Third-level equality policies face review

A review of equality policies in third-level colleges is being considered by the Higher Education Authority amid ongoing controversy over a lack of promotion for female academics.

Gender equality issues have made headlines since before Christmas for NUI Galway, whose promotion procedures were heavily criticised by an Equality Tribunal ruling, but HEA figures show significant imbalances at senior levels across the sector.

All universities, institutes of technology, and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland signed up yesterday to a charter committing them to advance women’s academic careers in science, technology, engineering, maths, and medicine.