UCC EDI Annual Report 2022-23

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23

EDI ANNUAL REPORT 2022 - 2023

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CONTENTS

Milestones 2022 - 2023

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Executive Summary

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Equality, Diversity & Inclusion at UCC

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Who We Are 12 A Year in Review

EDI ANNUAL REPORT 2022 - 2023

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MILESTONES 2022 - 2023 OUR HIGHLIGHTS

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MILESTONES 2022-23

SEPTEMBER • The ERI Building is renamed in honour of the pioneering botanist and Cork woman, Ellen Hutchins.

• ISL training is rolled out for staff and students.

OCTOBER • Students and staff formed a multilingual flash mob in unified protest against sexual violence and victim blaming.

• The Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment Framework was launched nationally.

AUGUST • UCC marched in the Cork Pride Parade for the second year.

• The Irish findings of the EU GENDER-NET funded study PositivMasc were launched.

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

• UCC’s 6th annual Equality Week took place with the first EDI Soapbox.

• Welcome to Ireland: An Introduction to Student Life was shortlisted for a Cork Learning City Award.

• UCC’s first DisabiliTEA was held.

• Equality Committee chair, Professor Nuala Finnegan, was honoured with a 2022 Staff Recognition Leadership Award.

• The triptych portrait of Vicky Phelan was hosted in UCC, with a talk by the artist Vincent Devine.

• UCC marks World Interfaith Harmony Week and Mother Languages Day for the first time.

• UCC’s 6th Refugee Week was held.

MAY

APRIL

MARCH

JULY

JUNE

• UCC signed the HEA Anti-Racism Principles for Higher Education • Second annual Pride Tea Party was held.

• Carers’ Week was marked with the first Carers’ Café and A Conversation about Caring event.

• UCC marked World Refugee Week.

• Mary Crilly, Director of the Cork Sexual Violence Centre was honoured for her work.

EDI ANNUAL REPORT 2022 - 2023

• The id+ Project Showcase was held and an online micro-credential in inclusive education was launched.

• Global Accessibility Awareness Day was marked by Inclusive UCC

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• UCC LGBTQ Society held its annual Queer Conference.

• UCC’s Sanctuary Scholarships for undergraduate degrees opened for applications for the 6th year.

• UCC marks International Women’s Day and World Down Syndrome Day • The Annual Library Seminar focusses on the theme of libraries’ roles in promoting and supporting equality, diversity and inclusion.

• UCC took part in the first HEA National Race Equality Conference.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

EDI ANNUAL REPORT 2022 - 2023

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A WORD FROM THE INTERIM DIRECTOR OF THE EDI UNIT & CHAIR OF THE EQUALITY COMMITTEE We are pleased to share the UCC Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report for 2022-2023. This has been a difficult year globally, and we have witnessed much suffering as a result of ongoing armed conflict and natural disasters, such as the war in Ukraine and climate change. We have also seen challenges closer to home, including high-profile incidents of sexual and gender-based violence, increases in homophobic abuse, and a rise in racism. This broader context emphasises the ongoing need for equality work within the university and the community and strengthens our resolve to ensure that we advocate for and support those who need it most. It is heartening to see equality, diversity and inclusion recognised as a key enabler of the UCC Strategic Plan 2023-2028 and to see these core values woven throughout each of the strategic goals. We look forward to working within this new strategic framework, with the support of management, colleagues, and students, to continue to make UCC a safe, inclusive and supportive place to study and work.

Below is a summary of some of the key EDI actions undertaken in the university over the past twelve months. Further details are provided in the Year in Review section of the report.

EDI ANNUAL REPORT 2022 - 2023

EDI Unit It has been another busy year for the EDI Unit, with a number of staff taking periods of leave and new members joining the team. Kasia Pryz was appointed EDI Data Analyst, Sarah Murtagh joined as Athena SWAN Project Officer, Dr.Claire Raissian joined as Sexual Violence and Harassment Framework Implementing Officer, and Annette Feeney was appointed as Senior Executive Assistant. Dr. Claire Murray, Lecturer in the School of Law, took up the position of Interim Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in May 2023.

Equality Committee The Equality Committee, chaired by Professor Nuala Finnegan in 2022-2023 continued to support and advance the EDI agenda at UCC. Aside from its central role with Equality Week, the Race Equality Forum and ongoing initiatives in a range of areas, a working group was established, chaired by Professor Ciara Heavin, to report on the consolidation and streamlining of Equality structures across the institution. This will be considered by the President in October 2023.

Athena SWAN UCC now holds 16 Athena SWAN awards across the university at School level and an institutional Bronze award, with many more schools and units eager to apply. This illustrates the growing commitment to working towards gender equality and making meaningful change across the university. In March 2023 UCC was awarded three new Athena SWAN Bronze Awards. The awards celebrate the advancement of gender equality at the School of Clinical Therapies, the School of Mathematical Sciences, and the School of Computer Science and Information Technology.

