Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)

Contact Details: Assoc Prof Catherine Mooney is the Vice Principal for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. You can contact Catherine at (opens in a new window)catherine.mooney@ucd.ie.

• UCD Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy 
• Sexual Misconduct Policy 
• Bullying and Harassment Policy 
• Student Mental Health and Wellbeing Policy 
• Gender Identity and Expression Policy 
• Policy for Supporting the Employment of Persons with Disabilities 
• Policy for Supporting Employees who are breastfeeding

The UCD Dignity & Respect Support Service supports and provides information and guidance to any student and/or staff who is impacted by bullying, harassment or sexual misconduct.

• (opens in a new window)Accessible (opens in a new window)and Gender Neutral Toilets
  • There are gender-neutral toilets in the O’Brien Centre for Science on the second floor (H2.28 and H2.29), as well as accessible toilets on each floor.
  • If you enter the Hub via the bridge from Science East, you can find the gender-neutral toilets by turning right and then at the end of the lobby taking another right at the door beside Theatre C. Accessible toilets are found on each floor.
  • Science South has multiple gender-neutral and accessible toilets.
  • Science East has a gender-neutral toilet on the first floor.
  • All other College of Science buildings have an accessible toilet on the ground floor.
  • Accessible and gender-neutral toilets are located on the ground floor of the Computer Science building.
• Breastfeeding Facilities
• Contemplation Room and Chaplaincy
• UCD Woodland Walks
• (opens in a new window)UCD Estate Services

• UCD Access and Lifelong Learning
• UCD’s Neurodiversity Group 
•  UCD Neurodiversity Celebration Week.
• UCD Neurodiversity project
  
• Exploring Neurodiversity

Tips for Neurodiverse Students

Credits and Sources
Julie Tonge and Fiona Quinn, UCD Access & Lifelong Learning

Focusing during Lectures

• Attend in person if possible and sit near the front, near the back, or near the edges.
• Move around if possible, particularly for a double class.
• Chew gum, play with blue tack and drink water.
• Bring the lecture slides if they available on Brightspace before the lecture. If possible, it can also help to read through them before the lecture.
  
  

Tips for Study

• Make a to-do list and you can tick things off as you complete them.
• Add to the list as things come to mind and keep it on hand.
• Don’t wait for motivation. If you start a task, the motivation will follow.
• Break down tasks into small chunks.
• Remove distractions, where possible. For example, working on an empty table or in a room free of distractions can help.
• Use a weekly or long-term planner and include all your deadlines. You can check the tests and assignments for every module.
• Set your own deadlines.
• Reward yourself for your achievements and if you don’t get through the list, tomorrow is a new day.

Tips for Study: The Pomodor Technique

• Set a task.
• Set a timer for 25 minutes.
• Work on the task until the timer rings and no checking emails or phones!
• Take a short 5 minute break. A break is non-negotiable!
• Repeat 4 times, then take a longer break of 15-30 minutes.

Tips for Organised Learning

• For each module, make a folder or a section within a folder and divide it into workshops. This will allow you to find subjects more easily.
• Highlight important concepts, and use different colours if there is a lot to highlight. This might help stabilise the words on the page if that is something you struggle with, and it will help you concentrate better.
• Use colour coding for different types of information, for example, dates, names, notes and tables. This will help you to consolidate the information you learn.
• Use formatting such as bold text or thicker pens to make key information stand out.
• Memory games are a consolidated learning technique. For example, write keywords or the name of a topic on a card and the explanation on the back of the card, and try to remember it without reading, just from the keyword.

Setting up a Study Environment

• Is noise helpful for you or distracting?
• Do you need constant stimulation, and that stops you from getting started on boring tasks? Play a playlist of instrumental music in the background.
• Are you easily distracted by visuals?
• Do you need to move around while you learn?
• What tools do you need to study, e.g. laptop, notepads, earplugs, etc.
• Is everything on your desk essential?

Tips on Managing Stress

• Meet your friends.
• Get some exercise. For example, go for a walk, try some beginners yoga or jump in the sea.
• Try to eat healthily and get plenty of sleep.
• Don’t neglect self-care.
• Try some proven techniques to help keep calm such as meditation/mindfulness or deep breathing, for example take an even breath where you can inhale for 4 seconds and exhale for 4 seconds. 
• Try this. Focus on 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear and 3 things you can feel, 2 things you can smell and 1 thing you can taste.

Apps for Distraction

• (opens in a new window)Marinara: Pomodoro Assistant
• (opens in a new window)Forest
• Mercury Reader Extension – declutters websites to help you focus on what you need to read.
• (opens in a new window)Immersive Reader is available on Office 365 and includes techniques to improve your reading.

UCD Tools and Resources

• Ally for UCD Students  where you can download all your course material in a format that works best for you.
• SensusAccess is a simple file conversion tool to create files in whatever format suits you, for example,  you can create audio files to listen to when on the move.
• Google Calendar helps to keep track of your timetable and plan your study and free time.
• Google Keep is useful for making notes and sharing them if you need.

Help, Accommodation and Additional Resources

• (opens in a new window)https://www.neurodiversityweek.com/university-resources
• You can find tips on the UCD website for students with specific disabilities, including ADD/ADHD, Autism/ASD, Dyscalculia, Dyslexia and Dysphraxia/DCD at https://www.ucd.ie/all/ucdstudents/support/disabilitysupport/

 External Links

• (opens in a new window)Irish Society for Autism
• (opens in a new window)Autism advice and guidance and (opens in a new window)Aspire Ireland
• (opens in a new window)Dyslexia Association Ireland
• (opens in a new window)ADHD Ireland

EDI and Staff Networks

Most of the networks are also open to students and anyone who is interested in the aims of the group.

• UCD LGBTQI+ Staff Network 
• UCD Staff Disability Network
• Multicultural Employee Network of UCD (MENU)
• Women@STEM 
• (opens in a new window)Women@CompSci 

Student Societies

• UCD Societies: Events
• (opens in a new window)Directory of UCD Societies

• UCD Global
• International Student Accommodation
• Scholarships & Funding

• UCD Centre for Disability Studies
• UCD Disability Census
• UCD Disability Support
• On-campus Accommodation
• UCD Staff Disability Network

• UCD HR Information on Leave
• Adoptive and Surrogacy Leave
• Maternity leave
• Paternal leave
• Parents leave
• Parental leave
• University SIRC Office for advice for Pregnant Employees
• Support for Carers

• Gender Equality in UCD
• Athena SWAN for Schools
• UCD Gender Pay Gap Report 2022
• Inclusive Recruitment
• Aurora Leadership Development Programme
• Think Again Scholarships
• UCD's commitment to ending sexual violence
• Ending Period Poverty
• Gender Identity & Expression Policy
• Gender Balance On Committees Policy

• External Organisations and Resources
  • (opens in a new window)Department of Justice: Traveller and Roma Policy in Ireland
  • (opens in a new window)Irish Traveller Movement 
  • (opens in a new window)HSE National Social Inclusion Office: Traveller Projects and Resources

• UCD Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
• LGBTI+ Supports
• UCD LGBTQI+ Staff Network
• (opens in a new window)UCD LGBTQ+ Society
• UCD’s Gender Identity and Expression Policy
• UCD’s Gender Identity and Expression Guidelines

• Race and Ethnic Equality in UCD
• Cultural Awareness
• UCD Commitment to Addressing Racism and Discrimination
• Access to the UCD Community for Refugees and Asylum Seekers
• Multicultural Employee Network of UCD