The micro-certificate consists of three courses: EDIA 0102: Expansions, EDIA 0104: Actions, and EDIA 0106: Reflections. Rooted in competency-based education, the courses focus on critical reflection of the learner’s knowledge, skills and lived experience and building capacity for participation in transformative practices, processes, and policies to advance EDIA at UM and beyond. Importantly, the EDIA micro-certificate is offered at no cost to the learner.

A commitment to our community

The micro-certificate is part of a broader strategic response to the recommendations of the President’s Task Force on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and other reports calling for enhanced education and training for staff, faculty, and students in EDIA.

Developed through extensive consultation with a wide range of groups and individuals holding diverse social identities, roles, areas of expertise, and lived experiences, the program complements other education and training initiatives related to anti-oppression, social justice, Truth and Reconciliation, decolonization, and Indigenization.

“This program is unique in Canada, emphasizing the development of individual competencies that will transform how our community learns and takes action together,” says Tina Chen, Vice-Provost (Equity). “The EDIA micro-certificate marks a significant milestone, demonstrating the university’s commitment to investing in our community to ensure actions are based in on-going learning as we strive to make real progress towards addressing inequities, narrowing gaps resulting from ableism, racisms, sexism, homo and trans-phobia, and other systemic oppressions, and working for meaningful diversity and a vibrant community. It also demonstrates the tremendous enthusiasm for this continued work from across the University of Manitoba.”

Celebrating progress

That enthusiasm was evident at the July 4 launch event celebrating this critical movement toward building individual and collective transformation at UM. Hosted by the Office of Equity Transformation and the Division of Extended Education, the event featured remarks from collaborating partners within UM as well as the Honourable Renée Cable, Manitoba Minister of Advanced Education and Training. Attendees also heard from two participants of the first cohort of the EDIA: Foundations course, who shared stories of personal and professional growth from the experience.

“We are witnessing the beginning of a transformation,” says Ute Kothe, Dean of the Division of Extended Education. “Learners are asked to develop and implement projects that improve equity and accessibility at UM. In the next years, we will celebrate transformative change creating vibrant and inclusive communities across our campuses, resulting from actions taken by the thoughtful and passionate learners from this program.”

How to apply

To register for the EDIA Micro-certificate program, applicants must complete the pre-requisite course, EDIA 0100: Foundations. Applications for the next EDIA: Foundations opens to UM staff, faculty and students on July 22 to August 8.

Learn more about the EDIA Micro-certificate.

This unique weekend event brings together post-secondary students from Winnipeg to learn about and practice innovation skills.

How it works

Students register as a team of students. “We were thrilled to see inter-institutional and inter-disciplinary teams this year”, said Christa Kruck [BSc(Hons)/11, MBA/16], business development officer with the Faculty of Science and member of the organizing committee.

Teams then choose a challenge that has been put forward by a local company or organization.

After a networking and training event that took place on Thursday, February 1 at 100 Innovation Drive in the UM Smart Park, teams had 48 hours to develop a solution to their challenge.

Each team pitched their validated solution to the organization that put forward the challenge.

Those winners then on to compete against one another before a panel of external judges.

Results

A team of two UM Faculty of Science students and one RRC Polytech student earned 2^nd place for their solution to the challenge: How might the Canadian Information Processing Society (CIPS) develop a program focused on enhancing and supporting the careers of students and early-stage IT professionals?

Another team of two Faculty of Science students and two Asper School of Business students earned 3^rd place for their solution to the challenge: How can we create opportunities for post-secondary students to connect with their peers and give students the best chance at developing new friendships and connections? This challenge was put forward by Tyler Phill [BA/13, MBA/23] and founder of My Student Wellbeing.

Role of mentorship

Each team is provided with an industry mentor who helps guide the team throughout the design sprint.

“It was a joy to support student learning”, said Janine Carmichael, Faculty Specialist, Entrepreneurship with The Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning. Janine was a mentor and also served on the organizing committee.

“Students are learning innovation skills, but in the process, they are also building important competencies like time management, communication, conflict resolution and so much more”, Carmichael added.

Sponsors

Thanks to incredible sponsors, students competed for $12,000 in prize money. 

Title sponsor:

Refreshment sponsor:

Networking Event sponsor:

Event sponsors:

2nd place winners, UM Students Anthony Phung and Mariia Vakulenko, along with Tal Podsosony from RRC Polytech.

3rd place winners, UM Students Tien Nguyen, Krisha Bhalala, Raymond Ly and Krish Bhalala. Interestingly, Tien and Krish met at Better Together – another event to build entrepreneurial thinking skills for the UM community last November.

Christa Kruck hosting the finals at Manitou a bi Bii dazigae.

Industry Judges: Ashley Richard [BComm(Hons)/17], Associate Director, Indigenous for Mikwam Makwa Ikwe, the National Indigenous Hub for the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH) and the 50 – 30 Challenge at the University of Manitoba; Wendy Yan [PhD/20], Senior Business Development Manager for Futurpreneur; Joe Brekelmans [BCSc(Hons)/84, MSc/87, MBA/98] Vice President, Technology Investment at Canada Life, and Noah Wilson [BA/19], Senior Business Development Manager of Futurpreneur.

When: Wednesday, May 31, 2023, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Where: Room 200 Education Building, Fort Garry Campus. Light refreshments and lunch will be served.

Highlights

We are delighted to welcome Professor Phillip Dawson, Co-Director of the Centre for Research in Assessment and Digital Learning at Deakin University, Victoria, Australia, as our keynote speaker. Professor Dawson is an expert on assessment in higher education and his research focuses on feedback and cheating, predominantly in digital learning contexts. He will be sharing insights on assessment as it relates to the scholarship of teaching and learning and will also facilitate a SoTL workshop that is open to all attendees.

