Section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014 has established a new public sector duty for public sector bodies to protect and promote human rights and equality in carrying out their functions. Human rights and equality have never been more relevant to the design and delivery of public policy and services and the professional development of civil and public servants.
The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission is delighted to announce the launch of a new bursary scheme for prospective students of the Professional Diploma in Human Rights and Equality at the Institute of Public Administration.
The Professional Diploma in Human Rights and Equality is a one-year, part-time programme that has been developed in conjunction with the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission. This undergraduate course is now enrolling for October 2016.
About the Professional Diploma in Human Rights and Equality:
This introductory-level programme is suitable for all public servants, whatever their grade and function, who wish to understand the centrality of laws and policies around human rights and equality to the management and delivery of public services. No prior knowledge of the law in this area is required.
Students combine self-directed study (course material provided) with attendance at four two-day seminars (eight days in total) at the IPA campus in Dublin. The programme can, therefore, be taken from anywhere in the country. It is a level 8 (Special purpose) award and is accredited by UCD.
The modules include:
- Philosophical and Political Perspectives on Human Rights and Equality
- The International and European Frameworks for Human Rights
- Human Rights and Equality in the Irish Legal System
- Human Rights and Equality in Public Management
The diploma seeks to give public servants and others a better understanding of the place that human rights and equality occupy in public management and administration.
The diploma will be of particular interest to those who wish to know more about the requirements of the new public sector duty to protect and promote human rights and equality.
Read more about the Professional Diploma in Human Rights and Equality
About the bursary scheme:
The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has launched a bursary scheme to support public servants and people working in civil society organisations to complete the Professional Diploma in Human Rights and Equality in October 2016.
This initial round of the bursary scheme will support applications from a wide variety of organisations and individuals. Applications from the following sectors are particularly welcome:
- State and public sector bodies
- Local authorities
- An Garda Síochána
- Irish Prison Service
- Civil society organisations*
There are 18 bursary places available and 30% of those have been reserved for people working in civil society organisations.
Bursary places on the Professional Diploma in Human Rights and Equality are open to people working at all grades and functions.
Candidates who do not complete the diploma course or assessments will be required to provide the cost of the fees covered by the bursary.
Bursary scheme application criteria:
- Applicants will be asked to demonstrate how they intend to use the learning from the diploma in their work.
- Relevant organisations are asked to nominate their candidate(s) to be considered for the bursary scheme and provide official sign off of the application.
- More than one staff member from each organisation can submit an application. However, in the event that the diploma is over-subscribed, priority will be given to ensuring that as many organisations as possible are represented.
- Completed applications should be returned by email to bursary@ihrec.ie using the subject line ‘Bursary application for Professional Diploma Human Rights and Equality’.
- The closing date for applications is Tuesday, 2nd August 2016.
Evaluation of applications
All applications will be screened to check eligibility. In order to be eligible applications must:
- Be submitted on time;
- Be completed in full;
- Be submitted by an eligible applicant;
- Include a signed nomination by their employer.
All eligible applications received will be assessed by a panel convened for that purpose. The assessment panel for this bursary scheme will comprise of relevant staff of the Commission and independent external expertise.
Eligible applications will be assessed according to the following marking scheme:
• Relevance of human rights and equality issues to the applicant’s work (50 marks);
• Reported intended learning from the diploma (50 marks);
To be eligible, applications must achieve a score of at least 50% of the points available on each of the specified criteria, and a minimum total score of at least 60% of the total points available. For avoidance of doubt, this does not mean that applications achieving these minimum scores will be supported.
*Civil society as defined under the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014 includes a reference to— (a) non-governmental organisations concerned with the promotion or protection of human rights or equality, including organisations specialising in the promotion of economic and social development, (b) trade unions and other businesses , professional and social organisations, (c) third level institutions and other experts in education and (d) religious bodies, secular bodies (within the meaning of the Civil Registration (Amendment) Act 2012) or other groups that are representative of religious thought and beliefs or philosophical beliefs.