Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Enhancement Fund 2025 announcement
By Maura O'Shea
Posted: 29 August, 2025
The HEA Centre of Excellence for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion has today announces the awarding of €522,529 under the 2025 call of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Enhancement Fund to support equality, diversity, and inclusion initiatives in Irish higher education institutions.
The HEA launched the inaugural funding call of the EDI Enhancement Fund in 2024 to address the wider policy areas that the HEA and HEIs are addressing in work to advance equality, diversity and inclusion in higher education. The second call closed in May 2025.
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
To date, the HEA has awarded €1,021,071 under the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Enhancement Fund to advance equality, diversity, and inclusion initiatives in Irish higher education. Further information on projects funded in previous calls can be found on the HEA website.
Welcoming the announcement, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD said:
“An inclusive higher education sector is not only a moral imperative but a strategic advantage for Ireland’s economy. By investing in equality, diversity, and inclusion, we strengthen our talent pipeline, foster innovation, and build a resilient economy where everyone, regardless of background, has the opportunity to contribute. This year’s EDI Enhancement Fund will further support our knowledge economy by unlocking the full potential of learners and researchers across the country.”
Sheena Duffy, Head of EDI at the Higher Education Authority, added:
“The EDI Enhancement Fund is an important initiative which encourages collaboration across higher education institutions on projects which advance equality, diversity and inclusion for staff and students across the Irish higher education sector. The funded projects highlight the higher education sector’s commitment to developing new initiatives which strengthen institutional practice in this important area.”
Eight projects were funded under the 2025 funding call. The projects address important areas of development for the higher education sector including campaigns and awareness raising, training and capacity building, 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 |
| DCU, UCD, MIC | Intersections of Inequality: Understanding and Addressing Workplace Vulnerability through a Multi-Dimensional EDI Lens
|
| DkIT, MIC, TCD, University of Galway, TUS, TU Dublin
|
Higher Education Institutes Toolkit for Stalking Project |
| MTU, TUS, ATU, IADT, DKIT, SETU, TU Dublin | Strategic Inclusive Leadership: Empowering Senior Leaders in a Changing TU Sector (Lead Inc)
|
| RCSI, UCC, UL | Embedding Gender and Intersectionality in Academic Health Research: A PROGRESS-Plus Informed, Co-Designed Framework for Capacity Building and Knowledge Translation in RCSI and Partner HEIs
|
| TU Dublin, TUS, University of Galway, DKIT, DCU, Carlow College, NCI
|
Unity in Diversity: Campus Race Equity Changemakers Initiative |
| TUS, MIC, SETU, IADT, DKIT, NCI, TU Dublin
|
Advancing Intersectional Practice in Higher Education Staff Networks |
| UCC, UL, University of Galway, TUS, SETU
|
ENGAGE Digital: Empowering New Generations, Advancing Gender Equality through Reverse Mentoring in Higher Education |
| UCD, ATU, TCD | Gender Accessible & Equitable Learning in Introductory Chemistry – MENTORS (GAELIC MENTORS)
|
