Race Equality Framework and Action Plan 2025-2028

Race Equality Statement

We at Dublin City University (DCU) are proud of our diverse community and our commitment to inclusion as a core value. Racism, in all its forms, is a serious global and local issue that is fundamentally at odds with who we are. It has no place in our university.

We acknowledge the existence of racism in society and its systemic nature, and affirm DCU’s proactive commitment to addressing it. We stand alongside our students, staff, and alumni, whatever their ethnic, racial, cultural, or religious background, honouring both the richness of our diversity and our shared responsibility to ensure that everyone can emerge, thrive, and lead at DCU.

We recognise that there is more to be done. Addressing racial inequality requires action: removing barriers, amplifying diverse racial and ethnic voices, and embedding inclusion into our policies, culture, and everyday behaviours. We will continue to challenge systemic inequities, listen and learn from our community, and hold ourselves accountable for meaningful change.

At DCU, race equality is not just an aspiration – it is a commitment that shapes the university we are building together.

You can download a copy of the DCU Race Equality and Action Plan 2025-2028 here

Professor Dáire Keogh, DCU President

Foreword

At DCU, we pride ourselves on the diversity of our staff and student population and on our inclusive values. As a signatory of the HEA Anti-Racism Principles, we believe that Universities like ours have a responsibility to be leaders of positive change in society, challenging racism and race inequality wherever we find it.

Our Race Equality Action Plan has been developed against the backdrop of increasing racist and anti-migrant sentiment in Western society. Ireland is not immune to this contagion, and we are aware of the painful consequences of intolerance and the racism experienced by migrant groups in Irish society.

At the outset, too, it is important that we recognise that race inequality also exists within Irish higher education institutions, including DCU. The development of this plan has created an opportunity for active listening and reflection. It has allowed us to map out areas where we must do better in order to bring about meaningful change.

I warmly welcome the scope of the Action Plan with its ambition to eliminate racism across the university community, and I want to thank all those involved in its development. The next steps are up to us, as we work together to make DCU a University where everyone can be assured of their right to learn and work without fear of racism or discrimination in any form.

Professor Dáire Keogh

DCU President

Gareth Yore, Vice-President for People, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Introduction

DCU is committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable environment where every member of our community can thrive, regardless of racial or ethnic background. This Race Equality Action Plan marks a decisive step in advancing that commitment, building on DCU’s core value of inclusivity.

The plan responds to the ongoing reality of racial inequalities that affect access, experience, and outcomes in higher education, both in Ireland and globally. At DCU, we recognise that promoting race equality is not only a moral imperative but also essential to enriching our academic excellence, driving innovation, and strengthening the social fabric of our university.

This plan is informed by national, European, and international policy and legal instruments, including the Higher Education Authority’s Race Equality Implementation Plan, the Public Sector Duty, and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. It reflects best practice and benchmarks in higher education, ensuring that DCU’s approach aligns with broader frameworks for equality, human rights, and social justice.

Through targeted and measurable actions, the plan addresses the challenges faced by racial and ethnic minority staff and students. It aligns with the broader DCU Strategic Plan, embedding race equality across all aspects of institutional life—including recruitment, retention, curriculum, research, and community engagement.

Developed through extensive consultation with students and staff, the plan reflects the lived experiences and voices of our community. It sets out clear objectives to remove barriers, foster inclusion, and celebrate the diversity that strengthens DCU as a place of learning, discovery, and belonging.

Through the implementation of this Race Equality Action Plan, we commit collectively to building a university where everyone has equal opportunity to succeed and contribute to a more just and inclusive society.

Gareth Yore

Vice-President for People, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Scope

The DCU Race Equality Action Plan sets out a coordinated, institution-wide strategy for eliminating racism in all its forms across our university community. The plan applies to all students, staff, faculty, and visitors, and covers every campus, department, and function.

This action plan acknowledges the diversity within racialised groups at DCU and recognises two principal categories:

Domestic racial and ethnic minorities, which include Irish Travellers, Roma, and all Irish citizens or residents with racial or ethnic minority backgrounds.
International racial and ethnic minorities, including international protection applicants, refugees, holders of subsidiary protection, persons granted permission to remain on humanitarian or other grounds, and international students and staff.

The plan outlines targeted actions to address the unique challenges and systemic barriers faced by each group and is designed to eliminate all forms of racism – such as antisemitism, anti-Muslim racism, anti-Black racism, racism affecting people of Asian, South Asian, Middle Eastern, and North African descent, and discrimination experienced by migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. It recognises intersectionality and the need to respond to different experiences, backgrounds, and circumstances.

Terminology

In 2022, the Higher Education Authority (HEA) published the Race Equality in the Higher Education Sector Implementation Plan 2022–24, which adopts a comprehensive understanding of racism aligned with national and international frameworks. The HEA defines racism, informed by the Athena Swan Ireland Intersectionality Working Group and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), as follows:

“We understand racism to mean the power dynamics present in those structural and institutional arrangements, practices, policies and cultural norms, which have the effect of excluding or discriminating against individuals or groups, based on their identity, as outlined in Article 1 of the International Convention for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), which provides:

‘...the term “racial discrimination” shall mean any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life.’”

This ICERD definition is also reflected in Ireland’s National Action Plan Against Racism.

Informed by feedback from the DCU consultation process, this Action Plan primarily uses the phrase racial and ethnic minority to refer to individuals and groups who are minoritised in the Irish context on the basis of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion, or language. Terms such as racialised or minoritised are also used where contextually appropriate, in recognition of the diversity and complexity of lived experience in Ireland and in DCU.

In relation to data collection, the term ethnicity data is used in accordance with Central Statistics Office (CSO) classifications, ensuring consistency, comparability, and accuracy of demographic data.

Definitions of key terminology used throughout this document draw on the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Literary Glossary developed by Advance HE in collaboration with academics, EDI practitioners, and higher education staff [see Appendix 2]. This glossary provides clear, consistent, and sector-appropriate explanations of the concepts and language employed in this action plan.

Methodology

The development of DCU’s Race Equality Action Plan was led by the Race Equality Working Group, a dedicated body comprising representatives with a range of racial and ethnic identities from across the University. This group brought together staff and student voices, expertise, and insights to guide the creation of a meaningful and actionable plan that aligns with DCU’s commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion.

The Working Group’s approach was grounded in extensive engagement and evidence-gathering. This included facilitating a series of focus groups with both staff and students to gain in-depth qualitative insights into the lived experiences related to race equality at DCU. The group also drew upon data from an employee engagement survey featuring specific statements on race alongside open-text responses, offering rich feedback on the current climate and areas for improvement.

Furthermore, previous survey data from previous Race Equality, Athena Swan and JED surveys for both staff and students were incorporated to provide a comprehensive understanding of ongoing challenges and progress.

Throughout the process, the Race Equality Working Group synthesised these inputs with best practice research to develop clear objectives and actions. The resulting plan was then reviewed and approved by the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Steering Committee and the University Executive, ensuring strong governance, oversight, and institutional commitment.

This structured and consultative development process ensures that DCU’s Race Equality Action Plan is both community-informed and strategically endorsed, positioning the University for sustained progress in race equality. As a living document, the Action Plan will evolve over its lifetime, subject to periodic review and informed by ongoing reflection, engagement, and emerging evidence.

Notably, this plan complements DCU’s Athena Swan Silver Action Plan (2024–2029), integrating race equality ambitions with ongoing gender and intersectionality objectives to promote a cohesive, inclusive university culture.

The Implementation Plan also sets a clear expectation that every higher education institution establish its own dedicated race equality action plan reflecting these themes. This document is DCU’s response to that call, aligning our local commitments with national strategy.

In January 2024, DCU’s President formally endorsed the HEA Anti-Racism Principles, marking a public affirmation of the University’s commitment to these responsibilities.

Full sector-wide implementation of the HEA Race Equality Implementation Plan is expected by 2027. DCU’s Race Equality Action Plan directly addresses each thematic area highlighted by the HEA, including:

Leadership
Supporting diversity in staffing
Supporting diversity in student recruitment
Making race/equality policies transparent
Reporting mechanisms
Awareness and training
Fostering diversity in higher education institutions
Data collection and monitoring

Monitoring

The Race Equality Working Group oversees the implementation and monitoring of the Race Equality Action Plan. This group operates under the EDI Subcommittee, which is chaired by the Vice-President for People, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. The EDI Subcommittee provides strategic leadership and ensures accountability within DCU’s broader EDI governance framework.

Statutory and Policy Context

DCU recognises its statutory duty to advance equality of opportunity and to promote diversity and inclusion, including race equality, in line with national, European, and international legal and policy frameworks.