UCC is delighted to be hosting the 2023 Athena SWAN Ireland Awards Ceremony on the 8th of

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November 2023 in the Aula Maxima, which will celebrate the awards conferred on Irish HEIs in the November 2022 and April 2023 rounds.

A further four Schools in UCC are submitting Athena SWAN applications in November 2023.

Cork University Business School and the School of Medicine are applying for first time Bronze awards, the School of Public Health is applying for a Renewal Bronze award, and the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences is applying for a Silver award.

We wish all Schools well with their applications.

Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment Framework Since the launch of the Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment Framework in Irish Higher Education Institutions in 2019, UCC has advanced work in all four pillars: Effective Structures in Place, Recording of Incidents, Institutional Policies, and Targeted Initiatives. This has included the highly successful Bystander Intervention Programme which has been pioneered at UCC through the work of Professor Louise Crowley. It has also involved the roll-out of Active* Consent training as part of orientation by the EDI Unit. Following the launch of Speak Out Anonymous Reporting Tool in 2022, work has focused on the development of a Sexual Misconduct Policy and Procedure. This has involved extensive internal and external consultation with relevant experts in the field of sexual violence and harassment including Sexual Violence Centre Cork (SVCC), Cork City’s Sexual Assault Treatment Unit, Dublin Rape Crisis Centre and Men’s Aid. The Policy and Procedure will be presented for approval

by Governing Body in October 2023. A detailed implementation and communications plan has been developed with roles and responsibilities clearly defined. Disclosure training will be made available to all staff and more detailed trauma-aware training is offered to support key staff members in the implementation of the policy. UCC will also

welcome a new Sexual Harassment & Violence Framework Prevention & Response Manager in 2023, a post that is funded by the HEA.

Gender Equality In 2022 UCC was delighted to welcome three new professors under the HEA Senior Academic Leadership Initiative (SALI). The new female professors are working in the fields of Microbiome and Health Sciences, Physics, and History. The goal of the SALI programme is to accelerate progress in achieving gender balance at the senior academic level in Higher Education Institutions.

The 2023 theme for International Women’s Day on the 8th of March was ‘Embrace Equity’ and as always to mark this important day an exciting and inspiring range of events were held in UCC, including Guthanna na mBan a conference organised by Roinn na Nua-Ghaeilge about women of the Irish revival/Mná na hAthbheochana.

UCC has been an active partner on a range of projects funded by the Gender Equality Enhancement Fund, including the development of a pilot programme, ‘Engaging men in building gender equality’ and the First Equality Charter Symposium, hosted by Trinity College Dublin on the 19th of April 2023. The primary objective of the Gender Equality Enhancement Fund is to encourage innovative approaches to addressing gender equality across HEI’s.

UCC continues to partner on the Preparing for Academic Advancement (PAA) programme which supports women who intend to apply for professorial posts or promotion to professor through workshops and coaching sessions. The programme also provides participants with a senior mentor from another higher education institution.

In 2022-2023 UCC supported three participants on the PAA programme and supplied three mentors.

EDI ANNUAL REPORT 2022 - 2023

LGBTQ+ Equality UCC celebrated the second year as an official sponsor of the Cork LGBT+ Pride Festival by hosting a series of events, beginning with a Pride Tea Party on the 31st of July and ending with staff and students marching in the Cork Pride Parade on the 6th of August. The theme of Cork Pride 2023 was ‘30 Years On’, marking the 30th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Ireland. The continuing importance of Pride as Protest was highlighted this year when we saw attacks on LGBT+ events and materials in libraries, including in Cork city. It is increasingly important, therefore, that the UCC community comes together not only to celebrate diversity but also to declare our intention to continue to demand LGBT+ rights and equality for all. Cork Pride at UCC 2023 was a loud and proud opportunity to do just that, but there were many other events and activities throughout the year and across the campus with the same objective.

In 2023 the Graduate Attributes Programme developed the Proud Student Ally Network and campaign, with the aim of educating and empowering everyone to become effective and proud allies to the LBGTQ+ community. There are now a range of resources and tools available to students to enable them to play an active role in making UCC a safe and supportive place for their LGBTQ+ peers.

The LGBT+ Staff Network was active throughout the year and marked International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia on the 17th of May with a coffee morning in the Hub. They also co-hosted a seminar with the School of Applied Social Studies entitled ‘Free To Be Me’: listening to lesbians seeking asylum in the UK’ by Jane Traies. In May the Pride flag flew over the Quad to mark Cork LGBT+ Awareness week.

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University of Sanctuary

Race Equality

In August Dr. Angela Flynn was appointed as the new Chair of the University of Sanctuary Working Group. Angela has a longstanding involvement with University of Sanctuary work in the university, including with the Sanctuary Runners and as one of the UCC representatives on the Scholars at Risk Ireland Committee. We wish her well in her new role. We would also like to thank Dr. Dug Cubie, outgoing Chair, for all his hard work and dedication during his term of office.

