Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris TD has announced the approval of 10 posts at senior academic level in higher education in line with the Senior Academic Leadership Initiative (SALI).
A key objective of SALI is to strengthen gender diversity at the senior leadership level within HEIs and to encourage the benefits that such diversity can deliver.
Minister Harris said:
“I am delighted to announce that seven of our institutions have been successful under this second SALI call, securing an additional 10 posts.
“The posts awarded span a range of disciplinary areas, from Biochemical Engineering, to Sustainable Geoscience, Intersectional Humanities and Pharmaceutical Engineering. These posts will not only have a significant impact in terms of gender equality, but they will also contribute to wider societal goals through research and education.
“I have no doubt that the Senior Academic Leadership Initiative will attract outstanding applicants from within the higher education sector in Ireland and internationally.”
Recruitment of these posts will now be initiated by the relevant HEIs. The recruitment process in each HEI will take place to the highest standards of assessment, evaluation and rigour consistent with the seniority of the posts to ensure the quality and excellence of the appointments made in due course.
In August 2020, the remit of the HEA’s Centre of Excellence for Gender Equality was expanded to cover all areas of equality, diversity and inclusion. As part of this extended remit, the HEA has been working with stakeholders to advance work in the area of race equality, in addition to continuing its role in supporting sustainable change on gender equality, by providing centralised support for institutions, sharing of good practice, and funding innovative organisational and cultural change initiatives nationally.
Minister Harris concluded:
“This initiative is one of a number of actions in the 2018 Gender Equality Taskforce Action Plan aimed at bringing about sustainable organisational change and empowering a culture of gender equality in higher education institutions.
“I am pleased to see the progress that has been made across the higher education institutions in embedding this culture of gender equality. It is vital that this momentum is maintained and that we also work holistically in addressing all aspects of equality.
“I’d like to thank the HEA and members of the international advisory panel for their expert input to the SALI process.”
Information on the Senior Academic Leadership Initiative is available on the HEA website here: https://hea.ie/funding-calls/senior-academic-leadership-initiative/
Copy of the HEA 2021 Report on Higher Education Institutional Staff Profiles by Gender is available here: https://hea.ie/assets/uploads/2019/07/Higher-Education-Institutional-Staff-Profiles-by-Gender-2021.pdf
| Institution | Post title |
| University of Limerick | Chair of Biochemical Engineering |
| Maynooth University | Professor of Intersectional Humanities |
| Technological University Dublin | Professor of Innovation and Sustainability in Engineering, Construction and Built Environment |
| University College Cork | Professor of Quantum Technology |
| University College Dublin | Full Professor of Pharmaceutical Engineering |
| Maynooth University | Professor of Observational Astrophysics or Cosmology |
| University of Limerick | Chair of Digital Engineering |
| Dublin City University | Full Professor in Sustainable Finance |
| University College Dublin | Full Professor of Sustainability Geoscience |
| National University of Ireland, Galway | Professor of Chemistry |
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