UCD is in search of a company to deliver training on harassment, bullying and sexual misconduct, to be made available to all staff and students next year. The training will have an online format.
The announcement comes in the wake of UCD’s Dignity and Respect review, released just shy of a year ago, which sets out new policies surrounding sexual harassment and bullying. The review was carried out following Dr Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin’s account of sexual harassment at UCD. It is understood that Ní Shúilleabháin was a participant in the revamp of these policies.
The report made a series of recommendations about UCD’s culture, policies and complaints processes for handling issues around harassment and bullying. It recommended, “awareness level training in dignity and respect” for all students and staff, additional training for anyone in a role in which “students and employees may approach for advice or report issues to”, and specialist training for support advisers. The policies were implemented last month.
UCD has issued a tender for an initial six-month contract to outsource the training which will be delivered to about 40,000 people between February and October next year. It said the contract could be extended to deliver the training every year to new students and employees.
The tender, issued last week, said the training would have three tiers, each of which is reflective of the Dignity and Respect review. The first is an online course on dignity and respect, which aims to provide a “basic awareness” of “acceptable and unacceptable behaviours” as well as how to seek support and the complaints process. The skills learned in this course are aimed at all students, employees and third parties who interact with UCD. It covers conduct on campus, at social events, sporting events, clubs and societies, and non-UCD events that involve students or staff. The second and third tiers involve face-to-face training with groups including managers, heads of schools and the students’ union.
Via The Times
Rosie Roberts Kuntz – Assistant News Editor
