Wilfrid Laurier University
PA-4: Diversity and Equity Coordination

Laurier's Diversity and Equity Office (DEO) houses two portfolios: Educational Equity (addressing diversity and equity for students) and Employment Equity (addressing diversity and equity for staff and faculty). The DEO strives to foster an atmosphere of equity and inclusiveness at Wilfrid Laurier University, including the Waterloo, Brantford and Kitchener campuses. We provide education, programming and support to help foster an inclusive campus environment for students, staff, and faculty at Laurier. At the DEO, we advocate for the inclusion and equal treatment of everyone, regardless of gender, race ethnicity, culture, sexuality, religion, age, ability, or socio-economic background. The DEO provides a range of formal and informal supports to students, staff and faculty. We are a safer space on campus that can provide support to those who experience injustice, or who have questions related to diversity and equity. We often provide workshops and training related to equity and inclusion for students, staff and faculty. We provide supports around non-academic accessibility needs and can make community referrals. The University Advisory Employment Equity Committee is responsible for making recommendations to the President on matters of employment equity within the university community.

The Intercultural Certificate strives to support participants' development of intercultural skills, knowledge and attitudes that stimulate a commitment to lifelong learning and strengthen their ability to support and understand a globally diverse world.

The Intercultural Certificate is a six-module program which focuses on the following topics:

1. Introduction to concepts of culture: An exploration of culture as a concept, how it affects all people and societies and influences their life, work, and study; and differing tools, including cultural dimensions that help to bridge, appreciate and leverage difference.
2. Introduction to exploring one’s own culture: An introduction to exploring how one’s own background, identity and lived experience influences one’s values, attitudes and behaviours; and culture as distinct from personality, identity and human behaviour.
3. Introduction to intercultural communication: An understanding of cultural communication styles – the impact of one’s filters and how their style impacts others.
4. Exploring difference: An exploration of power and privilege as concepts and how they impact interactions across cultural difference; exploration of micro-aggressions with a focus on impact vs. intent to support working effectively across difference, and an introduction of examples of resistance and rejection of culture.
5. Introduction to cultural adaptation: An introduction to the process of cultural adaptation and cognitive dissonance, adjustment and adaptation strategies to support relationship building and good health.
6. Lifelong intercultural learning: An opportunity to review learning and create strategies to further develop and practice intercultural recognizing that intercultural learning is a lifelong process.

The delivery of the program uses an active learning approach and is free of charge to registered Laurier students, including exchange students, and you can get Laurier Experience Record credit for it.

The Intercultural Certificate was introduced in 2015/16 by Laurier International in partnership with the Diversity and Equity Office and the Centre for Teaching, Innovation, and Excellence.