University of Victoria
EN-9: Staff Professional Development and Training

UVic provides several opportunities to its non-academic staff in the way of professional development and training on various topics of sustainability.

•The UVic office of Indigenous Academic and Community Engagement provides mandatory training sessions to all UVic staff known as:
o Indigenous Cultural Acumen Training (ICAT): a two hour face to face presentation and discussion on various topics of Indigenous culture aimed at making UVic a better place for Indigenous students,community members, faculty and staff. The first training module provides foundational information about the colonial context (historical and current) of Indigenous people in Canada. Other modules of this program are currently in development and will be offered to all staff upon their completion.

•UVic Human Resources provides training in Health and Wellbeing
o Training empowers employees to support each other as well as maintain their own health and wellbeing. This program actively encourages practices of inclusion, respect, wellness, accessibility, safety and accommodation in order to provide the basis of UVic’s healthy university community.

•The Equity and Human Rights office at UVic provides training and support by
o Offering educational sessions and workshops on topics such as human rights, Discrimination and Harassment Policy, inclusivity, and intersectionality.

o Ivy pull in Mystic Vale: an activity in which participants had the opportunity to work with members of the Greater Victoria Green Team as well as the UVic Sustainability Office to restore a section of the forest while learning about the harm of invasive species and continued plans of management for sensitive environments on campus.

o Underwater noise in the Salish Sea and its impact: an informational session in which participants learn of the impact man-made underwater noise has on marine animals. This is applied to the Salish Sea as a local setting and the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales are used as a case study.


UVic Leadership Retreat: held on April 26th, 2023 there was a panel on "Focusing on People in our Sustainability Conversations," which connects UVic's sustainability goals with personal stories and experiences. The agenda includes circle conversations, break-out discussions, and guest speakers, focusing on indigenous perspectives, leadership journeys, and fostering empathy in sustainability discussions. The event aimed to create a positive and open space for meaningful conversations.

The UVic Office of Campus Planning and Sustainability participates in BC Hydro’s Energy Wise Network which provides opportunities for staff with ongoing training and education in energy conservation through training summits, introductory sessions, interactive webinars, and internal sustainability programs. Learning outcomes focus on sustainability and energy conservation practices that are applicable to both employee’s work and home environments, and in day-to-day activities.

Campus Training: https://www.uvic.ca/hr/learning-development/campus-training/index.php

EQHR training: https://www.uvic.ca/equity/education/workshops/index.php

Energy Wise Network: https://www.bchydro.com/powersmart/business/programs/workplace-conservation.html?WT.mc_id=rd_worksmart

Greater Victoria Bike to Work Society: Greater Victoria Bike to Work Society: https://biketoworkvictoria.ca/bike-skills/workshops/

Indigenous Cultural Acumen Training: https://www.uvic.ca/services/indigenous/facultystaff/icat/index.php