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Biography

Dr. Allison Kenneally is Vice President for Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) at South East Technological University (SETU), Ireland. In 2023, SETU was presented with the European Union’s first Inclusive Gender Equality Champion award for Academic and Research Organisations and also received the inaugural Excellence in Diversity & Inclusivity and Equality Award at the Irish Education Awards in 2023.

Dr. Kenneally holds a Doctorate in Higher Education Management from the University of Bath, along with postgraduate Degrees in Law, and Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. Dr. Kenneally also holds undergraduate Degrees in Law and Financial Services. Dr. Kenneally has over 20 years’ experience in Irish Higher Education across a range of academic, management and executive roles. As Vice President for EDI at SETU, Dr. Kenneally is also responsible for the development and implementation of all EDI and gender equality policies, strategies, action plans and communications across the University.

At national level, Dr. Kenneally was a member of the Irish Higher Education Authority’s 2ndNational Review of Gender Equality Expert Group, which published its report and recommendations in November 2023. She is the current Chair of the Athena Swan Ireland National Committee and was also Chair of the Irish Technological Higher Education Association’s EDI Working Group. She has been an Athena Swan Ireland Panel Chair and Panel Member since 2017. Dr. Kenneally was the sectoral representative on National Expert Advisory Group on Consent and Prevention of Sexual Violence in Higher Education 2019-2020 and is a member of the HEA National Committee for Gender Equality. Dr. Kenneally also leads two national Gender Equality Enhancement Fund Projects with partners across the Irish Higher Education Sector, working on LGBTQ+ inclusion and embedding/mainstreaming EDI into the curricula of the Irish Technological Higher Education sector.

Dr. Kenneally has taught law and legal studies modules on both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes across the University. 

PUBLICATIONS/RESEARCH PROJECTCS

Research interests include Mergers and System Reconfiguration in Higher Education, Organisational Culture and Change, the Higher Education Legislative Framework & Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Higher Education

 

Current/Recent Research includes:

Current external expert consultant working on a review and update of the European Institute of Gender Equality’s Toolkit on Gender-Sensitive Communication

Member of the Higher Education Authority’s Expert Group which conducted and published the 2nd National Review of Gender Equality in Irish HEI’s (HEA, 2022)

“Collaborating to embed Inclusive Gender Equality across the Irish HE Sector” Conference Paper, International Centre for Higher Education Management – The Future of Higher Education: Competition, Collaboration and the Common Good, Bath, UK, June 2023

Current sectoral lead on collaborative project funded by the HEA under its Gender Equality Enhancement Fund 2021 – the EDIT project – embedding EDI into the Curriculum of the new Irish Technological Higher Education Sector with partners in ATU, MTU and TUS, along with SETU as lead partner.

Current sectoral lead on collaborative project funded by the HEA under its Gender Equality Enhancement Fund 2020 on ‘The development and implementation of a bespoke Gender Identity and Expression Training Programme for staff in Irish HEIs’ which also includes partners from TUS, UCG, DCU, Mary Immaculate College and Carlow College.

Research includes:

"Beyond the Binary - Collaborting to Embed Inclusive Gender Equality" - SMILE Diveristy & Inclusion in Higher Education Conference Winner, Eucen Conference, Barcelona, Nov 2023

“Collaborating to embed Inclusive Gender Equality across the Irish HE Sector” Conference Paper, International Centre for Higher Education Management – The Future of Higher Education: Competition, Collaboration and the Common Good, Bath, UK, June 2023

Member of the Higher Education Authority’s Expert Group which conducted and published the 2nd National Review of Gender Equality in Irish HEI’s (HEA, 2022)

“Developing, Implementing and Embedding Gender Identity & Diversity Training and Champion Network for staff in Irish HEIs” Conference Paper, Diversity Interventions Conference, Oxford University, UK, 2022

“Embedding Sustainable Gender Identity & Diversity Training and Equality Initiatives into Irish HEIs” Conference Presentation, EdTech, Cork, 2022

Kenneally & Tully, 2023, The Irish Legal System. Clarus Press, Dublin (Pending).

 ‘The Politics of Merger: Perspectives from the Irish Institute of Technology Sector’ Conference Paper – The European Higher Education Society 40th Annual Forum, Budapest, Hungary, August 2018.

‘Transforming the Irish Higher Education System through Merger and the Creation of Technological Universities: Facilitatory & Inhibitory Factors’- The Irish International Conference on Education, Dublin, April 2018

 ‘Transforming the Irish Higher Education System through Merger & the Creation of Technological Universities’ Conference Paper – Higher Education in Transformation Conference, Ontario, Canada, November 2016.

‘Facilitatory, Inhibitory & Critical Success Factors for Merger in Higher Education’ Paper presented to IMPACT Conference on Mergers in Higher Education, 12th February 2016.

Kenneally & Tully, 2013, The Irish Legal System. Clarus Press, Dublin.

“Characteristics of Technological Universities: Irish and International Perspectives”. Research project completed September 2014 as part of DBA studies, subsequently used as a basis for the Institute of Technology Carlow’s Mission and Vision Statement for a Technological university in the South East

“Mergers between Regional Higher Education Institutes: A Case Study from the Irish Institute of Technology Sector” Research project completed July 2014 as part of DBA studies.

Kenneally & Tully, 2013, The Irish Legal System. Clarus Press, Dublin.

“Diagnosing Organisational Culture in the Irish Institute of Technology Sector: A Case Study”. Research project completed July 2013 as part of DBA studies.

Academic lead for IT Carlow’s Wexford Campus on the EU INTERREG funded ‘Coracle’ Project including liaison with partners, managing budget, etc.

“Using Podcasts to Support Legal Education at IT Carlow” – NDLR funded Research Project. Completed in February 2011. Presented a paper on the use of Technology for Legal Education in June 2011 at the national EdTech Conference in Waterford Institute of Technology.