Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) has signed the Higher Education Authority (HEA)’s Race Equality Anti-Racism Principles for Higher Education Institutions.
These principles were developed from stakeholder consultation, from the findings of the Higher Education Authority National Race Equality survey and subsequent first National Race Equality Report, which was published in October 2021. In signing these principles, TUS made a public commitment to address incidences of racism and support race equality in structures and processes.
President of TUS Professor Vincent Cunnane said, “We are committed to ensuring that TUS is a welcoming and inclusive environment for our diverse student and staff population. We are a values driven organisation, values that are enshrined in our strategic plan and our code of practice. Through signing these Race Equality Anti-Racism Principles, we are highlighting once again that racial discrimination in all its forms cannot be tolerated and is not in line with our values.”
Marian Duggan, TUS Vice President for People, Culture and EDI said that the TUS commitment to race equality and anti-racism goes beyond signing up to these principles. “We are in the process of developing our TUS Race Equality Action Plan and will ensure that our commitments as outlined in these Anti-Racism principles are carried through in a practical sense in our TUS wide Race Equality action plan,” she said.
Staff from the HEA Centre of Excellence for Equality Diversity and Inclusion, including Senior Manager Dr Jennie Rothwell, and Senior Executive Officer Laura Austin, witnessed the formal signing of the document at the TUS, Moylish Campus. They joined Professor Vincent Cunnane and other members of TUS EDI Steering Committee to show their support for the initiative.
Dr Jennie Rothwell, Senior Manager of the HEA Centre of Excellence for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion noted: “It was great to attend the TUS Moylish campus to witness the signing of the Anti-Racism Principles for Irish Higher Education Institutions by the TUS President. Signing the Principles demonstrates the university’s commitment to anti-racism and embedding race equality as part of its institutional culture and strategic priorities.”
Through the Race Equality Anti-Racism Principles for Irish Higher Education Institutions TUS joins with other HEIs to:
- Embed a commitment to race equality as part of institutional culture and strategic priorities
- Highlight the structural, institutional, and historical dimensions of racism which have informed past and current practice in HEIs and the societies in which they are situated
- Educate staff and students in relation to the structural, institutional, and historical dimensions of racism, as well as the more commonly recognised individual racism seen in acts of discrimination and abuse
- Encourage an open dialogue on advancing race equality
- Adopt an intersectional and intercultural approach when developing anti-racism actions and policies
- Address questions of race equality within the institution’s strategic plans
- Record student and staff data disaggregated by ethnicity to inform anti-racism policies and actions, and monitor retention and career outcomes for students and staff from ethnic minority groups including Travellers
- Continue to ensure a fair and transparent recruitment process for all staff, regardless of ethnicity
- Address race equality issues in relation to progression and retention of students and staff from minority ethnic groups including Travellers