We also welcome Dr. Melanie Hamilton, Director of the Jane and Ron Graham Centre for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning at the University of Saskatchewan. The Graham Centre offers a master’s degree in SoTL and will launch a new PhD in Education SoTL Stream in Fall 2023, both of which are the first of their kind in Canada. Dr. Hamilton is Chair of SoTL Canada and the VP Canada for the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ISSoTL) and will discuss her experience building an institutional culture of engagement in SoTL.

For more information

Visit the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Symposium website.

Click here to register now!

“Dr. Smith is an outstanding professor, scholar and academic administrator and through his collaborative and student-centered approach, I trust that the University will be greatly enhanced by his appointment as Vice-Provost (Academic Planning and Programs),” says Diane Hiebert-Murphy, Provost and Vice-President (Academic). 

Dr. Smith brings a breadth of administrative experience to the Provost’s Office. During his time serving as Associate Dean (Graduate Studies, Curriculum, Space, Internationalization), Dr. Smith also fulfilled the duties of the academic administrative role of Acting Department Head of Economics. A key member of the University’s COVID-19 Recovery Steering Committee since its inception and chair of the Senate Committee on Curriculum and Course Changes, Dr. Smith continues to advance the goals and priorities of both the Faculty and the University as a whole.

Throughout his career he has demonstrated his commitment to collaboration, equity and high-quality programs. A recipient of the Faculty of Arts’ Outstanding Achievement Award in 2010, Dr. Smith holds a doctorate and master’s degree in history from the University of Toronto, and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from the University of British Columbia.

“I am very excited to have been given the opportunity to take on this new leadership role and look forward to joining a strong Provost’s team,” Dr. Smith said.

What excites you about working at the University of Manitoba? 

Hands down – it is the people! It sounds cliché, but there are so many people who care about the University, and over the years I have had the pleasure of working with many dedicated students, faculty, staff, and administrators who unequivocally care about advancing the mission and vision of the University. This is/was reaffirmed during the pandemic as we had to adjust, very quickly, to ways of knowing and doing that none of us have had to experience in our lifetime. I have always maintained that the conviction of our character is revealed during difficult and challenging times, and there are so many people who have shown compassion, resiliency, leadership, and kindness – and do it day after day after day.

 What do you hope to achieve at UM?

It is a long list! Ultimately, I want to leave the University better than it was yesteryear, and if I can play a part in achieving that, then that would be really cool. I was going to say that it would be really ‘satisfying,’ but that seems too individualistic because it is not about me. I like the Indigenous teaching regarding seven generations because it locates my responsibility within a series of relationships that connects me to the past, grounds me in the present, and provides clear instructions for the future.

 What is your background, and how did you get to your position?

I am a professor of sociology and criminology and until assuming my new role as Vice-Provost (Academic Affairs) I was the acting Academic Director of the Centre for Social Science Research and Policy at UM. Within the discipline, my general research interests include mental health and well-being, EDI (equity, diversity and inclusion) in education and work, and issues pertaining to 2SLGBTQIA+ populations.

What’s one piece of advice you have for new faculty members?

Stand in your own space and know you are here. There are important milestones ahead (tenure, promotion, continuing appointments, etc.), and these are important goals, but my advice is to take everything one day at a time. Set realistic short-term goals and the milestones will take care of themselves. AND embrace the UM community; take the time to be a part of all that the University has to offer, which by doing so will also have long-lasting benefits.

What’s one piece of advice you have for students?

Carpe diem or seize the day! You will never get a second chance to be fully present in this moment. Get involved in campus life. Join a student group or club. Challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone. Commit to making at least one new friend on campus who you did not know previously. I speak from the advantage of age when I say to students that, even though there is greatness ahead for all of you (however defined), being a university student is almost impossible to replicate, and think how harrowing it would be to look back with regret that you did not seize every possible opportunity presented in these moments!

What was your favorite subject when you were in school?

I was very good at gym! Honestly, I wasn’t a very good student and only went to school so I could play sports. It wasn’t until the end of my second year of university that I hit my academic stride (I went to university on a basketball scholarship – big surprise!). I often tell students this because there is this assumption that, as professors, we have always been great students. That certainly was not the case for me, but when I found my path, there was no stopping me!

What is your favourite place to travel?

Perpignan, France. We lived there for almost 7 months. In the winter, we went to Font Romeu to go skiing and snowboarding every weekend. My eldest son made the ski team, which was hilarious because he’s a prairie boy who learned to ski at Stony Mountain and who had only been on an actual mountain once or twice before that. Being in the south of France meant that the weather was never too cold and when the day was done, we would hop on the bus down the mountain back to plus 10-15 temperatures. When the season ended, we turned our attention to the Mediterranean Sea and spent our weekends travelling up and down the coast to various villages for beach days or family hikes.

What’s something that readers would be surprised to learn about you?

I fall asleep at night listening to documentaries! I have a hard time falling asleep in silence so I ‘listen’ to history-based documentaries. Sometimes it takes me a week to listen to an hour-long documentary because I fall asleep and then the next night I have to figure out when I fell asleep.

What do you like to read?

My favourite genre to read is historical fiction. I make a point of reading ever night. Right now, I am reading A Column of Fire by Ken Follett, which takes place in 16^th century Western Europe when that region was literally ablaze due to religious intolerance, self-righteous monarchs, and greedy aristocrats. One of my favourite epic authors is Edward Rutherfurd who provides great historic overviews of cities such as New York, London, and Paris.