Equal Opportunities

All SMART 4.0 Fellows, in addition to those active in the evaluation process and in the management of SMART 4.0 will receive training in gender equality issues as part of the Athena SWAN initiative, run by the Equality Challenge Unit at UL. SMART 4.0 will operate throughout with a clear equal opportunities policy: equality of treatment during the evaluation and selection process and equality of support during their Fellowships to the successful researchers.  The formal employers of the Fellows will be one of the 6 academic partner organisations (UL, TNI, UCC, CIT, NUIG and AIT – see Partners – Academia & Industry), who all have Equal Opportunities Policies in place, committing them to equality of opportunity for all staff and students irrespective of gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religious belief, age, disability, nationality or ethnic or national origin, or membership of the travelling community.  All 6 academic partners in SMART 4.0 have staff dedicated to ensuring the implementation of their equal policies. All 6 academic host organisations have signed the Athena SWAN Charter.  This charter was established in 2005 to encourage and commit to the advancement of women in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM) employment in higher education and research.  Currently, four Irish universities have Bronze institutional awards, including SMART 4.0 partners UL, UCC (extended to TNI) and NUIG.  Bronze medals are awarded for the universities’ efforts to provide a structured framework to ensure female representation at all decision‐making levels, to support the progression of female students into academia and in their careers.