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UCD Gender Equality and Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Accelerator Fund

UCD Gender Equality and Equality, Diversity, & Inclusion (EDI) Accelerator Fund

A UCD Gender Equality and Equality, Diversity, & Inclusion (EDI) Accelerator Fund has been established to support UCD Schools which have successfully achieved an Athena SWAN accreditation to pilot innovative actions from their respective gender equality action plans in partnership with other UCD Schools. In addition to gender equality, an EDI dimension is now included in the new Athena SWAN Ireland Charter Framework launched in November 2021.

Applications for funding under the UCD Gender Equality and Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Accelerator Fund are made across three areas. 

  • Gender Equality, and Diversity and Inclusion capacity-building activities
  • UCD Seed projects for development with a view to achieving HEA’s Gender Equality Enhancement Funding.
  • Transforming gender and EDI research outputs into practice.

UCD Schools are implementing ambitious action plans, progressing to renewing their Athena Swan bronze level award, demonstrating progress, and applying for a silver accreditation which requires schools to demonstrate the impact of implementing gender equality action plans. 

This central UCD Gender Equality and Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Accelerator Fund recognises and supports Athena SWAN accredited UCD Schools which have demonstrated considerable commitment to the Athena SWAN process, provided resources, and leadership in producing, and implementing an evidence-based gender equality action plan.

This will also support the University’s ambition to obtain Athena SWAN Silver accreditation in 2024 and seeks to foster greater alignment with the UCD Gender Equality Action Plan 2020 – 2024 and EDI Strategy 2021 – 2024.

The deadline for submissions is 31. January 2024.

Successful projects in 2022:

Applicant Project
College of Science Culturally Responsive Mentoring for PhD students, Postdocs and Assistant Professors
School of Chemistry and School of Mathematics and Statistics  Supporting the career progression of the next generation of academics: rebalancing gender in STEM
School of History Establishing a national women academics in history network.
School of Law Raising Aspirations: Video Testimonials Project

The primary objectives of the UCD Gender Equality EDI Accelerator Fund are to:

  • Encourage innovative approaches to addressing gender inequality
  • Facilitate gender equality initiatives and innovative solutions that respond to the challenges and barriers identified to achieving gender equality which emerged during School/College Athena SWAN submissions
  • Encourage cross-school collaboration as a means to achieve University-wide transformation in gender equality and inclusion
  • Support alignment with the UCD Gender Equality Action Plan 2020 – 2024 and EDI Strategy 2021 - 2024
  • Facilitate the funding of broader EDI activities aligned to both the UCD EDI policy and strategy and gender equality action plans and the EDI dimension that is now included in the new Athena SWAN Ireland Charter launched in November 2021
  • Support the achievement of future Athena SWAN applications :
    • renewals
    • silver 
    • gold level

These applications require schools/units to demonstrate

  • progress
  • impact
  • beacon and flagship initiatives.

This Fund is for innovative actions from School/College Gender Equality Action Plans. This fund would make awards across the areas:

Applications for funding under the UCD Gender Equality and Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Accelerator Fund can be made in three areas. A total fund of €15,000 is available.

  1. Gender Equality, and Diversity and Inclusion capacity-building activities
  2. UCD Seed projects for development with a view to achieving HEA’s Gender Equality Enhancement Funding.
  3. Transforming gender and EDI research outputs into practice.

Colleges are encouraged to match successful fund applications of up to a maximum of €5,000 for any one College.

The deadline for applications for funding is 31st January 2024.

Contact UCD Equality Diversity and Inclusion

University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
E: edi@ucd.ie