Skip to main content

#IWD2021 - International Women's Day 2021

08 March 2021

This year, Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) has teamed up with the Technological Higher Education Authority (THEA) and other Higher Education Institutes nationwide to celebrate International Women's Day 2021. 

"A challenged world is an alert world and from challenge comes change. So let's all choose to challenge." IWD 2021

#ChooseToChallenge

This year's International Women's Day celebrates the change that is brought about through challenge. THEA looked to our female leaders, role models, and influencers across the sector and asked them to share their stories of challenge with us.

The #IWD21 potal is available via the THEA Website here. Some of the DkIT #IWD21 role models can be seen below:




 Dr. Sheila Flanagan, VP for Academic Affairs & Registrar

"While the past twelve months have thrown up unimaginable challenges, anxiety and instability for staff and students across the education sector, personally I am impressed at how everybody in DkIT has worked together to overcome each scenario as it emerges. At times it has been difficult both personally and for us all to ignore the plethora of bad news but we have managed to steer towards a more stable academic position. The most meaningful connection that has emerged through the past twelve months has been a shared compassion for each other…”

View Full Profile


Catherine Staunton, Head of Careers & Employability

“As a person working in the Higher Education sector, I have acknowledged resilience as the silent companion to many of our students, that ability to learn, to fail, to persist, to grow and to achieve. What has struck me in supporting students during the pandemic is their drive to prepare and plan for the future amidst such uncertainty. They dealt with the significant adaptions to their lives with fortitude. By supporting students and recent graduates with their career development, they inspired me to keep a focus on a brighter future.”

View Full Profile


Dr Edel Healy, Head of School of Health & Science

“During the COVID 19 pandemic the importance of the core values of compassion and empathy have come centre stage. My colleagues in DkIT have supported each other and their students through this challenging time in a meaningful manner both professionally and personally."

View Full Profile


Gertie Raftery, Head of Counselling

"Self-compassion is so important right now. None of us can be as productive as we have been in the past so we need to lower our expectations and say "I am doing the best I can for now" rather being self- critical and judgemental.”

View Full Profile

All Media Enquiries

  • Marketing & Communications