Equity of access to higher education is a national priority for the Irish higher education sector. The ambition of the current National Access Plan: A Strategic Action Plan for Equity of Access, Participation and Success in Higher Education 2022-2028 is that the higher education student body entering, participating in and completing higher education, reflects the diversity and social mix of Ireland’s population.
Students from the Traveller and Roma communities are one of the priority groups targeted under the National Access Plan. To date, Traveller students have been severely underrepresented in the Irish higher education sector*. Only one per cent of the Traveller community have a third-level qualification compared to the national average of 54%. The National Access Plan has committed to increasing the numbers of Traveller and Roma students accessing and participating in higher education and the implementation of this goal is supported by funding specifically aimed at Traveller and Roma students, such as PATH (Programme for Access to Higher Education) Strand 5.
Last week (13 June 2024), Advance HE hosted a webinar on Supporting Traveller and Roma Participation in Irish Higher Education.
It provided an opportunity for Advance HE members to come together to discuss policy, research, and practice. Speakers included:
- Megan Berry, Traveller and Roma Education Outreach Officer, Maynooth University
- Dr Hannagh McGinley, Assistant Professor in Education, Mary Immaculate College
- Anne Marie Stokes, Traveller Education Officer, University of Galway
Megan shared Maynooth University’s experience of implementing the PATH 5 fund and the various initiatives and partnerships that have been developed. Dr Hannagh McGinley, shared the findings and recommendations from her recent report “Hand the Shame Back” A Qualitative Study of Traveller Experiences Across the Education Continuum. Dr McGinley’s report highlights the challenges experienced throughout a Traveller’s educational journey and makes a number of important and practical recommendations. Anne Marie Stokes joined the panel discussion and highlighted the importance of celebrating the cultures of Traveller and Roma communities to create visibility and invoke a sense of belonging on campuses. As members of the Traveller community, the speakers also gave insights into their own lived experiences.
The discussion focussed on the benefits of a whole educational approaches, underpinned by zero-tolerance anti-discriminatory policies – and in turn supported by promoting cultural awareness and inclusive curriculums.
If you would like access to a recording of the webinar, please get in touch with networks@advance-he.ac.uk.
If you would like to receive more information on how Advance HE can support you in the areas of access and inclusion, please get in touch with Kate Weedy, Head of Partnerships for Ireland.
*There is currently no baseline data for Roma students in higher education. In general, there is very limited data on young people in Roma communities in Ireland. In the 2022 Census, Roma was included as an option category for the ethnicity question for the first time. The HEA has also adopted similar categories in its EAS from 2020/21 onwards. Due to the lack of baseline data the National Access Plan does not include targets for Roma students accessing HE but the HEA intends to review this as more data becomes available.