UCC has reaffirmed its commitment to challenging racism and embedding a culture of race equality by signing the Anti-Racism Principles for Irish Higher Education Institutions. The Principles were launched by the HEA earlier this year at a conference in Galway where UCC was represented

by Dr. Anne Gannon, Dr. Amanullah De Sondy and Professor Nuala Finnegan. Dr. Amanullah De Sondy continues to give leadership on this issue in academic and public fora at local, national and international levels. Speaking at the signing, UCC President Professor John O’Halloran said: “By endorsing these principles, UCC aims to be a leader of positive change, to embed and drive anti-racism initiatives and policies that focus on long-term culture change.”

The significant work done by ACE in developing ‘Welcome to Ireland: An Introduction to Student Life’, a course to support students coming to Ireland as a result of the war in Ukraine, was recognised in December when the course was shortlisted for a Cork Learning City Award under the ‘Exceptional Endeavour’ Category.

We would like to acknowledge the importance of the course and the work of colleagues in ACE in supporting a very vulnerable group.

By signing up to the Principles, UCC commits to action across key areas including deepening antiracism as part of the university’s strategic priorities and fostering an intersectional and intercultural approach when developing anti-racism actions and policies.

UCC established the first Race Equality Forum in an Irish HEI in 2019 with the aim of listening to and learning from the experiences of staff and students of racial and ethnic minorities. Following the Race Equality Forum report in 2022, a working group, chaired by Dr. Amanullah De Sondy, was established in order to develop Terms of Reference for a new Race Equality Staff Network. This work is at an advanced stage and the Network will be launched in Autumn 2023.

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Disability To mark International Day of People with Disabilities on the 3rd of December UCC held its first DisabiliTEA and invited staff and postgraduate students from across UCC who identify as having a disability to meet with us and each other at a social gathering to discuss inclusive transformative solutions over coffee and cake. This was inspired by the theme of International Day of People with Disabilities 2022 which was “Transformative Solutions for Inclusive Development: the role of innovation in fuelling an accessible and equitable world.”

Following the success of the first DisabiliTEA we hosted a second on the 15th of February 2023. At this event the focal point was a discussion with Buildings and Estates on how UCC’s accessibility map may be improved. We look forward to holding more of these events in the coming months and building up connections and networks of support with members of the UCC community who identify as having a disability.

Finally, this report details not only the work of the Equality Committee and the EDI Unit, but also the work of the wider university community, staff and students, who actively strive to embed the values of equality, diversity, inclusion, and belonging into every aspect of university life. We are extremely grateful to them for all that they do to make UCC a supportive and safe place to study and work. Thank you also to Deputy President and Registrar Stephen Byrne and the DPR Office for sponsoring this important equality work, and thank you to the university leadership and community for your continued support and solidarity.

Professor Nuala Finnegan and Dr. Claire Murray

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EQUALITY DIVERSITY & INCLUSION AT UCC

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UCC’s equality, diversity and inclusion work is based on the ten equality grounds set out below:

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AGE A person’s age includes only those over 18.

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CIVIL STATUS Whether a person is single, married, separated, divorced, widowed, civil partnered or formerly civil partnered.

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DISABILITY A person with an enduring physical, sensory, mental health or intellectual impairment.

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FAMILY STATUS Being pregnant or having responsibility as a parent or relation to a person under 18 years, or as a parent or carer for an adult with a disability.

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GENDER A person’s gender identity be it male, female, transgender or non-binary

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Equality is about dignity and respect. It is about ensuring that every individual has an equal opportunity to make the most of their lives and talents, and believing that no one should have poorer life chances because of where or when they were born, or who they were when they were born, what they believe, or whether they have a disability. Equality is not always about treating everyone the same – it is about treating people in such a way that the outcome for each person can be the same. This means putting things in place to support people to achieve similar outcomes.

A recognised ethnic group.

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RACE/ ETHNICITY A person’s skin colour, national or ethnic origins.

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RELIGION A person’s religious beliefs or having none, the term ‘religious belief’ includes religious background and outlook.

Diversity is about differences, seen and unseen. Inclusion is about creating an environment where people are valued, feel valued and are able to achieve and contribute to their full potential.

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An inclusive environment improves interaction with staff, students and our wider community.

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EDI ANNUAL REPORT 2022 - 2023

MEMBERSHIP OF THE TRAVELLER COMMUNITY

SEXUAL ORIENTATION A person’s sexual orientation including heterosexual, lesbian, gay and bisexual.

SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS A person’s social and economic background.

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WHO ARE WE? THE TEAM BEHIND UCC’S EDI

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EQUALITY COMMITTEE The Equality Committee Chair is appointed by the President of UCC. The Committee is representative of the staff and student body. The Committee convenes four times a year and liaises with the EDI Unit to oversee implementation of the EDI programme of work.

