Why is gender dimension important?
It brings added value to research in terms of excellence, rigor, reproducibility, creativity and business opportunities. It enhances the societal relevance of research and innovation. Addressing the gender dimension of research means that gender is considered as a key analytical and explanatory variable in research. If relevant gender issues are missed or poorly addressed, research results will be partial and potentially biased. Gender is therefore an important factor in research excellence.
Gender balance in research teams is also important but means having gender balance at all levels, not just having an equal number, while also offering gender sensitive working conditions and culture. To support gender equality, actions are necessary in recruitment, working conditions, monitoring and management. TU Dublin has been awarded an Athena Swan Bronze Legacy Award in recognition of its dedication to gender equality principles and practices.
Gender assessment in Horizon Europe
Where it is relevant, gender dimension in research is usually evaluated under Excellence. Gender balance in the research team can also be used to rank proposals of equal score. If there are two proposals with equal overall and excellence scores the gender balance of their research teams will be taken into consideration and may be the difference between a "funded" and "not funded" decision. A Gender Equality Action Plan (GEAP) must be in place within each HEI partner organisation in a consortium. TU Dublin has a GEAP in place.
RINCE
TU Dublin's research centre RINCE (AIB Research Centre on Inclusive and Equitable Cultures) is a centre of excellence in innovative research and practice on equality, diversity and inclusion. It provides a TU Dublin-wide focus for interdisciplinary research in the EDI field and contains links to useful information.
Other useful links are available for staff on the Research Intranet.
Individual organisations (including TU Dublin) applying to any part of Horizon Europe, and belonging to certain categories of legal entities established in EU Member States or Associated countries, are all required to have a GEP as of calls for proposals with deadlines in 2022 onwards. Download the Horizon Europe Guidance on Gender Equality Plans here................
Why integrating social sciences and humanity matters?
Many societal challenges that need to be addressed through research and innovation are too complex to be overcome by a single scientific discipline. Technical solutions are often preconditions for new policy outcomes, but in themselves insufficient to have a meaningful impact. The lasting societal impacts that policy-makers seek are often equally reliant on insights from social sciences and the humanities. For example:
- Social sciences (law, ethics, psychology, political sciences etc) are an essential component of the research responses to public health emergencies.
- Economics and political science are major components of projects focusing on socio-economic evaluation of climate-change impact.
- Psychology, cultural considerations, ethics and religion are essential to improve the support to palliative care patients.
- Linguistics, cultural studies and ethics are an important part of projects aiming to develop AI enhanced robotic system and improve human/robot interaction.
- Economics and social sciences are essential to devise effective measures of recovery after the Covid-19 pandemic
When the integration of Social Sciences and Humanities is required, applicants have to show the roles of these disciplines or provide a justification if they consider that it is not relevant for their project. A proposal without a sufficient contribution/integration of SSH research and competences will receive a lower evaluation score.