Key legislative and policy provisions that inform and support this duty include:

The Equal Status Acts 2000–2018 – prohibit discrimination in the provision of goods and services, accommodation, education, and other areas on grounds including race, ethnicity, religion, and membership of the Traveller community.
The Employment Equality Acts 1998–2015 – prohibit discrimination in employment on the same grounds, ensuring fairness in recruitment, workplace practices, and career progression.
The Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty (Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014) – requires public bodies to eliminate discrimination, promote equality, and protect human rights in carrying out their functions.
Article 40.1 of the Irish Constitution – affirms equality before the law for all citizens.
The Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act 1989 – criminalises threatening, abusive, or insulting behaviour intended or likely to incite hatred on racial or ethnic grounds
The Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022 – provides a framework to regulate harmful online content, including hate speech and cyberbullying, through binding online safety codes.
International obligations – including the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), which requires active measures to eliminate racial discrimination, including protections for non-citizens.
The Good Friday Agreement (1998) – reinforces non-discrimination and human rights protections on the island of Ireland.
European Union law, including:
- The Charter of Fundamental Rights (Articles 20–21: equality before the law and non-discrimination).
- The Racial Equality Directive (2000/43/EC) and Employment Equality Directive (2000/78/EC), which prohibit racial and ethnic discrimination in employment, education, social protection, and access to goods and services.
- The Victims’ Rights Directive (2012/29/EU) – implemented in Ireland through the Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Act 2017 – ensuring rights and supports for victims of discrimination and hate crimes.
- The Council Framework Decision 2008/913/JHA – requiring Member States to criminalise public incitement to violence or hatred on racial or ethnic grounds.

In addition, the Government is progressing with a comprehensive review of the Equality Acts with a view to strengthening and modernising anti-discrimination law.

This Action Plan has been developed in line with the HEA Race Equality in the Higher Education Sector Implementation Plan 2022–2024 and draws on guidance from the HEA Race Equality in the Higher Education Sector (2021) and the Race Equality Anti-Racism Principles for Irish Higher Education Institutions (2023).

Higher Education Authority Anti-Racism Principles

In late 2020 and early 2021, the Higher Education Authority conducted a comprehensive national survey exploring race equality across Irish higher education institutions. The findings highlighted significant challenges and disparities, culminating in a detailed report that presented 32 recommendations structured around eight overarching themes.

Building on these recommendations, the HEA published the Race Equality Implementation Plan 2022-2024 in September 2022, outlining a coordinated approach to advancing race equality throughout the sector. A central commitment within this plan was the development of a formal statement of Anti-Racism Principles for Irish higher education institutions, designed as a call to action for leadership and governance bodies to embed anti-racism into institutional cultures and practices.

National Statement on Race Equality in Irish Higher Education

As a higher education sector:

we acknowledge that race inequality exists in Irish higher education institutions;
we reject racial discrimination in all its forms;
we take responsibility, accountability and ownership of race equality issues in Irish higher education;
we acknowledge that the progressive achievement of equality for staff from minority ethnic groups including Travellers can only be realised through action;
we acknowledge the need for greater ethnic diversity among students and staff to ensure that HEIs are more representative of the ethnic diversity in Irish society; and
we acknowledge that higher education institutions have a significant role to play in promoting anti-racist policies and actions across broader Irish society.

Anti-Racism Principles for Irish Higher Education Institutions

Race inequality is an issue in Irish higher education. Racism, although context specific, is a problem in Ireland and racial inequalities are present on a daily basis in our higher education institutions.
Higher education institutions which allow race inequality to exist cannot perform to their full potential.
Anti-racism policies and initiatives must focus on long-term culture change and on fixing the system, not fixing the individual.
Racism is not always overt and can manifest itself in everyday interactions, processes, behaviours, etc. (e.g. microaggressions).
Race inequalities are experienced differently by people from similar and different ethnic backgrounds.
The complex nature of the intersection of race inequality with other characteristics protected under Irish equality legislation must be taken into account when developing anti-racism actions and policies.

The Implementation Plan also sets a clear expectation that every higher education institution establish its own dedicated race equality action plan reflecting these themes. This document is DCU’s response to that call, aligning our local commitments with national strategy.

In January 2024, DCU’s President formally endorsed the HEA Anti-Racism Principles, marking a public affirmation of the University’s commitment to these responsibilities.

Full sector-wide implementation of the HEA Race Equality Implementation Plan is expected by 2027. DCU’s Race Equality Action Plan directly addresses each thematic area highlighted by the HEA, including:

Leadership
Supporting diversity in staffing
Supporting diversity in student recruitment
Making race/equality policies transparent
Reporting mechanisms
Awareness and training
Fostering diversity in higher education institutions
Data collection and monitoring

Shows DCU staff at event marking the signing of anti-racism principles

DCU signing the Anti-Racism Principles for Irish Higher Education Institutions, January 2024

Monitoring

The Race Equality Working Group oversees the implementation and monitoring of the Race Equality Action Plan. This group operates under the EDI Subcommittee, which is chaired by the Vice-President for People, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. The EDI Subcommittee provides strategic leadership and ensures accountability within DCU’s broader EDI governance framework.

The Action Plan

Leadership & Strategy

The advancement of race equality requires clear leadership and strategic direction. Our commitment must be embedded within the University’s core priorities, governance structures, and institutional planning. Senior leaders carry responsibility not only for setting objectives, but also for ensuring that progress is monitored and sustained.

This pillar seeks to ensure that race equality is visible at the highest levels of decision-making, that accountability mechanisms are robust, and that our institutional strategies reflect a long-term, systemic approach. By positioning race equality as a strategic priority, we recognise our responsibility to lead cultural change across the University and to model the values of fairness, inclusion, and equity in higher education.

In addition to embedding race equality at the highest levels, the University is committed to building inclusive leadership capability among all senior and aspiring leaders, while supporting racial and ethnic minority staff into leadership and decision-making roles.

The actions outlined under this thematic area are linked to the following:

Anti-Racism Principles for Irish Higher Education Institutions

We will embed a commitment to race equality as part of our institutional culture and strategic priorities.

6. We will address questions of race equality within the strategic plans of our institutions.

	Objective	Action	Measure of Success	Timeframe	Owner
1.1	Ensure anti-racism is meaningfully integrated into University strategy	Embed anti-racism principles within the annual implementation of DCU's Strategy 2023–2028, ensuring references in strategy updates, implementation plans, and reporting	Clear and regular references to anti-racism in strategy documents; annual reports reflecting anti-racism initiatives.	Ongoing	VPP EDI; with support from EDI Unit
1.2	Ensure senior leadership remain informed, engaged, and equipped to champion EDI and anti-racism across the University.	Provide regular EDI and anti-racism briefings to senior leaders, including updates on sector trends, institutional data, and progress on EDI initiatives. Offer targeted training and resource packs as needed.	Senior leaders receive at least two EDI/anti-racism briefings annually.	Ongoing	VPP EDI; with support from EDI Unit
1.3	Position race equality as a visible, senior-level priority through leadership engagement and communication.	Senior leaders participate in and communicate about race equality initiatives, with anti-racism featured in regular communications and actions.	Documented participation of senior leadership in race equality initiatives; regular communications; evidence in institutional reports.	Ongoing	University Executive; VPP EDI; Comms
1.4	Demonstrate visible senior leadership and accountability for advancing race equality across the University.	Appoint two Race Equality Sponsors from the EDI Steering Committee to act as visible champions for race equality. The sponsors will work closely with the Race Equality Working Group to lead, advocate for, and support the implementation of DCU’s race equality initiatives across the institution.	Two Race Equality Sponsors appointed.	Q4 2025	EDI Steering Committee
1.5	Strengthen the governance and operational delivery of race equality actions across the university.	Race Equality Working Group monitors and oversees the implementation of the action plan, providing regular updates to the EDI Steering Committee and the relevant Governing Authority subcommittee. (Athena Swan Action Plan 2024-2029, AEG1 1.2.2)	Regular and thorough monitoring and reporting; progress tracked against action plan milestones; alignment with timeline and targets.	Ongoing	EDI Steering Committee; Race Equality Working Group; with support from EDI Unit
1.6.1	Monitor and increase diversity of committee structures.	Conduct an EDI audit on the ten identified University Committees annually to monitor representation from across the nine protected grounds, using 2024 findings as baseline; benchmark against university-wide data. (Athena Swan Action Plan 2024-2029, GE2 2.1.2)	EDI audit conducted at least twice by 2028. Actions developed and implemented based on findings, and appropriate targets set and achieved by 2028.	Q4 2025; Q4 2027	VPP EDI; with support from EDI Unit
		Promote the University Committees Policy related to gender composition; update policy to account for broader representation once more established data on gaps is produced. (Athena Swan Action Plan 2024-2029, GE2 2.1.2)	Adherence to policy guidelines; improved diversity in committee compositions.	Ongoing	Chief Operations Officer; with support from EDI Unit
1.7	Integrate intersectionality into EDI and local leadership efforts.	Incorporate race equality objectives into local analyses as part of Athena Swan and EDI initiatives, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities.	Evidence of intersectional analysis in local action plans.	Ongoing	Deputy Director of DCU People; Learning & Development (L&D); EDI Unit
1.8	Build inclusive leadership capability across all senior and aspiring leaders.	Develop and implement an Inclusive Leadership Module; refresh leadership development programmes to integrate inclusive and anti-racist leadership. (Athena Swan Action Plan 2024-2029, AEG 2.2.10)	Module developed and integrated into leadership programmes; participation rates; feedback from participants.	Q4 2025 - ongoing	Deputy Director of DCU People; Learning & Development (L&D); EDI Unit
1.9	Build leadership capacity among racial and ethnic minority staff through tailored mentorship opportunities.	Develop and implement a mentorship programme for racial and ethnic minority staff aspiring to leadership and senior management roles.	Uptake and progression rates of racial and ethnic minority staff in leadership; representation on committees tracked and reported.	Q3 2026	Deputy Director of DCU People; L&D; EDI Unit

Diverse Talent: Equity in Careers and Progression

Equity in recruitment, career development, and advancement opportunities for all staff, irrespective of racial or ethnic background, is essential to a fair and inclusive workplace. By addressing systemic barriers and embedding inclusive practices throughout the employee lifecycle, we strive to build a workforce that reflects diversity at every level. Through targeted initiatives we are committed to fostering an environment where every staff member has the opportunity to thrive and realise their full potential.

