RUN-EU is organising a seminar on ‘Continuity or Change in Gendered Processes in Higher Education’ on 6 November 2024.

An academic insider, Pat O’Connor will talk about her experiences over a 46-year career in five academic organisations in Ireland and the UK: moving from contract research assistant to full professor and Dean.

Reading extracts from her memoir: ‘A ‘proper’ woman?’ she will describe the subtle and relentless processes of devaluation, marginalisation and disempowerment that are often ‘nor­malised’ in academia. With fla­shes of humour, she will recognise that substantial changes have occurred in academia: these changes challenge assumptions that women are ‘the problem’. 

Yet many of the processes and attitudes remain largely unchanged. Naming them, she will argue, is a key element in creating real change.

Seminar ‘Continuity or Change in Gendered Processes in Higher Education’

Date
6 November 2024

Time
14h15 – 15h45 GMT

Format
Hybrid (Face-to-face session in TUS Athlone Campus)

Target group
Academics, Researchers and Students

It will focus on:

• Career Path & Experiences
• Gender and Power Dynamics
• Institutional Change
• Role of Women in Academia
• Leadership and Responsibility

What you will know afterwards:

1. Understand Gender Disparities in Academia
   Participants will gain insights into the systemic challenges faced by women in academic settings, from subtle marginalisation to overt disempowerment.
2. Reflect on Institutional Norms
   Participants will explore the normalisation of certain discriminatory practices in academia and learn how to critically assess them.
3. Awareness of Progress and Gaps
   Participants will develop a nuanced understanding of the changes in academia over the years, and recognise progress made while identifying areas where attitudes and processes remain stagnant.
4. Empowerment Through Naming and Challenging Inequities
   Participants will learn the importance of naming marginalisation processes as a key element in driving change and how this can be integrated into their professional and personal lives.
5. Strategising for Change
   Participants will leave with practical strategies for advocating for gender equity and creating inclusive academic environments.
6. Leadership Development
   Participants will explore how academic leaders can influence cultural change and the importance of inclusive leadership in higher education institutions.

Hosted by 
TUS, Ireland