At ISE, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion aren’t just buzzwords – EDI is woven into the very fabric of our community and everything we do. Guided by UL’s institution wide strategy for EDI, ISE has made significant strides over the past number of months in terms of integrating EDI principles into our undergraduate and outreach programmes in particular.
This year, our schools outreach program visited 22 secondary schools in Limerick, Clare, Tipperary, Cork & Dublin 39% of which were DEIS schools. Through visits to schools the team have engaged with approximately 880 second-level students this year. But it’s not just about the numbers; it’s about making meaningful connections and fostering a culture of inclusivity. To bolster our engagement with schools, ISE have partnered with the UL Access Office and the Academy for Children, working hand-in-hand with DEIS schools. Together, we’ve opened our doors to primary and secondary students, providing valuable experiences and insights into the world of software. So far, we have had multiple visits to ISE through this partnership (40 second-level students and 68 primary school students). We look forward to attending the graduation for students from the Academy for Children in June.
ISE are involved with the All-Ireland STEM Passport for Inclusion Programme mentoring in their Mentoring for Equality Programme with Youthreach. This programme is a joint initiative by Maynooth University, Microsoft Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland and the Department of Education that addresses inequality of access to STEM careers among secondary school students in socio-economically disadvantaged communities. Already in 2024, ISE have sponsored 2 students in this programme. We have also sponsored a further 2 students to take part in programmes run by Engage-EDU who inspire young people and support their educational journeys from primary level to college. ISE are also working with Junior Achievement Ireland to deliver the Energizer program to local primary schools and encourage the next generation of problem solvers and engineers.
But it doesn’t stop there, ISE staff have proudly supported Teen Turn workshops at UL, empowering young minds and breaking down barriers in the tech industry. ISE will also welcome students from ENGAGE with IT @ MIC during the Summer months.
Our excellent ISE students have also taken the lead in outreach efforts, mentoring secondary students one-on-one and creating engaging content that sparks curiosity and inspires the next generation of innovators. ISE students also took part in a Givebackathon, reaching out to charities solving technical challenges to help them in their endeavours.
At ISE, we believe the best teams are made up of people from diverse backgrounds, and we are committed to creating a future where equality, diversity, and inclusion in software engineering is the norm.
For more information on our schools outreach programme contact our Public Engagement Officer, Gillian Place or visit our outreach page here.