The actions outlined under this thematic area are linked to the following:

Anti-Racism Principles for Irish Higher Education Institutions

8. We will continue to ensure a fair and transparent recruitment process for all staff, regardless of ethnicity.

9. We will address race equality issues in relation to progression and retention of students and staff from minority ethnic groups, including Travellers.

	Objective	Action	Measure of Success	Timeframe	Owner
2.1.1	Strengthen recruitment practices to attract candidates from a broader range of racial and ethnic backgrounds.	Monitor recruitment data quarterly to establish and track baselines for diversity at application, shortlist, offer, and acceptance stages. (Athena Swan Action Plan 2024-2029, AEG4 2.2.3)	Ethnicity data for applicants, shortlists, offers, and appointments monitored and reported annually.	Quarterly	VPP for EDI; People Systems and Data Manager; EDI Unit
2.1.2		Broaden advertising sources and proactively share vacancies with networks representing racial and ethnic minority communities. (Athena Swan Action Plan 2024-2029, AEG4 2.2.3)	List of advertising sources expanded and reviewed annually; evidence of outreach to race/ethnicity-focused networks.	Q2 2026	DCU People Talent Acquisition (TA) Team
2.1.3		Review and update inclusive recruitment toolkit and improve unconscious bias training for all panel members.	Review of training completed and toolkit updated by 2026.	Q2 2026	Deputy Director of DCU People; DCU People TA Team; EDI Unit; L&D
2.1.4		Take targeted action to address gaps identified at any stage of the recruitment pipeline.	Increased diversity in candidate pools and hires, reviewed annually.	2027	Deputy Director of DCU People; DCU People TA Team; EDI Unit; L&D
2.1.5		Explore targeted internships programme for minority ethnic and Traveller candidates.	Pilot proposal produced and feasibility assessed.	Q4 2026	Deputy Director of DCU People; DCU People TA Team; EDI Unit
2.1.6		Regularly review and update recruitment imagery, language, and criteria for inclusivity in consultation with staff from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds.	Quarterly audit of all recruitment materials (imagery, language, criteria) for inclusivity and representation.	Quarterly	DCU People TA Team
2.2.1	Ensure fair and transparent career progression and promotion processes for racial and ethnic minority staff.	Once comprehensive diversity data collection is in place, begin collecting and analysing ethnicity data at all stages of the promotion process (application, outcome, appeals).	Ethnicity data on promotions collected annually from 2027.	2027	VPP for EDI; People Systems and Data Manager
2.2.2		Monitor promotion outcomes annually and share disaggregated data (by ethnicity and gender) with EDI structures.	Trends reviewed annually; data used to inform strategic interventions.	2027	VPP for EDI; People Systems and Data Manager
2.3.1	To consider intersectional inequalities in access to career development opportunities by designing a new Talent Management and Development Strategy, with specific consideration for underrepresented groups.	Develop and implement a Talent Management and Development Strategy, in line with the DCU People Strategic Plan, and proactively identify and address gaps within the University’s pipeline in underrepresented groups, including gender and with consideration of intersectionality. (Athena Swan Action Plan 2024-2029, GE3 2.2.7)	Talent Management and Development Strategy created and operational; with evidence-based, targeted action plans developed based on gaps identified.	Q2 2025 - Q2 2026	VPP for EDI; Deputy Director of DCU People; Executive Deans
2.3.2		In line with the Talent Strategy, consider a pilot sponsorship programme through which senior managers sponsor the career development of two staff members of the underrepresented gender in their area, and with particular attention paid to those who may be experiencing intersectional inequalities (aligned with recommendations from the 2nd national review of gender equality in HE). (Athena Swan Action Plan 2024-2029, GE3 2.2.7)	A new sponsorship programme for underrepresented groups developed and piloted; with engagement from all five faculties and PMSS units by 2028.	Q3 2026 - Q3 2027	VPP for EDI; Deputy Director of DCU People; Executive Deans
2.3.3		Conduct a learning needs analysis annually across DCU to identify what development programmes are required to ensure that all academic, teaching, research and PMSS staff have the knowledge, skills and competencies required to successfully fulfil their roles. (Athena Swan Action Plan 2024-2029, GE4 2.2.8)	Learning needs analysis conducted annually and used to create an L&D offer that leverages a 70:20:10 model to all staff.	Annually	Deputy Director of DCU People; EDI Manager; L&OD Manager; TEU
2.3.4		Establish a Race and Ethnicity Staff Network to provide peer support and advise on initiatives to improve racial equity in the workplace.	Network launched by end of 2025; meets regularly and feeds into EDI structures.	Q4 2025	EDI Manager
2.3.5		Set diversity targets within existing leadership programmes to ensure underrepresented groups are provided opportunities to participate. (Athena Swan Action Plan 2024-2029, GE4 2.2.8)	Diversity targets set and met for leadership programme participation.	Annually	Deputy Director of DCU People; EDI Manager
2.3.6		Work with the Race and Ethnicity Staff Network to co-design development initiatives tailored to barriers faced by racial and ethnic minority staff.	Programme co-designed and delivered in partnership with network; participation and impact reviewed annually.	Q2 2026	EDI Manager
2.3.7		Explore the introduction of peer mentoring for racial and ethnic minority staff as part of roll out of targeted mentoring programme.	Feasibility explored by 2026; pilot launched if viable.	Q4 2026	EDI Manager
2.4.1	Monitor and address contract patterns and precarity among racial and ethnic minority staff.	Once comprehensive diversity data collection is in place, audit contract duration, renewal patterns, and employment status by ethnicity and other characteristics, focusing specifically on DCU-employed staff (excluding externally funded positions).	Annual audit conducted; interventions implemented.	2027	VPP for EDI; People Systems and Data Manager
2.4.2		Develop targeted interventions to address inequities and support sustainable employment.	Reduction in precarity amongst racial and ethnic minority staff.	2028	Deputy Director of DCU People
2.5	Advance race equality in the implementation of the Researcher Career Framework (RCF).	Monitor uptake and outcomes of the RCF by ethnicity, and identify targeted supports for racial and ethnic minority researchers.	Ethnicity-disaggregated data on RCF participation and outcomes collected and reported by 2027; targeted support initiatives piloted by 2028.	2028	DCU People
2.6.1	Enhance the pre-arrival and onboarding experience for international staff.	Review and enhance the onboarding process for international staff to include a digital welcome pack with visa guidance, housing information, and practical local resources, distributed prior to arrival.	Digital welcome pack completed and distributed to 100% of new international staff prior to arrival.	Q3 2026	DCU People
2.6.2		Incorporate cultural orientation into the induction programme, covering living and working in Ireland, workplace expectations, and communication styles, delivered online and in-person.	90% of new international staff complete cultural orientation.	2026	Deputy Director of DCU People; L&D
2.7	Appoint a dedicated Visa & Immigration Support Officer to support international staff and students with visa and immigration requirements.	Recruit and appoint a Visa & Immigration Support Officer responsible for visa applications, immigration advice, and supporting international staff and students with travel for conferences and research.	Visa & Immigration Support Officer in post by 2026.	Q1 2026	Dean of Students; VPP of EDI
2.8	Strengthen staff network involvement in induction and onboarding for international staff.	Staff network inputs into orientation events and onboarding material for new international staff.	Induction materials and orientation sessions reflect input from staff networks.	Ongoing	L&D; EDI Unit

Student Success and Belonging

Creating an inclusive and equitable learning environment is essential to enabling all students to succeed.

This pillar focuses on removing barriers to participation, achievement, and engagement, ensuring that students from all racial and ethnic backgrounds have fair access to academic, social, and support opportunities.

Through inclusive teaching practices, tailored support services, and proactive engagement, we aim to foster a student experience where every individual feels valued, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential.

The actions outlined under this thematic area are linked to the following:

Anti-Racism Principles for Irish Higher Education Institutions

9. We will address race equality issues in relation to progression and retention of students and staff from minority ethnic groups, including Travellers.