The membership is as follows: Prof Nuala Finnegan Chair, Equality Committee Dr. Maria Buckley Research Staff Representative Suzanne Buckley International Office Professor Ciara Heavin College of Business and Law Olive Byrne Director of Access Dr. Mark Chu Senior Lecturer, Department of Italian; former

co-chair Race Equality Forum Dr. Dug Cubie Chair, University of Sanctuary Working Group;

Lecturer, School of Law Dr. Laurence Davis LGBT+ Staff Network Representative Dr. Amanullah De Sondy Co-chair Race Equality Forum; Head, Study of Religions Eileen O’Callaghan Disability Support Service Anne-Marie Curtin EDI Officer, EDI Unit Natasha Dromey Adult Continuing Education Representative Dr. Angela Flynn IFUT Representative Dr. Anne Gannon Human Resources Representative Dr. Avril Hutch Director, EDI Unit/Dr Claire Murray, Interim Director,

EDI Unit (May 2023) Gary Hurley SIPTU Representative Prof Jeanne Jackson College of Medicine and Health Representative Ann King/Sarah Murtagh Athena SWAN Officer, EDI Unit Dr. Mary Noonan College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences Representative Paul Prendergast Buildings Officer Sinead Roche Deputy President, SU Dr. Marius Sabin Tabirca College of Science, Engineering and Food Science Representative Siobhán O’ Brien/

EDI ANNUAL REPORT 2022 - 2023

Dr. Claire Raissian

EDI Unit (Committee Secretary)

EDI Unit The EDI Unit reports to the Deputy President and Registrar Professor Stephen Byrne. The staff of the EDI Unit are as follows: Dr. Avril Hutch Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Dr. Claire Murray Interim Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Anne-Marie Curtin Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Officer Annette Feeney Senior Executive Assistant Dr. Claire Raissian Sexual Violence and Harassment Framework Implementing Officer Katarzyna Pyrz EDI Data Analyst Sarah Murtagh Athen SWAN Project Officer

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A YEAR IN REVIEW SEP 2022 - AUG 2023

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SEPTEMBER 2022 Values and Culture/EDI Staff Consultation 2022 The results of the Staff Cultures & Values Survey were presented at the President’s Townhall on the 8th September. Thank you sincerely to the almost 1500 staff who participated in this consultation process.

Active*Consent workshops delivered as part of UCC

HIGHLIGHT STORY

THE ELLEN HUTCHINS BUILDING UCC renamed the Environmental Research Institute’s Lee Road Building in honour of the pioneering botanist and Cork woman Ellen Hutchins.

Announcing the renaming UCC President Professor John O’Halloran said: “We are delighted to make this announcement, and to give Ellen Hutchins the recognition her pioneering work so richly deserves. Her spirit of inquisitiveness and love for her natural environment inspires us all. While the symbolism of this honour is important, it is equally crucial that our work aspires to continue Ellen’s legacy. Here at UCC we are committed to matching this through our UCC Futures and Sustainable Futures projects, which will deliver cross-disciplinary solutions to the great environmental challenges of our time.”

orientation programme The EDI Unit was delighted to deliver the Active*Consent training as part of Orientation for the incoming first year undergraduate students for the first time in 2022. The Unit worked with Admissions and the Bystander Intervention programme to deliver a session that included information on Active*Consent, Bystander Intervention, and an overview of the new RSVP Canvas module.

This work is a vital part of UCC’s commitment to ending sexual violence and harassment on campus and in the wider community.

Introduction to ISL classes for staff and students The EDI Unit continued its work on promoting greater accessibility for the Deaf community. Following on from a series of Deaf Awareness training sessions in 2021/22 a fully funded online course, Introduction to Irish Sign Language (ISL), was run over semester one for both staff and students.

EDI ANNUAL REPORT 2022 - 2023

(Left to right) Professor Astrid Wingler, Dr. Paul Bolger, Madeleine Hutchins, Professor Sarah Culloty, Professor John O’Halloran, Dr. Avril Hutch)

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OCTOBER 2022 Eliminating Sexual Violence and Harassment On October 13th, Minister Simon Harris launched the new Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment Framework, which requires higher education institutes to develop targeted policies in this area. The Framework also enables HEIs to recruit specialist staff to work towards eliminating sexual violence and harassment on third level campuses.

On Saturday the 8th of October, students of the Schools of Languages, Literatures and Cultures as well as Theatre came together with staff to form a multilingual flash mob at UCC’s Open Day in unified protest against sexual violence and victim blaming.

Multilingual flash mob outside the Student Centre, UCC

World Sight Day, October 13th As part on an ongoing relationship with the National Council for the Blind Ireland, Martina Melvin and Shane Merritt gave an online workshop covering topics such as Defining Blindness, Reasonable Accommodations and Assistive Technology.

