Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Enhancement Fund 2024 announcement
By Maura O'Shea
Posted: 6 November, 2024
The HEA Centre of Excellence for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion has today announced the award of €498,542 under the inaugural call of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Enhancement Fund 2024 to support equality, diversity, and inclusion initiatives in Irish higher education institutions.
In 2020, the Centre introduced the Gender Equality Enhancement Fund to encourage innovative approaches to addressing gender inequality across HEIs and facilitate gender equality initiatives that respond to policy in this area by encouraging cross-sectoral collaboration as a means to achieve national transformation. In 2024 this fund was expanded to address the wider policy areas that the HEA and HEIs are addressing in work to advance equality, diversity and inclusion in higher education.
Awards were made across four Priority Areas:
- Advancing Gender Equality
- Advancing Race Equality
- Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment
- Advancing awareness and understanding of intersectionality and multidimensional approaches to equality, diversity and inclusion
Welcoming the announcement, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Patrick O’Donovan TD, said:
“Diversity is a key strength of Irish higher education. These projects which will be funded by the EDI enhancement fund will allow us to continue to create an inclusive culture and environment where individuals are able to thrive. The range of projects including Gender Equality, Race Equality and Intersectionality just show the commitment of our HEIs to continually advance equality, diversity and inclusion.
Sheena Duffy, Head of EDI, at the Higher Education Authority, added:
“The EDI Enhancement funding supports institutions to collaborate on innovative projects to advance equality, diversity and inclusion for staff and students across the higher education sector. The diverse range of projects funded under the inaugural call speaks to the excellent work ongoing in HEIs to pilot new initiatives and embed good practice in relation to EDI.”
Seven projects were funded under the 2024 call. The projects address important areas of development for the higher education sector including training and capacity building, research, and supporting sectoral collaboration and networks.
The EDI Enhancement Fund forms part of HEA’s broader strategy and commitment to advancing equality, diversity and inclusion in the Irish higher education sector.
| HEI Partners* | Project title |
| TCD, University of Galway, TU Dublin, and RCSI | HEIs as Places for People: Inclusive Infrastructures to Support Intersectionality in HEIs |
| UCC, University of Galway and UL | EDI Learning Blocks-Developing a Micro Credential in EDI for a University Work Force |
| ATU, TU Shannon, University of Galway, TU Dublin, MIC, MTU, SETU, IADT, and DKIT | Mobilising Men as Leaders in Gender Violence Prevention in Higher Education in Ireland |
| UCD, NCI, MU, and DKIT | Talk EDI to Me: Promoting Engagement in Affirming Gender Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Conversations among Higher Education Staff |
| RCSI, UL, and UCC | Implementing Gender-Informed Workload allocation models to Support Women in Academia |
| TU Shannon, ATU, and University of Galway | A Cross-Institute Initiative to Enhance Gender Equality in Teaching and Research in Sports Related Disciplines |
| UL, MIC, TCD, and University of Galway | Embedding Race Equality Training in Higher Education (EMBRACED) |
*Lead applicant noted in bold text.
