Students walking on campus

Equity, diversity and inclusion

Ensuring and fostering a positive environment where everyone who’s part of the Faculty of Engineering can feel safe, valued, and respected.

Our roadmap

The Faculty of Engineering is committed to developing strategies, policies, and practices that support equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). 

EDI methodology

Our approach to achieving a more equitable, inclusive academic environment is through consensus building and consultation with the EDI Advisory Committee. The work focuses on four pillars: policies, people, programs and proficiencies, based on the Building a Race-Conscious Institution Report published by Universities Canada. Together, they create the strategic EDI framework applied across our faculty.  

The four pillars are essential to creating more equitable and inclusive academic environments, promoting structural, curricular, compositional and interactional diversity.  

Accessibility is also an advisory committee priority, one addressed through each of the four pillars. We believe that our labs, facilities and spaces should provide people with disabilities an equal opportunity to participate in all activities. 

Students walking in front of SITE building at uOttawa.

EDI Advisory Committee

The EDI Advisory Committee guides the Faculty’s efforts to support EDI-aligned activities, focusing on the needs of five underrepresented groups: women, Indigenous people, visible minorities/racialized persons, persons with disabilities and LGBTQ2S+ persons. 

Committee members

The committee is comprised of:  

  • Professors
  • Undergraduate and graduate students  
  • Staff from faculty departments  
  • Outreach, communications and IT staff
  • Representatives of the Engineering Student Society (ESS) and Professional Development Club (PDC)  

This ensures representation of diverse, inclusive perspectives and knowledge. As well, to facilitate the committee’s work, five task groups were created to focus on policies, people, programs, proficiencies and accessibility.   

What we're working towards

The Faculty of Engineering is developing various initiatives to enhance and promote equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). Our short-term goal is to develop and support the following initiatives:

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Scholarships and financial aid

Creating scholarships and financial aid opportunities for underrepresented student groups to provide better access to education. 

An illustration of persons having a dialogue.

Building an EDI community

Hosting EDI events and activities that celebrate diversity, encourage engagement and foster belonging. 

An illustration of a pair of hands cupping a group of persons.

Inclusive programs and curriculums

Developing inclusive programs and curriculums that reflect the diversity of our students, ensuring everyone feels valued and supported. Current examples of this include focusing on accessibility in our second-year Introduction to Product Development course, introducing an intersectionality design framework to some of our undergraduate and graduate students, and choosing design projects that celebrate the diversity of our students

An illustration of a person teaching.

EDI training

Providing training on current EDI research, best practices and emerging trends.

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Increasing the number of women in engineering — the “30 by 30” commitment

Engineers Canada, in collaboration with engineering regulators and stakeholders, is driving the “30 by 30” initiative to increase women’s representation within the engineering profession. This initiative sets a national goal of having 30% of newly-licensed engineers be women by 2030.  

We’re working to facilitate more representation of women in engineering within the “30 by 30” framework, making major efforts to assess the current curriculum and implement changes to make it more inclusive.

Related links

Recent stories

More EDI stories
Two women in a wind turbine plant.

Building a better tomorrow: Why women in STEM matter

Many universities, including uOttawa, are committed to Engineers Canada’s “30 by 30” initiative, aiming to increase the representation of women in eng…
The STEM Complex on the campus of the University of Ottawa.

Leadership changes to make uOttawa engineering education more inclusive and equitable

With a vice-dean, EDI and governance, joining its leadership team, the Faculty of Engineering has taken a step towards fostering a more inclusive and …
Beatriz Martin-Perez, Michelle Liu and Jena McGill

Advocating for more inclusion in engineering through PhD research

Michelle Liu is an engineer (P.Eng), a civil engineering PhD student, a law student, and a fierce advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI).…

Help us fund EDI initiatives

Faculty of Engineering Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Fund

Contribute to the Faculty of Engineering EDI Fund to support our efforts to create a more welcoming and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and community members while empowering future engineers. We are committed to developing strategies, policies, and practices that support EDI to enrich our academic and research spaces and drive meaningful change in our community.

Every donation, big or small, will directly support the following priorities:

  • Providing professional development and training that equips students, faculty, and staff with EDI knowledge and strategies
  • Offering scholarships and bursaries to encourage students from underrepresented groups to pursue engineering
  • Expanding outreach and mentorship programs for underrepresented communities
  • Breaking down barriers to accessibility in our facilities and educational resources
  • Promoting and hosting seminars and events that inspire dialogue on diversity and inclusion
  • Supporting EDI-focused research initiatives to build more equitable and inclusive research environments

In addition to the above initiatives, you can also send us an email to discuss potential contributions to a specific program or cause you would like to support.  

Donate to the Faculty of Engineering Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Fund.

Contact us

Ghasan Doudak

Vice-Dean, EDI and Governance and Professor
Email: [email protected]

Indigenous Affirmation

We pay respect to the Algonquin people, who are the traditional guardians of this land. We acknowledge their longstanding relationship with this territory, which remains unceded. 

We pay respect to all Indigenous people in this region, from all nations across Canada, who call Ottawa home. 

We acknowledge the traditional knowledge keepers, both young and old. And we honour their courageous leaders: past, present, and future. 

Learn more about the Indigenous Affirmation.