Third level institutions face cuts to their funding if they fail to address gender inequality.
A new report commissioned by the Higher Education Authority found that significant gender inequality remains – meaning women face barriers to progression.
Universities and colleges will be required to introduce mandatory quotas for academic promotion to address the matter.
Former EU Commissioner Maire Geogheghan Quinn led the expert group to examine the issue of gender inequality in our 3rd level institutions.
It followed the case of Micheline Sheehy Skeffington who won her case at the Equality Tribunal against NUIG because it found that her employer had discriminated against her for promotion because of her gender.
NUIG still has the worst gender balance of our 7 Universities when it comes to professorships – 87 percent are men.
At the better end of the scale is University of Limerick, where 69 percent are men.
Head of the Higher Education Authority Tom Boland says the situation can’t be allowed to continue.
Among the recommendations of the expert group are the introduction of mandatory quotas for academic promotion.
Furthermore, funding will be withheld from institutions which fail to meet the agreed targets.
There’ll be an annual review of the higher education institutions’ progress on meeting gender targets – with a full review at the end of 3 years.