	Objective	Action	Measure of Success	Timeframe	Owner
3.1.1	Ensure participation of domestic racial and ethnic minority students—including Irish Travellers, Roma, and students from international protection, refugee, and immigrant backgrounds—remains at or above levels reflected in national ethnicity CSO data at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.	Establish a comprehensive baseline of participation rates for domestic racial and ethnic minority students at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.	Establishment of baseline scoped within one year.	2026	Dean of Students
3.1.12		Track participation, progression, and attainment trends for these groups.	Trends on participation and progression tracked annually; participation rates for target groups remain at or above national ethnicity data levels.	2028	Dean of Students
3.2.1	Ensure outreach, recruitment, and engagement activities continue to be inclusive and reflective of DCU’s diverse student population, including racial and ethnic minority students.	Regularly review and update outreach and recruitment materials to ensure inclusive language, imagery, and representation.	Outreach and recruitment materials are reviewed and updated annually.	Annually	Head of Access; Head of Recruitment
3.2.2		Strengthen relationships with Youthreach Centres, Traveller and Roma community organisations, and refugee support networks.	Annual reporting on activities with target groups.	Ongoing	Head of Access
3.2.3		Involve current students from these backgrounds as ambassadors and role models in outreach activities.	Establish a baseline and track annually the number and percentage of racial and ethnic minority student ambassadors participating in outreach activities.	Q1 2026 - ongoing	Head of Access
3.2.4		Deliver annual summer school for Traveller students; expand to primary level.	Summer school delivered annually; participant tracking shows transition to higher education.	Annually	Head of Access
3.2.5		Regularly review and adapt recruitment and support strategies to meet National Access Plan targets.	Increase in the enrolment of Traveller and Roma students, measured against National Access Plan target benchmarks, following the implementation of revised recruitment and support strategies.	Q4 2026	Head of Access; Head of Disability; Dean of Students
3.3.1	Embed race equality and targeted supports across university strategies and student services.	Embed race equality objectives in all student support activities and interventions, including the International Student Recruitment Strategy and the Access Outreach Plan.	Race equality objectives embedded in key strategies.	Q4 2026	Head of Student Recruitment; Head of Access; Dean of Students

3.3.2		Continue to provide and enhance tailored supports such as structured mentorship programmes, targeted funding, academic grinds, and accessible counselling for access students.	Ongoing monitoring of supports and development of new initiatives as required.	Ongoing	Head of Access; Head of Counselling
3.3.3		Actively recruit and encourage racially and ethnically diverse students to volunteer as Peer Mentors, collaborating with the Access Office for targeted outreach.	Establish a baseline percentage of racial and ethnic minority students participating as Peer Mentors; track year-on-year increases in the representation relative to total Peer Mentor numbers.	Ongoing	Office of Student Life (OSL); Head of Access
3.3.4		Maintain and strengthen DCU’s University of Sanctuary status, with regular review of commitments and student outcomes.	University of Sanctuary status retained; full scholarship uptake and positive feedback.	Ongoing	Dean of Students
3.3.5		Promote and monitor access to academic, arts and sports scholarships for racial and ethnic minority students through targeted outreach.	Increased scholarship uptake from minority ethnic students; monitor through annual reviews	Q4 2026	Dean of Students; Head of Sports
3.3.6		Facilitate participation in the Access to the Workplace paid internship programme and similar initiatives.	Improved graduate outcomes for access students.	Q4 2026	Head of Access
3.3.7		Incorporate inclusive recruitment guidance and EDI policy requirements into placement and employer handbooks and websites, and communicate expectations to all placement partners	Review and update of employer handbooks / websites to reflect EDI best practice.	Q4 2025	Head of INTRA; Head of Career
3.3.8		Monitor participation, satisfaction, and outcomes for access students in these programmes and placements.	Increased rates of satisfaction year on year.	Ongoing	Head of Access
3.4	Increase attendance and engagement in the Ethnic Minority Support Group.	Launch a targeted promotion campaign using student emails, social media, digital signage, and testimonials from current members, in partnership with the Student Union and Student Health Service.	Attendance increases by at least 50% year-on-year relative to the initial baseline.	Q3 2026	Student Support & Development (SS&D)
3.5	Foster inclusive participation for international and racial and ethnic minority students across the full range of student clubs and societies.	dentify and reduce barriers to participation among international and racial and ethnic minorities and support clubs and society committees to embed inclusive practices, through representative leadership, promoting diverse engagement at sign-up events, and providing training for student leaders on intercultural awareness.	Increased participation of international and minority ethnic students across a wider range of clubs and societies	Q3 2026	OSL
3.6.1	Embed decolonising and diversifying strategies in curriculum design and review.	Develop and implement a comprehensive toolkit to support DCU educators in decolonising teaching, learning, and assessment. The toolkit will encourage critical reflection, foster innovative approaches to inclusive curriculum design, and aid the integration of diverse perspectives and knowledge into teaching materials. Actively involve students as co-creators in the design.	Toolkit developed and launched by Q3 2025; curriculum reviews demonstrate increased diversity of thought and perspectives.	Q3 2025	Teaching Enhancement Unit
3.6.2		Develop and implement an audit toolkit to support teacher educators in decolonising teaching, learning, and assessment.	Toolkit developed and launched by Q2 2026.	Q2 2026	Institute of Education (IoE)

Transparent Policies and Reporting

Transparent policies and reporting are essential to fostering a safe, equitable, and accountable environment within the University. Ensuring that policies are clear, accessible, and consistently applied, alongside robust reporting mechanisms, promotes openness and trust.

By embedding transparency and accountability, we commit to effectively addressing concerns such as racism and harassment, supporting affected staff and students through accessible assistance and guidance, and building confidence among all members of the University community.

The actions outlined under this thematic area are linked to the following:

Anti-Racism Principles for Irish Higher Education Institutions

5. We will adopt an intersectional and intercultural approach when developing anti-racism actions and policies.

	Objective	Action	Measure of Success	Timeframe	Owner
Staff
4.1	Maintain a strong, intersectional EDI policy infrastructure supporting race equality.	Review all relevant EDI-related policies to ensure race and ethnicity are explicitly addressed; update language and procedures accordingly.	All EDI policies reviewed and updated in line with own review schedule to explicitly address race and ethnicity.	Ongoing	DCU People; EDI Unit; SS&D
4.2.1	Ensure that all staff are aware of, and can respond appropriately to, issues of Dignity and Respect and Sexual Misconduct as they arise.	Create a communications strategy to support the delivery of key messages regarding the D&R and Sexual Misconduct policies and sets of procedures, with clear reference to racism. Leverage the improved EDI governance structures to ensure that all staff engage with information. (Athena Swan Action Plan 2024-2029, AEG3 2.4.1)	By 2028, at least 80% of survey respondents are aware of the D&R policy and at least 70% agree that they know how to report issues of bullying, harassment, and discrimination. By 2028, at least 80% are aware of Sexual Misconduct Policy, and at least 65% of survey respondents know how to report incidents of sexual misconduct by 2028.	Q3 - Q4 2025	Dignity, Respect & Sexual Misconduct (DRSM) Response Manager; with support from EDI Unit
4.2.2		Develop an ‘outreach programme’ to promote and increase awareness of our newly updated Dignity and Respect Policy and new Sexual Misconduct Policy and implement annually. (Athena Swan Action Plan 2024-2029, AEG3 2.4.1)	Outreach programme developed and implemented; with 30% of staff reached across all three teaching campuses each year.	Q3 - Q4 2025	DRSM Response Manager
4.2.3		Develop and publish short, accessible infographic summaries of the two key policies that include an outline roadmap of reporting procedures. (Athena Swan Action Plan 2024-2029, AEG3 2.4.1)	At least 65% of survey respondents feel comfortable making a disclosure regarding bullying, harassment, or sexual misconduct by 2028.	Q4 2025	DRSM Response Manager
4.2.4		Incorporate information on Speak Out into all communications relating to D&R and Sexual Misconduct Policies (including roadshow series of events). This will include specific clarity on what the tool is used for, and what alternative structures for formal complaints/reports there are. (Athena Swan Action Plan 2024-2029, AEG3 2.4.1)	At least 65% of survey respondents feel comfortable making a disclosure regarding bullying, harassment, or sexual misconduct by 2028.	Q4 2025	DRSM Response Manager
4.2.5		Include D&R policy within the required list of policies that all new starters need to read ahead of starting in their roles. (Athena Swan Action Plan 2024-2029, AEG3 2.4.1)	D&R policy read by all new starters going forward as confirmed through new Onboarding Hub.	Q2 2025	VPP for EDI
4.2.6		Continue to roll out targeted D&R-related training, facilitated by the EDI Unit, for schools/departments in DCU. Enhance engagement among and encourage all Heads and Deans with this by ensuring it is included on the agenda for H&Ds meetings not less than once per semester. (Athena Swan Action Plan 2024-2029, AEG3 2.4.1)	Targeted D&R sessions carried out with at least 25% of schools/ departments engaging annually.	Ongoing	VPP for EDI; DRSM Response Manager
4.2.7		Develop an online Anti-Bullying and Harassment training available through Loop for DCU staff. Promote and monitor engagement levels annually; and consider incorporation into the Essential eLearning suite of training. Explore use for students. (Athena Swan Action Plan 2024-2029, AEG3 2.4.1)	A new Anti-Bullying and Harassment training developed and launched, with 20% of staff engaging by 2028.	Q3 2026 – Q2 2027	Director of Engagement & Innovation (Anti- Bullying Centre)
4.2.8		Monitor use of anonymous and formal reporting tools, ensuring clarity on their purpose and limitations.	Number and frequency of reports submitted through anonymous and formal channels, tracked over time.	Quarterly	DRSM Response Manager
4.2.9		Monitor awareness and confidence levels by conducting a specific D&R pulse survey every two years. (Athena Swan Action Plan 2024-2029, AEG3 2.4.1)	Two pulse surveys on D&R carried out by 2028.	Q1 2025; Q1 2027	DRSM Response Manager; EDI Unit
4.3.1	To continue to identify and address gaps in our policies and practices related to intersectional inequalities which impact employees’ experiences in DCU.	Build on work undertaken to date to implement plans to establish Staff Networks, including launching the Staff Networks protocol/guidelines and supporting Leads in creating Networks related to Cultural Diversity, Disability, and LGBTQ+. (Athena Swan Action Plan 2024-2029, AEG4 2.4.3)	Staff Network Guidelines launched, and 3 Networks created and in operation by 2028.	Q1 2026	EDI Manager; EDI Unit
4.3.2		Work collaboratively with Staff Networks to gather information and feedback on their experiences of policies and practices in DCU through focus groups/pulse surveys. (Athena Swan Action Plan 2024-2029, AEG4 2.4.3)	Focus groups held with 3 Staff Networks by end of 2026. Actions developed based on feedback and incorporated into this action plan where relevant.	Q4 2026	EDI Manager; EDI Unit; Race Equality WG Chair
4.3.3		Share relevant survey findings with institutional Working Groups to support them identifying areas for action and to inform their next steps. (Athena Swan Action Plan 2024-2029, AEG4 2.4.3)	All relevant findings shared with Working groups for consideration and action planning.	Q1 2027	EDI Manager
4.4	To ensure line management feels equipped in implementing D&R Sexual Misconduct, and Domestic Violence Leave Policies and appropriately manages disclosures.	Design specific training for all staff with people-management responsibilities to ensure that they are aware of their role in the procedures and can appropriately respond to, and support, those who disclose. (Athena Swan Action Plan 2024-2029, AEG3 2.4.4)	At least 80% of line management have participated in training by 2028.	Q2 – Q3 2026	Deputy Director of DCU People; DRSM Response Manager
4.5	Strengthen DCU’s ability to respond to potential racist incidents and build a safe, resilient, and inclusive environment for staff and students.	Establish guidelines and supports for reporting and responding to racist incidents, and provide assistance to any affected members of the DCU community, alongside initiatives to strengthen community safety and resilience.	Guidelines, reporting pathways and supports clearly communicated and accessible.	Q3 2025	DCU People; SS&D; SU; DRSM Response Manager; EDI Unit
Students
4.6.1	Increase student awareness of and engagement with reporting mechanisms.	Conduct a user-centric review of both DCU's online and physical reporting hubs. Assess accessibility, clarity, and visibility of all reporting options (formal, informal, anonymous).	Revised hub launched by 2026.	Q4 2026	DRSM Response Manager; Student Policy Officer
4.6.2		Clearly signpost the supports that are available through Student Support & Development, the Dignity, Respect and Sexual Misconduct Response Manager and Student Policy Officer.	An increase in the rate of access to services.	Q2 2026	DRSM Response Manager; Student Policy Officer
4.6.3		Integrate information on all reporting options (including Speak Out, Dignity & Respect Advisors, and Sexual Misconduct Advisors) into general DCU communications, digital signage, and social media campaigns.	Establish baseline of students reporting awareness of reporting options and monitor in annual student survey; increased traffic to Speak Out and reporting webpages.	Ongoing	DRSM Response Manager; Student Policy Officer
4.6.4		Promote Speak Out and reporting pathways in all-student emails at least quarterly, and include reminders in Student Union and campus newsletters.	As above	Quarterly	DRSM Response Manager; Student Policy Officer
4.6.5		Continue roll out of QR code reporting posters in bathrooms, lecture halls, and student accommodation, linking directly to Speak Out and advisor contacts.	As above	Ongoing	DRSM Response Manager; Student Policy Officer; Students Union (SU) VP for Diversity & Inclusion
4.6.6		Develop and distribute clear, accessible infographics and “how to report” guides for students.	At least 65% of survey respondents feel comfortable making a disclosure regarding bullying, harassment, or sexual misconduct by 2028.	2026	DRSM Response Manager; Student Policy Officer; SU VP for Diversity & Inclusion
4.6.7		Train staff, including frontline staff, to identify and signpost reporting options using bystander intervention model.	Number of staff who have completed the bystander intervention training; track improvement in staff knowledge and confidence in identifying and signposting reporting options.	Q3 2025	DRSM Response Manager
4.6.8		Engage with the new National Speak Out Office to co-design improvements and awareness activities.	Regular feedback to and from the National Speak Out Office.	Ongoing	DRSM Response Manager
4.7.1	Enhance visibility and accessibility of Dignity & Respect Allies and Sexual Misconduct Advisors.	Host drop-in sessions with allies and advisors in high-traffic areas on all campuses, promoted via social media.	Number and frequency of drop-in sessions hosted across all campuses.	Q1 2027	DRSM Response Manager; Student Policy Officer; Health & Wellbeing Officer
4.7.2		Feature allies and advisor profiles in student newsletters and on the DCU website.	Frequency with which allies and advisor profiles are highlighted across student communications channels (newsletter issues, website updates) annually.	Ongoing	DRSM Response Manager; Student Policy Officer; SU VP for Diversity & Inclusion
4.8	Capture and respond to informal reports and disclosures.	Evaluate and pilot additional mechanisms for capturing informal, in-person disclosures —such as training Dignity & Respect Advisors, Student Support Officers, or designated contact persons to receive and document informal reports (with consent), ensuring confidentiality and appropriate follow-up.	Increased number of informal disclosures captured through these channels.	Q1 2027	DRSM Response Manager
4.9.1	Build a culture of peer and staff support for reporting.	Implement workshop for academic staff on trauma-informed responses to disclosures, including managing informal reports.	80% feel “confident” responding.	Q3 2026	DRSM Response Manager
4.9.2		Provide targeted EDI training to class representatives, equipping them to act as EDI ambassadors—promoting inclusive practices, signposting supports, and championing EDI.	100% of class reps complete EDI training annually; increased visibility of EDI issues and supports.	Q4 2027	Dean of Students
4.10.1	Embed report and support information in student orientation.	Provide training on Dignity & Respect and Sexual Misconduct reporting procedures as part of student orientation.	95% of new students complete orientation modules by 2026.	Ongoing	DRSM Response Manager; Student Policy Officer
4.10.2		Include a short video on reporting and support services in Loop or on website for all new and returning students.	Track the number of video views annually and achieve consistent year-on-year growth.	Q4 2026	DRSM Response Manager; Student Policy Officer
4.11	Systematically analyse and report on incidents of student and staff racial harassment.	Implement a centralised system to collect, analyse, and report data on all reported incidents of racial harassment (including formal, informal, and anonymous reports via tools like Speak Out). Produce and share anonymised annual reports with Race Equality Working Group, EDI Steering Committee and relevant stakeholders, highlighting trends, actions taken, and progress against commitments.	Annual report on racial harassment incidents published and shared with stakeholders; evidence of data-driven interventions and compliance with HEA and sector requirements.	Q4 2026	DRSM Response Manager
4.12	Use feedback and data to improve reporting pathways and communications.	Regularly review feedback from users of reporting systems, survey data, and case outcomes to identify barriers or gaps. Use these insights to update and enhance reporting procedures, communications, and support information (e.g., website, training, awareness campaigns). Involve staff and student representatives in the review process.	Improvements to reporting pathways and communications implemented annually; increased user satisfaction and awareness as measured by follow-up surveys; higher rates of reporting and engagement with support services.	Ongoing	DRSM Response Manager

Building Awareness and Inclusive Practice

Understanding and addressing racial inequities requires recognising the structural, institutional, and historical factors that have shaped higher education and society.

This pillar seeks to educate staff and students about these broader systemic dynamics, alongside individual acts of bias or discrimination, to deepen awareness of how racism manifests at multiple levels.

Through training, discussion, and engagement, we aim to foster informed dialogue and equip the university community to actively advance race equality in practice.

