HEA begins third-level gender equality review

A review of gender equality among third-level staff is to recommend ways to improve women’s representation at senior academic levels.

The Higher Education Authority (HEA), which initiated the exercise, said gender inequality was systemic across the sector and not just NUI Galway which has been the subject of attention on the issue in recent months. The university’s promotions procedures were criticised in an Equality Tribunal ruling in 2014 in the case of botanist Micheline Sheehy-Skeffington.

Only 14% of NUIG professors are female, but women make up more than half of those in lecturer grades. It has defended a task force it set up to tackle the issue.