Case Study: Research Policy Interface Thematic Group

Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment in Higher Education Institutions Implementation Plan, 2022-2024

Government of Ireland, Higher Education Authority. https://hea.ie/assets/uploads/2021/04/HEA_ESVH_Implementation_Plan_FINAL.pdf

Academics and Institutional Affiliation:

Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin (1) & Craig Skerritt (2)

1-School of STEM Education, Innovation & Global Studies, Dublin City University, 2-Marino Institute of Education, Ireland

Evidence of policy outcome referencing the role of the research:

Minister for Higher Education, Research and Science, Simon Harris, acknowledged the contribution of this work in his address to the Seanad in November 2021: https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/oireachtas-tv/video-archive/seanad-videos/4634

Research undertaken that informed or underpinned the policy outcome:

Ni Shuilleabhain, A., & Skerritt, C. (2024). ‘I’m a troublemaker’: the need to focus on early-career academics’ experiences of sexual harassment in Ireland. Journal of Gender-Based Violence, 8(1), 116-123. Retrieved Sep 17, 2025, from https://doi.org/10.1332/23986808Y2023D000000015

Key learnings for you from this research-policy bridging process:

Sexual harassment is a deterrent for many female academics and is a cause for them to leave academia, potentially contributing to the gender imbalance in senior academic roles across higher education institutions
Rates and experiences of sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, and sexual violence of early-career academics in Ireland are unknown, but likely more prevalent than commonly believed
Early-career academics’ experiences of sexual harassment, sexual misconduct and sexual violence should be a focus of future research in order to raise awareness of such issues and for more resources to be developed to prevent and respond to sexual harassment and violence in higher education in Ireland.

SDGs impacted:

SDG 5