EDII Champions

The five appointed Champions represent Academic Professional Services and are appointed on a three-year basis. The EDII Champions are convened by the EDII Office and meet on a quarterly basis. The EDII Champions are appointed voluntarily on an expression of interest basis and represent the following areas: Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Education, Thurles campus and two representatives for the Professional Services. 

The aim of the Champion roles is to promote EDII within the broad cognate areas, support colleagues in the implementation of relevant programmes and activities and act as a point of contact on these issues with the Office for EDII. The EDII Champions are members of the EDII Implementation Committee (Sub-Committee of the Equality Committee), established in 2022, and form a community of practice approach to the embedding of EDII at MIC.

The EDII team is assisted by five EDII Champions drawn from the staff body, The five EDII Champions are members of the EDII Implementation Committee and include:

• Ciara Ní Shuilleabháin, Director of Strategic Communications & Marketing
• Dr Ailbhe Kenny, Associate Professor
• Dr Catherine Stapleton, Lecturer in Education
• Dr Joan O’Sullivan, Lecturer in English Language and Literature
• Martin Waters, Project Portfolio Manager, ICT Services

The EDII Champions were established at MIC to elevate, communicate and embed EDII across the College. The five appointed Champions represent Academic Professional Services and are appointed on a three-year basis (2022-2025). The EDII Champions are convened by the EDII Office and meet on a quarterly basis. The EDII Champions are appointed voluntarily on an expression of interest basis and represent the following areas: Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Education, Thurles campus and two representatives for the professional services. The aim of the Champion roles is to find creative ways to help elevate, promote and embed EDII; to support colleagues in the implementation of diverse programmes and activities and, in addition, they may act as a point of contact on these issues with the Office for EDII. It is anticipated that this community of practice will create new and innovative ways of responding to EDII that align with the overall mission and strategy of MIC.

The incoming 2022-2023 EDII MIC SU Representative is to be invited to be an EDII Champion on behalf of the SU Community

Responsibilities include:

• Being a member of the EDII committee (Sub-Committee of the Equality Committee), established in 2022, and form a community of practice approach to the embedding of EDII at MIC.
  • Aim of the EDII Implementation Committee - to oversee the strategic development and mainstreaming of EDII at MIC. It will support the enactment of the MIC Athena SWAN Action Plans (Institutional and Faculty), national/EU/international EDII policy recommendations and other opportunities/activities.
  • These include: Public Sector Duty, Gender Based Training, EDII Engagements, HR Policies, External Communication, HEA National Review of Gender Equality in Irish Higher Education Institutions (2016) and Gender Action Plan 2018 – 2020 (2018), policy and future HEA/HE sectoral recommendations, College of Sanctuary, and LGBT+ Ally Programme, to mention a few.
  • Membership of this Committee includes: Director of EDII (Chair), EDII Project Manager, Vice President Governance & Strategy, Director HR, Dean of Arts (or nominee), Dean of Education (or nominee), SU President or Student Representative and EDII Champions.
• Acting as a key means for communication and collaboration on EDII activities, issues and opportunities at MIC and will also operate as a think tank to discuss and develop EDII issues and ideas.
• Promoting EDII as a mainstream activity; for instance, to encourage the inclusion of relevant actions in documenting annual reporting, operational plans, graduate attribute descriptions, research profiles, agenda items, and so on.
• Modelling policies and practices, in their own respective areas, that underpin EDII.
• Encouraging, where possible, a philosophy of teaching and learning, research and outreach/engagement activities that supports undergraduate and postgraduate students to engage with EDII.
• Reviewing the EDII Seed Funding applications, if a conflict of interest arises a member can opt out of the review process.
• Supporting the EDII Office consolidate EDII activities across the Limerick and Thurles campuses and showcasing through case studies, EDII website and other opportunities.

The EDII Champions can become members of the Athena SWAN National Practitioners Network, can avail of opportunities to observe and/or be a panellist on an Athena SWAN assessment panel, as well as opportunities as they arise.

The EDII Champions meetings are a free and open space to allow for transparent and creative discussion on existing and new EDII initiatives.

The TORs will be revisited and revised on annual basis.