For the first time, an all-island research consortium has been established to tackle the gender gap in sport and health science. South East Technological University (SETU) is part of this cross-university research consortium, named míde.
The aim of míde is to understand and improve the health, wellbeing, participation and performance of girls and women in sport. The consortium officially launched on Friday, 31 January 2025 at the Women in Sport and Exercise Conference. This event was held at Glasson Lake House, Westmeath and was attended by over 180 academics, researchers and key opinion leaders.
Keynote speakers
Attendees heard from leading Irish and international researchers, with key notes from Prof. Elizabeth Pike, Prof. Anthony Hackney, Dr Patricia Jackman and former Irish international rugby player and Director with Sport Ireland, Nora Stapleton.
SETU is an active member of the consortium and many staff attended the inaugural conference, while lecturer Prof. Niamh Murphy is working as part of the leadership group.
Meaning of Míde
Míde, derived from the old Irish word míd, meaning middle or centre, consists of researchers from nine higher education institutions from across the country and is chaired by representatives from Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), Dublin City University (DCU), Ulster University and Atlantic Technological University (ATU).
Gender data gap
Only six percent of research in sport and exercise science globally, focuses on women and girls, presenting a significant gender data gap.
Míde aims to address this by taking a holistic view of the various factors in girls’ and women’s lives that may act as barriers when it comes to engagement in physical activity, sport and exercise across the lifespan, including at key stages such as puberty, pregnancy and menopause.
Speaking at the event Dr Aoife Lane, Co-Chair of míde said, “With a growing commitment to women’s sport and health, reflected in dedicated strategies, policies, and initiatives, there is an urgent need to harness current research opportunities and shape the research agenda of the future in a coordinated, strategic, and impactful approach.”