The actions outlined under this thematic area are linked to the following:

Anti-Racism Principles for Irish Higher Education Institutions

2. We will 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.

3. We will educate our 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.

4. We will encourage an open dialogue on advancing Race Equality.

	Objective	Action	Measure of Success	Timeframe	Owner
5.1.1	Build awareness among staff and students of structural, institutional and interpersonal racism.	Conduct a comprehensive staff learning needs analysis on anti-racism and broader EDI topics to inform future delivery.	Training needs analysis completed by Q2 2026.	Q4 2025 - Q1 2026	EDI Unit; L&D
5.1.2		Enhance EDI training for all staff—including modules on anti-racism, relevant policies, responding to disclosures, and inclusive practice—tailored for academic, managerial, and front-line roles.	EDI and anti-racism training expanded for all staff by 2026.	Q4 2026	EDI Unit; L&D
5.1.3		Actively promote the ‘Let’s Talk About Race’ e-learning training for staff, enhance monitoring of participation and completion through the new Learning Management System (LMS), and evaluate the training as part of the learning needs analysis.	Increase in the completion rate of the ‘Let’s Talk About Race’ e-learning training, tracked through the new LMS.	Ongoing	EDI Unit
5.1.4		Provide improved e-learning opportunities (e.g., anti-racism, anti-discrimination, intercultural competence, bystander intervention, allyship).	Increase in the number and variety of e-learning courses available to staff, developed and launched in response to outcomes from the learning needs analysis.	Q4 2026	EDI Unit; L&D
5.1.5		Build e-learning compliance and promotion into the new Learning Management System to track and encourage uptake.	Enhanced tracking capabilities implemented in the LMS, demonstrated by detailed compliance and participation reports.	Q2 2026	EDI Unit; L&D
5.1.6		Integrate DCU values, particularly the ‘Inclusive’ value, into all training design, ensuring EDI is embedded throughout all L&D and leadership programmes.	All L&D and leadership training reviewed and updated to embed EDI.	Q4 2025	EDI Unit; L&D
5.1.7		Develop and introduce a specific ‘Inclusive Leadership’ module to be incorporated as part of DCU’s Essential eLearning suite of training. (Athena Swan Action Plan 2024-2029, AEG4 2.2.10)	Develop and introduce a specific ‘Inclusive Leadership’ module to be incorporated as part of DCU’s Essential eLearning suite of training.	Q3 2026	EDI Unit; L&D
5.1.8		Offer targeted anti-racism training for student support staff to ensure they are equipped to respond appropriately to racism and discrimination.	All SS&D staff trained.	Q4 2026	EDI Unit; L&D
5.1.9		Roll out TiLT role-play training for all incoming first-year students as part of online orientation.	TiLT training embedded in student orientation from 2025.	Q4 2025	SS&D
5.1.10		Deliver anti-racism and active bystander training for student leaders (SU, Clubs & Socs, Class Reps).	Student leaders trained as active bystanders by 2026.	Q3 2026	SS&D; OSL; SU
5.1.11		Facilitate participation in the HEA-funded 'Race Equity Champions: Unity in Diversity Train-the-Trainer Initiative' to develop Race Equity Champions who will lead peer engagement and institutional change and become part of new national champions network.	6 participants complete the programme by end 2027 and actively engage in the National Race Equity Champions peer network.	Q4 2027	EDI Unit
5.1.12		Develop and launch a university-wide anti-racism campaign, aligned with Speak Out and co-created with students.	Campaign launched and implemented annually.	Q2 2026	EDI Unit; SS&D; SU
5.2	Equip researchers and research staff (including postdocs and PhD students) with practical knowledge and skills to recognise, prevent, and respond to online harassment, including online racism in the context of their research, fostering a respectful and inclusive digital environment.	Develop and promote an online harassment toolkit aimed primarily at researchers (staff, postdocs, and PhD students).	Toolkit launched.	Q2 2026	Comms
5.3.1	Increase intercultural awareness and foster open, respectful dialogue among staff and students.	Provide annual intercultural awareness training for all staff, with a focus on intercultural communication, and recognising and respecting similarities and differences in cultural and religious practices and observances (e.g. Ramadan).	Staff training on intercultural awareness and competence delivered annually.	Annually	EDI Unit
5.3.2		Host regular intercultural awareness and education events in partnership with student societies, cultural groups, and staff networks.	Programme of events embedded into annual activities.	Q3 2026	DI Unit; SS&D; SU
5.3.3		Promote open dialogue through events such as intercultural lunches, Human Library, and panel discussions.	3 events hosted annually; increased participation and positive feedback from the community.	Ongoing	EDI Unit; SS&D; SU
5.3.4		Explore intercultural awareness training module for students.	Feasibility of training on intercultural awareness and competence assessed.	Q3 2027	OSL; SU
5.4.1	Increase awareness of Traveller and Roma identities and address inequities to ensure DCU is a safe, inclusive community.	Deliver annual training and awareness programmes for staff and students on Traveller and Roma identities, histories, and the inequities these communities experience, co-designed with Traveller and Roma advocacy groups.	Surveyed staff and students report increased awareness and confidence in supporting Traveller and Roma peers; positive feedback from Traveller and Roma students and staff on campus climate and inclusion.	Q4 2026	EDI Unit; SS&D

Fostering a Diverse Campus Experience

A university enriched by diversity acknowledges the importance of creating spaces and experiences that recognise, reflect and affirm different cultural and religious traditions.

By fostering understanding across cultures and supporting a range of cultural expressions – from art and heritage to language and communal spaces – staff and students are encouraged to engage with one another in meaningful ways.

This approach nurtures a campus environment that values dialogue, respects different traditions, ensures physical and emotional safety, and provides the social, spiritual, and cultural infrastructure needed for everyone to feel connected and supported.

The actions outlined under this thematic area are linked to the following:

Anti-Racism Principles for Irish Higher Education Institutions

2. We will 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.

3. We will educate our 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.

	Objective	Action	Measure of Success	Timeframe	Owner
6.1	Create a welcoming, sensory-friendly space for intercultural dialogue, cultural celebrations, and quiet reflection.	Design and launch a multi-purpose intercultural/EDI facility. Develop an annual calendar of events in collaboration with student societies and staff networks.	Facility operational by 2027	Q4 2026	SS&D; Office of the Chief Operations Officer (COO)
6.2.1	Provide accessible, safe, and sensory-friendly spaces that support inclusion, rest, study, and community connection, especially for neurodivergent and commuting students	Ensure the intercultural facility is also available as a safe, sensory-friendly space.	Facility rated as safe and welcoming by users.	Q4 2026	SS&D
6.2.2		Review existing campus spaces to identify opportunities for establishing commuter hubs or lounges.	U Building commuter hub successfully launched in September 2025; review completed with recommendations for further commuter spaces.	Q3 2025	Estates; OSL; SU
6.3.1	Enhance campus safety by promoting safety resources, technology, and staff training to ensure a secure environment for all.	Promote the SafeZone App and raise awareness of its features among students and staff.	80% of new students download the app; usage data and feedback reviewed annually.	Ongoing	EDI Unit; SS&D; Office of the COO
6.3.2		Offer targeted security and safety training to staff to empower effective safety practices and responses.	Security and safety training delivered as required.	Q3 2025	Estates
6.4	To advance race equality and refugee integration within the School of Applied Language and Intercultural Studies (SALIS) through sustained pedagogical, cultural, and creative interventions that transform the university into a site of solidarity, intercultural learning, and structural change.	Sustain and expand SALIS’s integrated programme on race equality and refugee inclusion by supporting the continued delivery of IRIN, the MA in Refugee Integration, and creative and community projects that bring students, staff, and displaced communities together in intercultural learning and knowledge co-creation.	Sustain and expand SALIS’s programme by supporting the continued delivery of IRIN, the MA in Refugee Integration, and creative and community projects that bring students, staff, and displaced communities together in intercultural learning and knowledge co-creation.	Ongoing	SALIS
6.5	Promote understanding, respect, and celebration of cultural diversity across the university community.	Develop a university-wide calendar of religious holidays and significant cultural events.	Calendar developed and kept up to date.	Q4 2026	EDI Unit; SS&D
6.5.2		Expand and enhance cultural celebration events that honor diverse heritages and traditions, such as Diwali, Black History Month, and Traveller Pride, to enrich the campus cultural landscape.	4 major intercultural events hosted annually; increased participation and positive feedback from the community.	Ongoing	EDI Unit; SS&D
6.6	Use the rich diversity of Irish culture—across its many traditions, heritages, and local histories—as a platform to connect staff and students of all backgrounds and enhance belonging.	Expand St. Patrick’s Week celebrations to reflect the wide range of Irish cultures (such as traditional and contemporary music, Irish-language events, regional foods, Traveller and migrant stories, local and modern art). Facilitate opportunities for staff and students to share how their backgrounds intersect or resonate with aspects of Ireland’s past and present.	Positive feedback on sense of belonging and community from event participants.	2027	SS&D; Events
6.7	Promote and embed the Irish Language as a core element of DCU’s inclusive and multilingual campus culture.	Work collaboratively with university communities to communicate the key tenets of the Irish Language strategy within the EDI agenda; provide accessible translation supports and promote Irish language initiatives for staff and students; encourage participation from international and minority ethnic groups; and ensure compliance with relevant legislation in all public-facing communications and campus activities.	Increased engagement and participation in Irish language initiatives by international and minority ethnic staff and students; compliance with statutory requirements.	2028	Office of the COO; EDI Unit
6.8	Maintain and enhance a welcoming, inclusive chaplaincy for all staff and students of all religions, beliefs and worldviews.	Continue to operate and resource the chaplaincy, ensuring it is open and accessible to all. Provide one-to-one support, individual meditation, and communal worship spaces as appropriate. Organise interbelief events, dialogues, and celebrations in collaboration with faith and cultural societies. Promote chaplaincy services widely across campus, including during orientation and in student/staff communications.	Chaplaincy services are actively used and valued by students and staff; at least four interbelief events or dialogues are held annually.	Ongoing	Chaplaincy
6.9	To ensure that there are appropriate spaces for staff and students with religious requirements.	Continually review available prayer spaces to meet the needs of students and our staff community and highlight location through signage, at orientation etc. (Athena Swan Action Plan 2024-2029, Misc 2.4.18)	Appropriate prayer spaces available to students from all religious backgrounds across our three teaching campuses	Ongoing	Dean of Students
6.10	Expand and diversify the University art collection to better reflect the range of identities, cultures, and experiences within the DCU community.	Expand and diversify the University art collection to better reflect the range of identities, cultures, and experiences within the DCU community. Explore options for securing a dedicated budget to support this.	Increased representation of works by racial and ethnic minority artists in the University art collection over time.	Ongoing	Arts & Culture
6.11	Update naming policies for buildings and spaces.	Update the naming policy to ensure greater diversity in the naming of buildings, rooms, and lecture halls. Involve students and staff in the naming process.	Policy updated by 2026; increased diversity in names of campus spaces; positive feedback from the community.	Q4 2026	Office of the COO
6.12	Embed EDI within library collections by ensuring representation of diverse global perspectives.	Continue to expand library collections to increase resources representing racial and ethnic minorities, and actively promote these resources and archives through library guides, events, and communications.	EDI and race equality perspectives are embedded in library collections.	Annually	Library

