress has been made, reducing the excluded data from 13% to 2.8% since our last report. We remain committed to making all data available for future reporting.

DCU welcomes the opportunity to share this data and is dedicated to collaborating with colleagues and stakeholders within DCU and across the Higher Education Sector to sustain progress. Our GPG reports serve as valuable resources, informing future actions related to our EDI efforts. Collecting this data enhances our understanding of areas for improvement and identifies the success of our current initiatives, driving positive results.

Sexual Misconduct Policy 

Every member of the DCU community has a right to flourish in an environment that is safe and respectful. In order to help ensure that our University culture has the correct processes and procedures in place to support this, DCU introduced a new Sexual Misconduct Policy in 2023. This policy applies to our whole DCU community including staff, students, contractors and visitors. 

The policy makes DCU’s zero tolerance approach to sexual misconduct clear and the accompanying procedures for staff and students outline the various reporting and support options available to anyone who has experienced sexual misconduct at DCU.  

As with the Dignity and Respect Policy, the Sexual Misconduct Policy is part of a wider toolkit that has been developed and put in place to support all staff to understand what behaviours are expected of them as well as what to do should they wish to report any issues related to sexual misconduct. 

All staff but in particular those in roles of responsibility are asked to consider hosting a specific Sexual Misconduct information session within their local team / School / Department. This can be arranged by contacting edi@dcu.ie. 

DCU Speak Out Tool

The DCU Speak Out Tool allows any staff, student or visitor at DCU to anonymously disclose incidents of unacceptable behaviour such as bullying, harassment, and sexual misconduct. As Speak Out is completely anonymous, the University will have no way to identify or make contact with any individual who chooses to submit a report. While the tool is anonymous, it will direct you to appropriate supports and provide you with information on what formal reporting procedures are available.

The Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty is set out in Section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014. Under the Duty all public bodies in Ireland have a legal obligation to promote equality, prevent discrimination and protect the human rights of their employees, their customers, their service users and anyone else affected by their service. 

As part of ensuring DCU’s compliance with the Duty, the University identified eight operational areas for assessment:

1. Teaching and learning
2. Employment 
3. Research and innovation 
4. Access and community outreach
5.  Placement
6. Support for student wellbeing 
7. Provision of student accommodation
8. Campus Residences
9. DCU Students 

Representatives from each of these areas were asked to review their operations and to prepare an individual report outlining actions undertaken to ensure compliance with the legislation. Upon receiving these reports, the Office of the Chief Operations Officer, found DCU to be in compliance with the Duty and reported the same to DCU’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee (sub-committee of Governing Authority). 

Following consultation with DCU’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee (sub-committee of Governing Authority) it was agreed that in 2024 consultation will extend to include a ninth operational area related to recreational and visitor services. 

In June 2023, Human Resources, with the support of the EDI Unit, launched an initiative to formalise an enduring collection method for staff demographic data. This project involved an extensive review and update of the diversity fields on the DCU CoreHR Employee Self-Service Portal system. Staff are encouraged to self-disclose across a range of demographics linked to the nine protected grounds in Irish equality legislation, including gender identity, ethnicity, disability status, civil and family status, religion and sexual orientation. 

The development of this screen marks a significant move forward for the University in the area of equality, diversity and inclusion. This is the first time that the University has collected data across all nine equality grounds for existing employees and it is hoped that this new tool will assist us in getting a clearer understanding of the diversity makeup within the University community and to help us achieve our EDI and university strategic objectives.

To date, approximately 31% of employees have updated their personal details, with plans for the promotion of the project ongoing as a priority in the next few years. 

DCU's Age-Friendly University (AFU) Activities in 2023 showcased a range of initiatives aimed at promoting age inclusivity and fostering intergenerational connections. These activities were informed by the Ten Principles of an Age-Friendly University and reflected DCU's commitment to creating an inclusive environment for learners of all ages.

One notable event was the visit of a 55-person Maltese delegation in October 2023, which included representatives from various agencies working in health, housing, transport, community services, police, and the church. The visit provided an opportunity to discuss DCU's Age-Friendly initiatives, including the COPE project, which focuses on harnessing cultural opportunities for social prescribing.

Another significant project was the TRACEUS Project, funded by Erasmus+, which utilised mobile phone technology to combat digital exclusion. This project resulted in a curated database of European recipes, traditions, and cuisines, along with a training manual on smartphone usage.

The COPE project, in partnership with a consortium of organisations, aimed to address issues of isolation and loneliness by prescribing cultural activities for wellbeing. Results from the project showed a significant reduction in feelings of isolation among participants.

Other initiatives included the "Making Our Mark" arts course, an event on International Women's Day focusing on women's return to the workplace, and the Taste of DCU event, which welcomed older adults to experience campus life.

DCU also hosted intergenerational activities such as the Intergenerational Paint Along, where participants from different generations connected through art, and the Living and Learning Together event, which explored societal changes and their impact on young people.

Additionally, DCU played a leading role in the Global Intergenerational Week, organising events to promote intergenerational engagement nationally.

The AFU also organised workshops on career transitions and entrepreneurship, as well as intergenerational computer classes in partnership with the Business School to promote opportunities for older people to upskill and retrain.

Overall, these activities underscore DCU's commitment to creating an age-friendly environment and fostering meaningful connections across generations.

In 2018 DCU was formally conferred as the world’s first Autism Friendly University.  It resulted in a comprehensive action plan comprising eight principles which were primarily student-focused. In February 2023, the DCU Human Resources Department was delighted to announce a new collaboration with the Autism Friendly Project and to introduce the addition of a new ninth principle:  

Principle 9: DCU Will Work to Build Capacity Throughout the University to Support Autistic Employees

Under this new principle, DCU has introduced additional support for autistic staff including: 

• Counselling and mentoring from suitably qualified practitioners with expertise in autism, through the University’s Employee Assistance Service provider, Spectrum Life. 
• Training for managers 
• Accommodations that are considered reasonable within your role

The DCU HR Department will continue to build capacity across the University to support autistic staff and look forward to continuing to work closely with the DCU Autism Friendly Team.