“The goal of the EDI Action Plan for Research is to foster an inclusive climate where our differences are a source of strength and where all members of the University of Ottawa’s research community can thrive,” says Sylvain Charbonneau, vice-president, research and innovation. “An equitable, diverse and inclusive research environment creates the right conditions for outstanding scholarship and transformative discoveries.”
The action plan is built on four interrelated pillars designed to address EDI-related barriers that affect the recruitment, retention and advancement of researchers at all stages of their career:
• Building awareness and recognizing excellence
• Strengthening professional development
• Providing institutional support and infrastructure
• Measuring needs, evaluating performance and documenting lessons learned
For each of these thematic areas, the EDI Advisory Committee for Research has recommended a number of concrete actions, including creating awareness-building activities and awards to recognize best practices in EDI; offering resources and tools to help researchers integrate EDI into their research proposals and teams; and providing institutional support and infrastructure for community-based research with underrepresented groups.
The committee also proposes measures to improve equity in internal and external research chair programs, and the development of metrics to track research excellence that take into account EDI practices such as knowledge mobilization, collaborative research and community outreach. Finally, the committee recommends that the University sign the DORA Charter, a global initiative to support the promotion of best practices in the inclusive assessment of scholarly research.
The action plan draws on extensive consultations with various stakeholders, including faculty vice-deans, research and research advisors, Canada Research Chairs, researchers belonging to underrepresented groups and the University’s special advisor on anti-racism and inclusive excellence.