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uality, ersity & usion Unit

NOVEMBER 2022 MAKING SPACE FOR EVERYONE: EQUALITY WEEK AT UCC 7-11 NOVEMBER 2022

EQUALITY WEEK 2022, NOVEMBER 7-11

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Unit

UCC EDI Annual Report 2022

EDI Soapbox Event

Kids Art Exhibition

The launch of the UCC EDI Annual Report 2022 marked the opening of Equality Week 2022. Staff and students from across campus joined the EDI Unit and President John O’Halloran at the launch and were entertained by cross-cultural performances from UCC Traditional Irish Music Society, the Confucius Institute, the UCC Indian Alumni Society, and SPLAS.

The aim of the event was to share knowledge of EDI initiatives across the university via a slide and a three-minute presentation. It was fast, furious, and a bit of fun too!

Professor Stephen Byrne, Deputy President and Registrar launched the Kids Art Exhibition which ran in the Hub Atrium from November 7th and finished on World Children’s Day on 20th November 2022.

Professor John O’Halloran, UCC President with staff from Equality Committee, EDI Unit and members of the Student Union Executive

Shay Nolan, Access EmployAbility Initiative

Spectators, Kids Art Exhibition, Hub Atrium

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New Athena SWAN Charter

University of Sanctuary

In 2020-21, the Athena SWAN Charter underwent a re-development in line with the findings of a national consultation and now offers a framework that is specific and unique to Ireland. The new Charter was published in late November. To assist units in understanding the requirements for making an application under the new Charter, briefing sessions were arranged by the EDI Unit for those involved in making the institutional application and those in schools, departments and professional units.

Christmas Parties In what has become an annual event, UCC staff and students collected funds to host a Christmas party for children living in Direct Provision.

Speak Out Against Racism Dr. Amanullah De Sondy, Head of Religions and Chair of the UCC Race Equality Forum was invited to convene the Irish Council for International Students (ICOS) ‘Speak out Against Racism’ event in Dublin on the 17th November, International Students Day, to discuss a national survey that found that 40% of international students have witnessed or experienced racism with only 5% reporting the incidents.

UCC Christmas elves in the Aula Maxima

Welcome to Ireland Welcome to Ireland: An Introduction to Student Life, a course developed by ACE in response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis, was shortlisted for a Cork Learning City Award under ‘Exceptional Endeavour’ Category.

Dr. Amanullah De Sondy with members of the Irish Council for International Students

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DECEMBER 2022 International Day of People with Disabilities, December 3rd UCC held its first DisabiliTEA.

Launch of Ally – Canvas Accessibility Support Tool

The theme for IDPWD 2022 was “Transformative Solutions for Inclusive Development: the role of innovation in fuelling an accessible and equitable world”. To mark this, we invited staff and PG students from across UCC who identify as having a disability to meet with us and each other to discuss inclusive transformative solutions.

To celebrate International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Inclusive UCC launched a new Canvas accessibility support tool for staff and students, ‘Ally’, which gives feedback on the accessibility of modules and materials on Canvas and provides instant feedback on quick adjustments that would enhance accessibility.

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UCC Staff Recognition Awards

Sustainability

LGBT+ Equality

Professor Nuala Finnegan, longtime champion of EDI in UCC and Chair of the Equality Committee, received a Leadership Award as part of the 2022 UCC Staff Recognition Awards.

Integrating SDGs into the Curriculum: At this workshop on the 5th of December, hosted by Educational Developers in Ireland Network (EDIN) and facilitated by Dr. John F. Barimo and Dr. Catherine O’Mahony, UCC, participants were supported to align their discipline and teaching with the SDGs (after mapping them) and consider spaces and approaches for integrating education for sustainable development in their teaching/ SoTL/educational development activities.

The LGBT+ Staff Network hosted a number of events in December: a World AIDS Day talk on the 1st of December in collaboration with Pride Works, their AGM on the 8th of December, followed by a Christmas Coffee Morning & a reading by local LGBT+ activist Orla Egan from her latest publication ‘Diary of an Activist’ on the 9th of December.

Professor John O’Halloran, President, and Professor Nuala Finnegan at the Staff Recognition Awards

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JANUARY 2023 HIGHLIGHT STORY

PORTRAIT OF VICKY PHELAN UNVEILED AT UCC The Triptych Portrait, painted by Irish artist Vincent Devine, was unveiled in the Aula Maxima on the 26th of January. Afterwards it was moved to UCC’s Boole Library for three weeks, as a part of a national campaign to honour Vicky’s legacy and to educate people about cervical cancer.

The event featured a discussion on cervical cancer awareness, campaigning, and women’s health advocacy. Hosted by Niamh Griffin from The Irish Examiner, the panel discussion featured:

Portrait unveiling in the Aula Maxima

Also as part of European Cervical Cancer Week (23-27 January), UCCSU, Student Health, and the HSE organised an on-site pop-up HPV vaccine clinic in UCC on the 23rd of January. This was part of a campaign named in honour of another hero of cervical cancer prevention in Ireland, Laura Brennan.

