A sectoral-leading collaborative project between Carlow College, St. Patrick’s and Institute of Technology Carlow has resulted in the publication of an Intersectionality Guide for those who work and learn in higher education.
The project comprised two parts: a symposium on Gender and Race in Higher Education: Good Practice and Competing Inequalities, and the Intersectionality Guide. The former was facilitated by Professor Kalwant Bhopal, Professor of Education and Social Justice and Director of the Centre for Research in Race & Education, University of Birmingham.
The impetus for developing this resource stems from the necessity to understand and adopt good practice approaches to inclusion, which are premised on expanding one’s focus to include race equality.
The publication of the report on the national survey on Race Equality in the Higher Education Sector by the HEA in 2021 was timely in the development of this guide as it painted a clear picture of the experiences of ethnic minority staff in higher education. The guide will contribute to awareness raising and capacity building; specifically, on the intersection between gender and race and the associated implications for higher education.
Speaking of the project, Fr Conn Ó Maoldhomhnaigh, President of Carlow College, St. Patrick’s said, “The resource guide is the result of a collaborative project between Carlow’s two higher education institutions and is a great achievement that will help to make a positive impact on the higher education sector across Ireland and beyond”.
Dr Patricia Mulcahy, President of Institute of Technology Carlow, congratulated and thanked all those involved in developing the report. She said, “Advancing educational equity is a core value of our institute and embracing intersectionality is essential for us, and indeed all higher education institutes, as we continue to develop and implement a wide range of EDI (equality, diversity and inclusion) strategies and plans across our communities. I very much welcome the insights provided in this report on the intersection between gender and race and the associated guidelines for the creation of inclusive environments, staff recruitment and retention, and student success.”
Funding for the project was provided by the Higher Education Authority via the Athena SWAN National Committee under its 2019 Capacity Building Fund.
Both Carlow College, St. Patrick’s and Institute of Technology Carlow hold Athena SWAN Bronze Awards, which recognise good practices in higher education institutions towards the advancement of equality.