Informed Action: Data-Driven Insights

Systematic collection and analysis of data allows the university to identify inequities, track progress, and make evidence-based decisions to advance race equality.

By examining patterns in recruitment, progression, and experience across staff and students, the institution can target interventions effectively, monitor their impact, and ensure accountability.

This approach underpins informed action, enabling transparent, measurable progress toward a fairer and more equitable campus community.

The actions outlined under this thematic area are linked to the following:

Anti-Racism Principles for Irish Higher Education Institutions

7. We will record student and staff data disaggregated by ethnicity to inform our anti-racism policies and actions, and to monitor retention and career outcomes for students and staff from minority ethnic groups, including Travellers.

	Objective	Action	Measure of Success	Timeframe	Owner
Staff
7.1.1	To ensure that robust data pertaining to staff demographics including ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, and caring responsibilities is collected and analysed so that gaps can be identified and proactively addressed.	Develop an ‘I Am’ campaign, or alternative, to showcase diversity within the DCU Community. (Athena Swan Action Plan 2024-2029, AEG2 1.2.3)	Campaign developed and launched; with biannual campaigns running successfully.	Q2 2026	EDI Unit; VPP of EDI; HR Systems and Data Manager; People Partners; with support from Comms & Marketing
7.1.2		Run month-long promotional campaigns once per semester to encourage existing staff to self-disclose their personal data using Core diversity screen; utilising EDI structures throughout the University to support campaigns. (Athena Swan Action Plan 2024-2029, AEG2 1.2.3)	At least 60% participation rate with the Core Portal diversity screen by 2028.	Annually	EDI Unit; VPP of EDI; People Systems and Data Manager; People Partners; with support from Comms & Marketing
7.1.3		Monitor participation rates quarterly and report to the EDI Steering Committee and other relevant stakeholders on a biannual basis. (Athena Swan Action Plan 2024-2029, AEG2 1.2.3)	Demographic data available to allow for monitoring of staff profiles across the protected grounds; University can meet reporting requirements across several EDI priorities.	Quarterly	People Systems and Data Manager; EDI Unit
7.1.4		Establish and implement ‘roadshows’ to areas with low engagement to encourage staff participation in providing their data. (Athena Swan Action Plan 2024-2029, AEG2 1.2.3)	Roadshows take place regularly, where needed, with increase in engagement evident as a result.	Ongoing	DCU People Services Team Lead
7.1.5		Use the new employees ‘Starter Letter’, Thrive Hub and orientation to include information and instructions on updating personal information to help ensure all new staff are disclosing upon commencement of employment. (Athena Swan Action Plan 2024-2029, AEG2 1.2.3)	At least 60% of all new starters complete the Core Portal diversity screen by 2028.	Ongoing	DCU People Services Team Lead
7.1.6		Commence reviewing career pipeline data through an intersectional lens as more robust demographic data becomes available. (Athena Swan Action Plan 2024-2029, AEG2 1.2.3)	Trends in pipeline identified and evidence-based targeted actions created, where necessary.	Q1 2026; and ongoing as data increases	VPP of EDI; People Systems and Data Manager; EDI Unit
7.1.7		Consider and implement approaches to reducing gaps in diversity of employees as they arise. (Athena Swan Action Plan 2024-2029, AEG2 1.2.3)		Q1 2026; and ongoing as data increases	VPP of EDI; People Systems and Data Manager; EDI Unit
7.2.1	Assess staff experiences, workplace culture, and progress on EDI through regular surveys	Conduct a comprehensive Athena Swan survey for staff every two years, ensuring demographic questions include ethnicity, race, nationality, and Traveller background, and applying lessons from previous campaigns to maximise response rates among underrepresented groups.	Increased response rates from ethnic and racial minorities in all surveys; survey results and follow-up actions communicated after each cycle.	Next survey is 2027	EDI Unit
7.2.2		Use concise, targeted pulse surveys annually to monitor staff experience, inclusion, and emerging issues.	Demonstrable improvements in staff experience, inclusion, and equality over time, especially among underrepresented groups.	As required	EDI Unit
Students
7.3.1	Ensure robust and systematic collection of student diversity data to inform access, retention, and outcomes.	Introduce (with “prefer not to say” option) ethnicity field at registration in the student record system, using CSO categories.	Ethnicity data captured for 95% of new entrants from 2027 onwards.	Q4 2026	Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (OVPAA)
7.3.2		Promote the importance of self-disclosure through orientation, digital platforms, and student communications.	Annual increase in disclosure and improved representation of underrepresented groups	Q3 2027	Dean of Students
7.3.3		Investigate and implement best practice approaches for collecting ethnicity and equality data for existing students.	Comprehensive student dataset established and used for analysis by 2027.	2026	OVPAA; Dean of Students
7.3.4		Monitor participation and disclosure rates annually.	Participation and disclosure rates monitored annually.	Annually	OVPAA; Dean of Students
7.3.5		Use data to establish baselines, track trends in access, retention, and attainment, and inform targeted interventions.	Annual student outcomes report disaggregated by ethnicity and other protected grounds.	Q4 2026	OVPAA; Dean of Students
7.3.6		Ensure all main student surveys (e.g., EDI, satisfaction, graduate outcomes) capture ethnicity, nationality, and Traveller/Roma status to enable intersectional analysis.	Main surveys identified and relevant questions tweaked.	Q3 2027	Dean of Students
7.3.7		Advocate for the inclusion of ethnicity data in national Graduate Outcomes Surveys to enable monitoring and analysis of post-graduation outcomes by ethnicity, supporting the development of targeted interventions.	Graduate outcomes data collected and disaggregated nationally by ethnicity; evidence of actions or policy changes informed by findings.	Q3 2028	Dean of Students
7.4	To maintain DCU student engagement with the HEA Equal Access Survey to allow for greater data to be available to DCU and wider HE sector.	Actively promote the HEA Equal Access Survey and encourage students to engage with this data capture exercise to help improve the quality of equality data within the HE sector. Incorporate survey into registration and orientation programmes to support increased engagement. (Athena Swan Action Plan 2024-2029, Misc 2.4.14)	Maintain engagement with Equal Access Survey at over 90%; greater understanding of the demographic profile of first year community, benchmarked against national trends.	Annually	Registrar; VP for Academic Affairs
7.5	Align DCU’s equality data collection and reporting with the National Equality Data Strategy.	Review and audit all current staff and student equality data collection systems to align with the National Equality Data Strategy, including the use of recommended categories and definitions.	Work with Digital Transformation Solutions to align fields and systems to National Equality Data Strategy.	Q3 2027	EDI Unit; OVPAA

Appendix 1

Membership of the Race Equality Working Group 2024/2025

Jen O’Hara, DCU People, Chair

Deirdre Moloney, Student Support & Development, Co-chair

Alishear Ahmed, DCU Student Union

Dr. Claire Bohan, Student Support & Development

Dr. Martina Crehan, Teaching Enhancement Unit

Dr. Simon Dunne, School of Psychology

Darren Heaney, Anti-bullying Centre

Dr. Yuhui Gao, DCU Business School

Harry Mallon, DCU Access Service

Rachel Power, DCU People

Dr. Niamh McGuirk, School of Human Development

Dr. Fiona Murphy, DCU School of Applied Language and Intercultural Studies

Malha Muhammed, DCU Student Union

Una Redmond, Office of Student Life

Gertrude Rufai, Student Support & Development

Swagata Sharma, DCU People

Dr. Mohammed Amine Togou, Faculty of Engineering and Computing

Appendix 2

The terminology used throughout this document is informed by the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Literacy Glossary developed by Advance HE. This glossary was created with input from the Athena Swan Ireland National Working Group on Intersectionality, an expert panel established jointly by Advance HE and the HEA. The glossary was developed with stakeholders to ensure its relevance to the specific context of Irish higher education.

