Sir, – The Higher Education Authority (HEA) welcomes Prof Pat O’Connor’s letter (January 2nd) regarding gender profiles of senior academic posts in the context of our recent publication of an initial Performance Evaluation Framework for Higher Education.
We acknowledge our legislative obligation (and that of all higher education institutions) to promote equality, including gender equality, in all our activities. Our publication of initial performance profile templates is part of a broader programme of work to enhance the reliability and relevance of the evidence-base for policy and practice in Irish higher education. Through this report, the HEA has sought direct feedback from the higher education community and from others on how the institutional profiles can be further developed. Prof O’Connor’s feedback is valuable in that context.
While we have very comprehensive, reliable and regular information on students by gender, the HEA acknowledges the quality and comprehensiveness of our information on staff in the higher education system is currently inadequate. We are also keen to improve our data on the use of technology in higher education, on the early labour market experiences of graduates from Irish higher education and on students’ and graduates’ perspectives on the quality of teaching and learning.
These and other areas will be prioritised as part of a concerted effort to further improve the relevance and the quality of the evidence upon which policy and practice is refined and developed. We are confident that we will be in a position to include metrics on gender equality among staff in further iterations of the institutional profiles. – Yours, etc,
MUIRIS O’CONNOR,
Head of Policy &
Dr VIVIENNE
PATTERSON,
Head of Statistics,
Higher Education Authority,
Shelbourne Road,
Dublin 4.