Cian O’Carroll, solicitor and Vicky Phelan’s legal representative.

Stephen Teap, healthcare campaigner whose wife, Irene Teap, died of cervical cancer in 2017 - a year before the CervicalCheck scandal.

Róisín Ní Cadhla, secondary school student at Ardscoil na Mara, who conducted a major survey of public attitudes to CervicalCheck and the HPV vaccine as part of her BT Young Scientist project.

The panel talked about their connection to Vicky Phelan, how she inspired them and how her experience brought them together to advocate for cervical cancer patients; to ensure timely diagnosis and disclosure; and to advocate for the importance of cervical screening for women.

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Disability The Spring 2023 Perforum Series curated by UCC and Cork Opera House Theatre Artist-in-Residence, Jody O’Neill, commenced in January and the focus of the season was on exploring the creation of theatre and dance through the lens of disability. The first in the series on the 25th of January featured Rhona Coughlan discussing Conversations about disability and dance.

Inspiring Women Entrepreneurs with UCC Innovation.

On the 19th of January, UCC Innovation hosted an event for women who are interested in exploring the possibility of an entrepreneurial career.

Rhona Coughlan who contributed to Conversations about disability and dance

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Disability

FEBRUARY 2023

UCC’s second DisabiliTEA social gathering for staff and PG students with disabilities was held on the 15th of February. At this coffee morning, the focal point was a discussion with Buildings and Estates on how UCC’s accessibility map may be improved.

Religion On the 1st of February 2023 to mark UN Interfaith Harmony Week, the Study of Religions Department, the Race Equality Forum, and the EDI Unit presented Dr. Ilyse Morgenstein Fuerst speaking on “Imperial Pandemic: The Global Racialization of Religion.”

Gender Equality Mná@UCC and Network Cork’s first joint event welcomed award-winning author Mary Ann Sieghart to UCC to conduct a workshop followed by a public conversation about her book “The Authority Gap” with the President of Mná@UCC, Dr. Siobhán Lucey and the President of Network Cork, Ingrid Seim. This took place on St Brigid’s Day, the 1st of February, and was sponsored by the EDI Unit and the Staff Sports and Social Club.

University of Sanctuary UCC’s sixth annual Refugee Week ran from the 20th to the 25th of February.

Highlights included a conversation on parenting as a refugee, a screening of the award-winning film, Aisha, and the annual Refugee Week Conference coordinated by Fáilte Refugees, this year focussed on ‘Healing Cultures.’

Mother Languages Day UCC celebrated Mother Languages Day for the first time in 2022 on the 21st of February with a number of events, including a wonderful video created by researchers at MaREI.

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MARCH 2023 HIGHLIGHT STORY

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY, MARCH 8TH This is a global celebration of the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The 2023 theme was ‘Embrace Equity’. In UCC, a range of different events were held to showcase and acknowledge the impact women have had on the world.

Guthanna na mBan was a conference organised

by Roinn na Nua-Ghaeilge about women of the Irish revival/Mná na hAthbheochana.

The CUBS Athena SWAN SAT held an International Women’s Day virtual panel event discussing the theme “Embracing equity for a sustainable society”.

The School of English hosted poet and novelist Jackie Kay MBE, Professor of Creative Writing at Newcastle University, for a reading and conversation.

UCC BIS Society held their Annual Women in STEM Conference, sponsored by Cadence, and hosted by a collaboration of the WiSTEM Society, Science Society, Engineering Society, MRT Society, EWB Society, Translational Med Society, Net Soc, BIS, Biology Society, and the UCC IEEE Student Branch on International Women’s Day. The video of the Multilingual Flashmob from UCC Open Day (October 8th 2022) was released to coincide with IWD2023, when students and staff of Languages, Literature, and Cultures and the Department of Theatre, came together as a response to gender-based violence, and particularly to critique impunity and victim-blaming narratives surrounding these violences.

The Annual Library Seminar was held on the 6th of March, the theme for which was "Libraries' Roles in Promoting and Supporting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion." An interesting session was delivered by speakers Marylin Clarke, Leona Burgess, Katy Lumsden, and Elaine Chapman.

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Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment On the 21 March 2023 the first Irish study of those who have been stalked and/or harassed, was published and it revealed the social, financial and psychological impact upon those who have experienced it, and urged a number of recommendations. The UCC report, undertaken

by Dr. Catherine O’Sullivan and Dr. Ciara Staunton in partnership with the Sexual Violence Centre Cork (SVCC), shows how, in the majority of cases, perpetrators of stalking or harassment were known to them. st

UCC GAA became the first Cork GAA club to give Bystander Intervention training to members. The Bystander Intervention Programme, developed at UCC, has been adopted at third level institutions across the country, and now moves from lecture halls to changing rooms as part of efforts to tackle problematic behaviour.