Additional authoritative sources contributing to the glossary’s content include the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC), the Irish Network Against Racism (INAR), and Racial Equity Tools.

Anti-Racism

Anti-racism is defined as the work of actively opposing racism by advocating for changes in political, economic, and social life. Anti-racism includes individually opposing overtly racist behaviours and collectively opposing institutional racism.

See: Racial Equity Tools, ‘Glossary’. (Taken from EDI Literary Glossary)

Ethnicity

Ethnicity is a social construct that differentiates people into smaller social groups based on characteristics such as shared sense of group membership, values, behavioural patterns, language, political and economic interests, history, and ancestral geographical base. People can share the same nationality but be of different ethnic groups and people who share an ethnic identity can be of different nationalities. Examples of different ethnic groups, as used by the Central Statistics Office, are: Asian or Asian Irish: Chinese, Asian or Asian Irish: Indian/Pakistani/Bangladeshi, Asian or Asian Irish: Any other Asian background, Black or Black Irish: African, Black or Black Irish: Any other Black background, Other including mixed group/background: Arabic, Other including mixed group/background: Mixed Background, Other including mixed group/background: Other, White: Irish, White: Irish Traveller, White: Roma, White: Any other White background.

See: Racial Equity Tools, ‘Glossary’; M Adams, LA Bell and P Griffin; Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice: A Sourcebook. (2001); M Mamdani, Neither Settler nor Native: The Making and Unmaking of Permanent Minorities, (2020). (Advance HE EDI Literary Glossary).

Ethnic Minority or Minority Ethnic Group

An ethnic, religious or linguistic minority is any group of persons which constitutes less than half of the population in the entire territory of a State whose members share common characteristics of culture, religion or language, or a combination of any of these.

A person can freely belong to an ethnic, religious or linguistic minority without any requirement of citizenship, residence, official recognition or any other status. Following mainly the Human Rights Committee jurisprudence, additional elements as to who is a member of a minority can be summarised as follows: Indigenous peoples may constitute linguistic, religious or ethnic minorities in the States in which they find themselves. Both are not mutually exclusive, nor undermine any applicable rights as a minority or indigenous people. The “territory” to consider in determining whether or not a group is a linguistic, religious or ethnic minority is the entire territory of a State, and not one of its political or territorial subunits; One of the main objective criteria for determining whether a group is a minority in a State is a numerical one. A minority in the territory of a State means it is not the majority. Objectively, that means that an ethnic, religious or linguistic group makes up less than half the population of a country.

See: Concept of a minority: mandate definition - Special Rapporteur on minority issues by the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner.

Intersectionality

Intersectionality is the understanding that social inequalities are not just summative, they are mutually constituting. The term was coined by Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989 to describe how individual characteristics (e.g. race, class, gender) characteristics “intersect” with one another and overlap.

The term was originally used by Crenshaw to describe the experience of Black women. That is, that the disadvantage experienced by a Black woman is compounded by the inequalities she faces as a woman and as a Black person, and is distinct from the experiences of a Black man or a white woman.

Since then, the term has been used in different ways, and distorted. Crenshaw referred to the term’s changing use and meaning in an interview with TIME magazine in 2020 and, when asked to define what intersectionality means today said: ‘Intersectionality is not identity politics...it is a lens, a prism, for seeing the way in which various forms of inequality often operate together and exacerbate each other. We tend to talk about race inequality as separate from inequality based on gender, class, sexuality or immigrant status. What’s often missing is how some people are subject to all of these, and the experience is not just the sum of its parts.’

See: TIME Magazine, ‘Kimberlé Crenshaw and Intersectionality’; Global Society Theory, ‘Intersectionality.’ (Advance HE EDI Literary Glossary).

Institutional Racism

Institutional Racism refers to forms of racism expressed in the practice of social and political institutions; to the way, institutions discriminate against certain groups, whether intentionally or not, and to their failure to have in place policies that prevent discrimination or discriminatory behaviour. It can be found in processes, attitudes and behaviours which lead to discrimination through unintentional prejudice, ignorance, thoughtlessness, unconscious bias and racist stereotyping which disadvantages ethnic minority people. Institutional racism relates to the entire institution, including people. Structural and institutional racism create the conditions that make forms of individual racism seem normal and acceptable, making discrimination and violence more likely.

See: Dimensions of Racism, Irish Network Against Racism

Microaggression

The everyday verbal, nonverbal, and environmental slights, snubs, or insults, whether intentional or unintentional, which communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative messages to target persons based solely upon their marginalised group membership. Example: “Where are you really from?”

See: Racial Equity Tools, ‘Glossary’; D W Sue, ‘Microaggressions: More than Just Race’, Psychology Today, (2010). (Taken from EDI Literary Glossary)

Minoritised and minoritised groups

Minoritised, as a verb, foregrounds the institutional and societal processes through which

individuals or groups are rendered a “minority”, even where they may be in the statistical

majority (e.g. in an individual school or neighbourhood). Groups may be minoritised on the

basis of religion, ethnic background, language, history or culture and traditions. ‘Minoritised’ calls attention to this process, as well as to the overemphasis on national minority status, particularly where groups may represent a global majority.

See: Advance HE EDI Literary Glossary.

Race

The term race has its roots in racial categorisation schemes that were promoted by scientists to support worldviews that understood some groups of people as superior and some as inferior. As such, race is a made-up social construct, and not an actual biological fact. While race is a social construct, it is identified as one of the nine equality grounds in The Equal Status Acts (2000-2018). The term is also commonly used in equality work (e.g. race equity/race equality). These uses do not imply the acceptance of theories that attempt to determine the existence of separate human races. Rather, in this context, race is used to call attention to the racialisation of particular groups, the prevalence and forms of racism in society, and the need for anti-racist measures.

See: PBS, ‘Race: The Power of an Illusion’ (2003); INAR, ‘Race as a Social Construct’; ‘Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights’; Racial Equity Tools, ‘Glossary’. (Taken from EDI Literary Glossary)

Racial and Ethnic Minority

In this Action Plan, the term racial and ethnic minority refers to individuals and groups who are minoritised in the Irish context on the basis of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion, or language. This usage draws on and integrates Advance HE’s definitions of ethnic minority, race, and ethnicity, while recognising that Advance HE does not provide a single standalone definition of racial and ethnic minority.

Race Equality

Race equality is defined as equal representation, equal experiences and equal outcomes of staff and students from minority ethnic groups.

Racism

“We understand racism to mean the power dynamics present in those structural and institutional arrangements, practices, policies and cultural norms, which have the effect of excluding or discriminating against individuals or groups, based on their identity, as outlined in Article 1 of the International Convention for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), which provides: ‘...the term “racial discrimination” shall mean any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life.”

See: Interim Report of Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth’s Anti-Racism Committee to the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth on 30th November 2020.

Racialisation, racialised and racialised groups

Racialisation is the process of ascribing ethnic or racial identities to a relationship, social practice, or group that did not identify itself as such. Using the term racialised refers to this process.

See: Advance HE EDI Literary Glossary

Race Equality Framework and Action Plan 2025-2028

Contents

Race Equality Statement

You can download a copy of the DCU Race Equality and Action Plan 2025-2028 here

Foreword

Introduction

Higher Education Authority Anti-Racism Principles

Monitoring

The Action Plan

The actions outlined under this thematic area are linked to the following:

Anti-Racism Principles for Irish Higher Education Institutions

The actions outlined under this thematic area are linked to the following:

Anti-Racism Principles for Irish Higher Education Institutions

The actions outlined under this thematic area are linked to the following:

Anti-Racism Principles for Irish Higher Education Institutions

The actions outlined under this thematic area are linked to the following:

Anti-Racism Principles for Irish Higher Education Institutions

The actions outlined under this thematic area are linked to the following:

Anti-Racism Principles for Irish Higher Education Institutions

The actions outlined under this thematic area are linked to the following:

Anti-Racism Principles for Irish Higher Education Institutions

The actions outlined under this thematic area are linked to the following:

Anti-Racism Principles for Irish Higher Education Institutions

Appendix 1

Membership of the Race Equality Working Group 2024/2025

Appendix 2

Anti-Racism

Ethnicity

Ethnic Minority or Minority Ethnic Group

Intersectionality

Institutional Racism

Microaggression

Minoritised and minoritised groups

Race

Racial and Ethnic Minority

Race Equality

Racism

Racialisation, racialised and racialised groups