EMBRACED

EMBRACED, or Embedding Race Equality Training in Higher Education, is a national initiative in Ireland aimed at fostering a more inclusive and equitable environment within Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Ireland.

It is supported by the Higher Education Authority (HEA).

EMBRACED supports the achievement of national policy objectives as set out in the Race Equality in the Higher Education Sector Report (Kempny and Michael 2021), the HEA Race Equality Implementation Action Plan (2022-2024), and the Anti-Racism Principles for Irish HEIs (2023).

EMBRACED will promote cross-sectoral collaboration between academic and non-academic staff to achieve national change by promoting racial equality in HEIs.

In line with the Anti-Racism Principles for Irish HEIs (2023), EMBRACED will harness the power of HEIs as leaders of positive societal change to challenge racism and racial inequality. It will also embed a culture of racial equality across higher education through specialised staff training and strong capacity building.

Staff Support

Evidence-based, race equality staff training is central to EMBRACED and will provide rich understandings of the processes underpinning racism at institutional, structural, systemic levels, and the individual level.

Importantly, this training is based on the legal/policy context in Ireland, namely, the Equal Status Acts (2000-2021), Employment Equality Acts (1998-2023), the Irish Human Rights and Equality (IHREC) Acts 2014, Section 42, and the National Action Plan Against Racism (NAPAR) (2023), as well as EU Race Equality Directive (2000/43/EC).

EMBRACED will also provide practical advice and remedies to support HEI staff, including guidance on how to report racist incidents and access additional available support (e.g., psycho-social, legal).

A unique element of EMBRACED is the co-development an additional ‘train the trainer' module designed to ensure the sustainability and long-term cost-effectiveness of staff race equality training.

Up to two nominated individuals in each participating HEI will be trained to deliver the EMBRACED staff race equality training within their own institution. There will also be scope to collaborate and share practices and resources with other HEIs.

Staff Support

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