Women in TCD

A Brief History

'If a female had once passed the gate..it would be practically impossible to watch what buildings or what chambers she might enter, or how long she might remain there.'

Thus, in 1895, the Board of Trinity College wrote of the grave dangers which would face the College if women students were admitted. Opposition to the higher education of women was very strong and TCD resisted all requests to admit women until 1904, when women students were admitted subject to restricting rules.

Up to the 1960s TCD women could not:

remain on campus after 6pm. They could only return to the Library or an evening meeting by signing themselves through Front Gate.
dine on Commons,
join the major societies,
be elected Foundation Scholars,
be members of the Common Room, or
be elected to Fellowship.

All this changed in the late 1960s.

For more see: 'A Danger to the Men? A History of Women in Trinity College Dublin 1904-2004' ed. Susan Parkes. Lilliput Press.

Today College has a woman Chancellor, a woman Vice-Provost, and women in many senior academic and administrative posts. Illustrious graduates include: Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese - former Presidents of Ireland. And College celebrates International Women's Day with a week long celebration each February.

According to the 2011-12 Annual Equality Monitoring Report women account for:

55% of all College staff,
40% of all academic staff,
51% of all research staff.
59% of the overall student population (16,747 students).

Further details on the gender breakdown of staff and students in College can be found in the Annual Equality Monitoring Reports.

WiSER (Women in Science and Engineering Research)

The Centre for Women in Science and Engineering Research (WiSER) was established through funding from Science Foundation Ireland. WiSER works to 'recruit, retain, return and advance' women in academic science, engineering and technology (SET).

WiSER aims to:

Monitor and report annually on the position of male and female researchers in the SET disciplines,
Increase the retention of women by providing direct support to women researchers and academics,
Encourage an environment in which highly-skilled women scientists have access to the opportunities and support necessary to advance to senior positions,
Create a sense of community within the workplace by facilitating networking, and
Stimulate institutional and cultural change in order to create a more gender-balanced and innovative working environment

WiSER currently coordinates the EU funded INTEGER Project, which aims to develop and implement Gender Action Plans to improve the career progression of women scientific researchers.

Centre for Gender and Women's Studies

The Centre for Gender and Women's Studies, part of the School of Histories and Humanities, undertakes teaching, research and community / extramural activities. Members of the Centre are recognised both nationally and throughout the EU for their expertise on gender issues.