Increasing Gender Balance Across Academic Staffing in Computer Science -- case study

TL;DR

This case study details how a comprehensive seven-year program at Technological University Dublin successfully increased and maintained gender balance among academic staff in computer science through targeted recruitment, development, culture, and support initiatives.

Contribution

It presents a multi-strand approach combining recruitment, career development, culture, and support to improve gender balance in academia, with measurable positive outcomes.

Findings

36% female staff in 2019 at TU Dublin CS

0% turnover of female staff over five years

Increased female representation in leadership roles

Abstract

As at 2019, Technological University Dublin* Computer Science is the top university in Ireland in terms of gender balance of female academic staff in computer science schools. In an academic team of approximately 55 full-time equivalents, 36% of our academic staff are female, 50% of our senior academic leadership team (2 of 4) are female and 75% of our School Executive are female (3 of 4), including a female Head of School. This is as a result of our seven year SUCCESS programme which had a four strand approach: Source, Career, Environment and Support. The Source strand explicitly encouraged females to apply for each recruitment drive; Career focused on female career and skills development initiatives; Environment created a female-friendly culture and reputation, both within the School, across our organisation and across the third level sector in Ireland and Support addressed practical supports for the specific difficulties experienced by female staff. As a result we have had 0% turnover in female staff in the past five years (in contrast to 10% male staff turnover). We will continue to work across these four strands to preserve our pipeline of female staff and ensure their success over the coming years in an academic and ICT sector that remains challenging for females.