Trinity College Dublin’s Women in Sport Campaign Shortlisted for International Gender Equality Award

Trinity College Dublin’s Women in Sport Campaign Shortlisted for International Gender Equality Award

(IN BRIEF) Trinity College Dublin’s “Women in Sport” campaign, initiated in 2024, promotes gender parity in university athletics through four pillars: Leadership & Governance, Active Participation, Visibility, and Coaching & Officiating. Now shortlisted for the 9th FISU Gender Equality Awards—with the winner announced on 14 July in Düsseldorf—the campaign has driven significant progress over one year: boosting female representation on the Sport Union Executive from 38 to 52 percent, raising sports club membership to 55 percent, increasing social sport engagement by 71 percent, and expanding women-led coaching roles by 450 percent. Media representation of female athletes has also risen, with a 12 percent uptick on the university website and a 27 percent surge on social channels. Lisa Cafferky emphasizes that these gains demonstrate Trinity’s commitment to sustainability, inclusivity, and serving as a model for global replication.

(PRESS RELEASE) DUBLIN, 26-Jun-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Trinity College Dublin’s “Women in Sport” campaign, launched in 2024 to advance gender equality across every level of university sport, has been named a finalist for the 9th FISU Gender Equality Awards. This prestigious honour from the Fédération Internationale du Sport Universitaire celebrates outstanding initiatives that foster inclusive sporting environments on campuses worldwide. The ultimate winner will receive a €5,000 grant when announced at FISU’s General Assembly on 14 July in Düsseldorf, Germany.

Aligned with Trinity Sport’s strategic plan “Realising Potential: A Strategy for Sport at Trinity 2022–2026” and Sport Ireland’s “Women in Sport” framework, the campaign reaffirms Trinity’s dedication to an empowering, diverse sports culture. It concentrates on four pillars—Leadership & Governance, Active Participation, Visibility, and Coaching & Officiating—to ensure women’s achievements are celebrated, their participation grows, and their leadership thrives.

Lisa Cafferky, Student Sport Pathway Manager at Trinity Sport, remarked, “Being shortlisted for the FISU Gender Equality Awards is a tremendous honour that reflects the hard work of our staff, students, and coaches. We’ve made real strides in gender equality, sustainability, and setting an example for universities internationally. We’re excited to keep breaking barriers, creating opportunities, and inspiring future generations of female athletes.”

Over its first year, the initiative delivered notable gains:

• Leadership & Governance: Women now hold 52 percent of seats on the 21-member Trinity Sport Union Executive, up from 38 percent at the project’s outset.
• Active Participation: Female membership in sports clubs has climbed to 55 percent, social sports participation grew by 71 percent in 2024, and the Trinity Sport Centre hosts 8,000 female members.
• Coaching & Officiating: The number of women leading social sport activities jumped from 2 to 11—a 450 percent increase—and eight students earned accreditation through the SSI Women’s Student Coaching Academy.
• Visibility: Web coverage of women’s sports rose by 12 percent on the Trinity Sport site, while social media posts highlighting female athletes increased by 27 percent.

These achievements illustrate Trinity’s vision of a truly inclusive sporting community and set the stage for further innovation and international collaboration.

Media Contact:

Phone: 01 896 3983
Email: publicaffairsandcomms@tcd.ie

SOURCE: TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN/UNIVERSITY OF DUBLIN