On March 20th, the Violence, Conflict, and Gender research cluster in the Centre for Advanced Studies in Languages and Cultures (CASiLaC), hosted the launch of Representing Gender-Based Violence: Global Perspectives (Palgrave Macmillan 2023) edited by Dr. Caroline Williamson Sinalo (UCC) and Dr. Nicoletta Mandolini (Universidade do Minho).

This publication, officially launched by Dr. Alan Gibbs (UCC), is the culmination of the work driven by both editors during their convenorship of the VCG research cluster, and it includes chapters written by other cluster members too. The volume explores the politics, ethics, and pitfalls of representational practices surrounding Gender-Based Violence (GBV). It examines how GBV is represented across philosophy/ epistemology, fiction and non-fictional media representations, and discusses feminism in relation with global trends to identify its cultural frontline.

First HEA National Race Equality Conference UCC's delegation at the conference - Chair of the Race Equality Forum, Dr. Amanullah De Sondy, Dr. Anne Gannon, Human Resources, and Professor Nuala Finnegan, Dean of Undergraduate and Postgraduate Studies - were delighted to contribute to the first HEA National Race Equality Conference in University of Galway where the Anti-Racism Principles for Irish Higher Education Institutions were formally launched.

Athena SWAN UCC was awarded three new Athena SWAN Bronze Awards. The awards celebrate the a dvancement of gender equality at the School of Clinical Therapies, the School of Mathematical Sciences, and the School of Computer Science and Information Technology.

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APRIL 2023 LGBT+ Equality On April 11th and 12th the LGBTQ Society held the annual Queer Conference.

Equality and Inclusion ISS21 was very active in April with many collaborations and a symposium focused on issues of equality and inclusion Sharing Canadian and Irish Research and Practice in Housing First and Rapid Rehousing - in collaboration with Irish Research Council (April 20th).

Duty to Care and Solidarity - in collaboration with PrecNights and the Doctor of Social Science Programme (April 21st).

Valuing Feminist and Disability Politics - CareVisions (an ISS21 research project) (April 24th).

Im/possibilities of settlements and onward movements - ISS21 Migration & Integration Research Cluster (April 25th).

Leave No One Behind - Symposium on Health Inequalities in Ireland (April 27th).

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MAY 2023 LGBT+ Equality As part of Cork LGBT+ Awareness Week, the UCC LGBT+ Staff Network hosted two events. The first was a Coffee Morning on Wednesday the 17th of May, International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, in the Hub. The second was a seminar hosted by the School of Applied Social Studies and the UCC LGBT+ Staff Network entitled ‘Free To Be Me’: listening to lesbians seeking asylum in the UK’ by Jane Traies.

HIGHLIGHT STORY

ID+ PROJECT SHOWCASE

Lecturers from all over Ireland attended the id+ Project Showcase event on the 15th of May, to learn about UCC’s experience of inclusive co-learning for degree students and students with intellectual disabilities. Deputy President and Registrar Professor Stephen Byrne opened the event, and also launched a new online microcredential for higher education teaching staff who want to develop their skills in inclusive education.

Global Accessibility Awareness Day Inclusive UCC hosted the Global Accessibility Awareness Day on the 18th of May. The theme and focus was Accessible Content.

UCC LGBT+ Network Coffee Morning to mark International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia

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ID+ students and staff, with members of the HEA

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JUNE 2023 Carers Week The EDI Unit hosted A Conversation about on Thursday, June 15th reflecting on issues of care in the University Dr. Rachel MagShamhráin, Head of the Department of German, “Un-Becoming the Story: Exploring Confessional Approaches to Care in Academia” Respondents: Dr. Jacqui O’Riordan, co-convenor of the CARE21 research cluster and Susan O’Mahony, Staff Wellbeing and Development.

UCC’s First Carers Café Also marking National Carers Week, UCC Staff Wellbeing and Development hosted the pilot of a new Carers Café, which was held on Thursday the 8th of June via MS Teams.

A Conversation About Caring

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Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment Framework As part of UCC’s ongoing work within the framework of Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment in Higher Education Institutions, a series of global conversations were hosted and sponsored by the Violence, Conflict, Gender cluster, Centre for Advanced Study in Languages and Cultures (CASiLaC), Centre for Mexican Studies, Department of Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies, and the EDI Unit.

On June 14th a lunch and conversation was hosted with Mary Crilly to celebrate 40 years of her work as activist and Director, Sexual Violence Centre Cork.

Professor Nuala Finnegan, Chair, Equality Committee, Mary Crilly, Cork Sexual Violence Centre, Professor Stephen Byrne, Deputy President and Registrar.

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Universal Design for Learning On the 6th of June CIRTL, in collaboration with Inclusive UCC, hosted an engaging session featuring Dr. Frederic Fovet, Assist. Prof. at Thompson Rivers University, Canada, exploring the pressing need for implementing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in post-secondary institutions through the lens of sustainable development.

