Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) at Trinity College Dublin School of Engineering

What is 'Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion' (EDI)?

In the School of Engineering, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) refers to a set of principles and practices to ensure fair treatment, respect, and equal opportunities for all individuals, while recognising and valuing differences.

Equality: Ensuring that everyone has the same opportunities and is treated fairly, without discrimination.

Diversity: Recognising, valuing, and respecting the differences in people.

Inclusion: Creating an environment where all individuals feel welcome, respected, and valued.

It seeks to eliminate prejudice and discrimination based on the protected grounds including aspects such as race, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion, family & civil status and membership of the traveller community.

Why is EDI important?

EDI policies and practices in the School of Engineering  help in:

• Preventing bullying, discrimination and harassment.
• Promote equal opportunities for career progression/development.
• Promote gender equality.
• Foster a culture of respect and dignity.
• Promote the representation and involvement of underrepresented groups.
• Provide training and development on EDI topics.

What is Athena SWAN?

The Athena SWAN Charter is a framework which is used across the globe to support and transform gender equality within higher education (HE) and research.

Key principles:

• sustainable structural and cultural changes
• addressing unequal gender representation and career progression
• mitigating the equality impacts of short-term and casual contracts for staff seeking sustainable careers
• supporting flexibility and the maintenance of a healthy ‘whole life balance’
• fostering collective understanding

The principles of Athena SWAN Ireland underscore the EDI efforts in the School of Engineering, providing a structured approach to advancing gender equality and supporting the broader objectives of creating diverse and inclusive environments.

EDI in School of Engineering

The School of Engineering secured an Athena SWAN Bronze award on March 31, 2021. As part of the award's conditions, the School has committed to implementing a set of actions.

In the School of Engineering, an EDI committee has been established to manage the School’s goals related to EDI objectives and the pursuit of Athena SWAN awards. Additionally, the committee oversees the execution of the existing Athena SWAN action plans, which were part of the School’s successful Bronze award application, as well as college-wide EDI actions.

Through this process, the School aims to increase awareness of gender equality issues within departmental and school structures, and together, we will develop a plan to address the challenges faced.

Get involved

The EDI committee is now in the process of applying for the Athena SWAN Bronze Renewal. The committee is conducting a staff survey for data collection and analysis, building on good practices, and preparing the award application.

If you have any questions about the process, would like to contribute to the application, or want to be involved in the committee, please contact the EDI committee director, Bidisha Ghosh, at bghosh@tcd.ie.