This symposium aims to share experiences, challenges and opportunities of advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, and Indigenization within the University community. It will offer a unique platform for the University community to engage in dialogue and share experiences of integrating EDIID into course delivery and campus life. It aims to highlight current initiatives, gather new ideas, and build collaborative strategies for a more inclusive university. 

The keynote speaker in the morning will be Cheryl Simon, Assistant Professor of Law, Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University. Cheryl has extensive experience in community-based policy development with First Nations and Indigenous organizations across the country and has worked in developing governance models based on traditional systems. Her research focuses on Indigenous identity law, and she teaches Aboriginal and Indigenous law and Indigenous governance. Cheryl is also a porcupine quill artist and basket maker and uses land-based knowledge and art to teach Indigenous law.

Giving the keynote presentation in the afternoon will be Dr. Marion Brown, Associate Dean Academic, Dalhousie University Faculty of Health. Marion is a social worker and educator who has over 20 years of experience in facilitating meaningful conversations in community and university settings. Her areas of scholarly work include projects focused on universal design for learning, culturally responsive pedagogies, trauma-informed learning environments, interprofessional education and practice, and health equity. She also serves on the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Taskforce for the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE).

Click here to see the program of presentations, panels, and workshops for the day with the campus community. Colleagues are encouraged to RSVP by noon on April 29 if they wish to attend in person or online via Zoom.

For more information, contact Charlene VanLeeuwen at cvanleeuwen@upei.ca.