Traveller Rights The Traveller Equality and Justice Project, based in the School of Law, were delighted to receive a Traveller Ally Award from Travellers of North Cork on the 20th of June. Dr. Samantha Williams and Dr. Fiona Donson were recognised for their work supporting Travellers in the Munster region to access legal supports to challenge discrimination through the legal system.

Award presented to the TEJP as part of Traveller Pride 2023.

World Refugee Week On Monday the 19th of June Nasc presented on the EU-Passworld project.

This is a three-year project run by Nasc and UNHCR Ireland, funded by the EU’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, linking community sponsorship to labour and education pathways.

On Tuesday the 20th of June, World Refugee Day, UCC’s LGBT+ Staff Network hosted an audience with LGBT+ and women’s rights activist, Basira Paigham, an Afghan queer woman and human rights activist, co-founder of the organization Afghan LGBT, one of BBC’s 100 Women 2021, and a recipient of an Outright International UN Rights and Religion Fellowship 2023. She has been living in Ireland since 2021 after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.

Creative Agency at the Glucksman Creative Agency is a programme that empowers young asylum seekers, refugees and migrants to participate in imaginative projects that enable them to present their voices and views in the public realm. This exhibition, which ran from June 20th to 25th and was part of the World Refugee Week listings, presented a small selection of artworks created by the programme participants since its inception in 2015.

The Soundseekers Audio Arts & Cultural Festival The Soundseekers Audio Arts & Cultural Festival is a shared and collaborative hybrid learning experience between Refugee, Asylum & Migrant Communities, UCC Staff, UCC students and Artists from Refugee, Asylum & Migrant backgrounds. A series of workshops took place over the summer (June 17th to August 3rd) in UCC thanks to partners the Arts Council and UCC’s SATLE initiative and the Digital Arts & Humanities Dept in UCC.

Doria Sibanba (centre) and Kieran Hurley (right) being presented with the Soundseekers award by CRAOL

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JULY 2023 HIGHLIGHT STORY

UCC SIGNS ANTI-RACISM PRINCIPLES

The President Professor John O’Halloran reaffirmed UCC's commitment to challenging racism and embedding a culture of race equality by signing the Anti-Racism Principles for Irish Higher Education.

The Principles seek to challenge race inequality across higher education and call on HEI leadership to actively acknowledge that race inequality exists in higher education and affirm the power of universities to take action and to influence Irish society.

UCC is committed to enhancing diversity and promoting equality and inclusion amongst all staff and students. By signing up for the Principles, UCC commits to action across key areas including deepening anti- racism as part of the university’s strategic priorities and fostering an intersectional and intercultural approach when developing anti-racism actions and policies.

Professor John O’Halloran, President, Dr. Jennie Rothwell, Senior Manager at the HEA’s Centre of Excellence for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), Deputy President and Registrar, Stephen Byrne, Dr. Amanullah De Sondy, Chair, Race Equality Forum and members of UCC’s Working Group on Race Equality Network.

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HIGHLIGHT STORY

CORK PRIDE AT UCC

Celebrating the second year as an official sponsor of Cork LGBT+ Pride Festival, UCC hosted a range of events including a Pride Tea Party, a Pride ‘Stride and Ride’ cycle, and a screening of ‘The Quay Co-op’ documentary, celebrating an important hub for the development of Cork’s LGBTQ+ community and a base for social change activism, and a host of UCCSU events also.

Speaking at the launch of Pride at UCC President Professor John O’Halloran said: Queen Mia Gold, Professor Nuala Finnegan, LetychaLeSynn, Liam Bee, and Dr. Claire Murray at the Rainbow Walkway during Cork Pride at UCC.

“UCC’s partnership with Cork LGBT+ Pride is very important to us and this year, we look forward to championing and supporting our LGBT+ community.

At UCC, we are committed to ensuring that our campus is inclusive, where every member of our community can feel a sense of welcome and belonging.

As Ireland marks 30 years of decriminalisation, there’s plenty to celebrate but there’s much more to be done to make Ireland a safe, better place for LGBT+ people.”

Staff and students joined thousands for the annual Cork Pride Parade on Sunday the 6th of August. We were delighted to take part in what was the biggest and most successful Cork Pride to date, and we are looking forward to participating again in 2024.

UCC staff from the LGBT+ Staff Network, EDI Unit, and allies from across campus joined together to march in the Cork Pride Parade

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AUGUST 2023 Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment On the 30th of August the Irish findings of the EU GENDER-NET funded study PositivMasc (Positive Masculinities: Masculinities and violence against women among young people: Identifying discourses and developing strategies for change using a mixed method approach) were presented by the research team based in the Institute for Social Science in the 21st Century (ISS21) and School of Applied Social Studies.

Kids EDI Art Fest The 2023 Kids EDI Art Fest launched on the 14th of August. This is open to anyone, anywhere aged from 0<18, and the exhibition will be rolled out as part of UCC Equality Week 2023 from the 2nd to the 6th of October.

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