Training & Education

The University of Guelph's Office of Diversity & Human Rights (DHR) recognizes that inclusive and equitable campuses where everyone experiences an authentic sense of belonging is an institutional and social imperative. Building respectful learning and working environments is key to establishing innovative research, academic excellence and successful communities. 

Intentionally building and promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion signals to prospective and current students, faculty, staff, visitors and the broader community that they belong at the University of Guelph. Establishing welcoming university environments begins with a strong understanding of EDI principles and the important role they play in laying a strong foundation for social and academic success. 

Our office offers a wide variety of training workshops and resources that explore anti-discrimination, anti-oppression, anti-racism, and anti-bias concepts among others. We also customize workshops based on your team/department/organization's needs. Online training and education resources include:

• Principles of Belonging: Anti-Oppression and Anti-Racism - This module provides participants with an introduction to equity and inclusion at post-secondary institutions and explores four broad core anti-oppression principles that are applicable across a range of identity groups. In addition, the module helps participants develop the skills to engage in anti-racism work and enact anti-racist practices. It focuses on introducing key concepts like systemic racism, power, privilege, allyship, microaggressions, and cultural appropriation. 
• Introduction to Human Rights - This module helps guide participants through the Ontario Human Rights Code and the University of Guelph's Human Rights Policy and Procedures. It explores how relevant laws and university policies define important concepts such as discrimination, harassment, accommodation and undue hardship. It provides participants with the confidence to help strengthen human rights at U of G and access necessary supports. It highlghts our community members' individual responsibilities when it comes to human rights on campus, as well as illustrates how to access support through the University's Human Rights Policies and Procedures.
• Positive Space Project - This module aims to increase awareness of LGBTQ2SIA+ issues on campus and transform the University of Guelph into a more welcoming environment for LGBTQ2SIA+ faculty, staff, and students. Participants will explore the importance of inclusive language, pronouns, allyship, and provides additional resources for folks to continue their learning journey.
• Building Community: Introduction to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion eHandbook - This free eHandbook provides readers with the skills and tools they need to understand key EDI and anti-oppression concepts and become strong advocates for social justice and systemic change. The eHandbook explores topics like privilege, intersectional oppression, unconscious bias, inclusive language, and allyship, while deepening readers' understanding and knowledge of EDI. 
• Making Education Accessible - This module helps participants to increase awareness about ways to foster inclusive learning experiences. It highlights the importance and value of inclusion in everyday work practices, distinguishes between accessibility and accommodation, outlines how to apply universal instructional design principles to the design, delivery, and evaluation of courses and identifies and connects participants with resources to support further professional development. 
• Principles of Equitable Recruitment: Unconscious Bias in the Hiring Process - These modules (one for staff and one for faculty), provides participants with the tools needed to apply an equity, diversity, and inclusion lens to the hiring processes in post-secondary education. They explore unconscious bias in the recruitment and selection process, provides a series of suggested steps and best practices that every hiring committee can undertake, and highlights strategies to minimize bias at every step of the process. 

DHR offers virtual (via zoom or teams) and/or in person trainings on topics such as:

1. Opposing Oppression: Building Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Competencies
2. Equity Essentials: Call it out? Identifying and Responding to Microaggressions
3. Inclusive Leadership: Applying Anti-oppressive and Anti-Racism Lenses to Decision-Making
4. Inclusive Leadership: Addressing difficult conversations about EDI with resistant people
5. Opposing Oppression: Applying Equity and Inclusion Lenses to Teaching & Learning
6. Opposing Oppression: Applying Equity and Inclusion Lenses to Research
7. Equity Essentials: Intersectional Allyship
8. Human Rights Fundamentals: Anti-Discrimination and Harassment

For more information, please send an email to dhrinfo@uoguelph.ca.

Building Community Workshop Wednesdays 

Join us for regular, in-person training workshops that explores such topics as equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-oppression, microaggressions, anti-bias, and more. 

Equity Essentials: Call it Out? Identifying and Responding to Microaggressions

Wednesday, September 24, 2025 - 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. - REGISTER NOW

 Join us for an interactive workshop that dives into the practical aspects of effective allyship. Participants will first revisit essential concepts such as power, privilege, identity, and intersectionality. We'll then explore what allyship looks like and how you can enhance your effectiveness as an ally.

Key questions we'll address: What does it truly mean to be an ally? How does allyship vary across different identities and issues? When should an ally take action, and when is it more appropriate to step back and defer to others? Together, we'll discuss these critical strategies and empower you to become a more informed and impactful ally. Join us in making a difference!

Location: In-person, room TBD

Human Rights & You: Addressing Discrimination and Harassment on Campus

Wednesday, October 1, 2025 - 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - REGISTER NOW

This interactive workshop invites participants to go beyond the text of Ontario's human rights legislation, exploring how legal requirements impact our daily work. Together, we will tackle critical questions such as: How do we recognize harassment or discrimination? When does behaviour constitute a human rights violation? What constitutes a reasonable response to a complaint? How can we proactively prevent human rights violations from occurring? Participants will leave with practical tools and strategies to address these important issues effectively. Join us in fostering a respectful and inclusive workplace! 

Location: In-Person, room TBD

What Does it Mean to be Anti-Racist? Understanding and Practicing Anti-Racism

Wednesday, October 8, 2025 - 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - REGISTER NOW

Welcome to our online event where we will dive into the important topic of anti-racism. Join us as we explore what it truly means to be anti-racist and how we can actively practice anti-racism in our daily lives. This event is a great opportunity to learn, share, and grow together in our journey towards a more inclusive and equitable society. This session will:

• Build knowledge about racism and anti-racism
• Unpack the motivations of racism
• Identify manifestations of racism
• Help grow competencies for anti-racism

Location: Virtual

Equity in Action: Disability Confidence and Anti-Oppressive Practice at the University

Wednesday, October 22, 2025 - 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - REGISTER NOW

In this session, participants will explore how to confidently engage in anti-oppressive practices with a focus on disability inclusion. Grounded in principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility (EDIA), this workshop will highlight the importance of recognizing and addressing individual, institutional, and systemic forms of oppression. 

Participants will learn how to apply an accessibility lens to their day-to-day work, communication, and decision-making, and examine how these practices contribute to a more inclusive university environment. The session will also fulfill key elements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), covering topics such as accessible communication, the value of disability inclusion, and practical strategies for creating accessible spaces and experiences.

Location: In-person, room TBD

Equity Essentials: Intersectional Allyship

Wednesday, October 29, 2025 - 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. - REGISTER NOW

In this hands-on workshop, participants will explore how tangible and successful allyship happens on the ground. First, participants will reconnect with baseline knowledge about power, privilege, identity, and intersectionality. Then, participants will explore what allyship means on the ground and how they can become more effective allies. What does it mean to be an ally? When should an ally step in, and when should an ally defer to someone else? We will discuss all these strategies and more.

Location: In-person, room TBD

Teaching for Equity: Applying an Anti-Oppressive and Inclusive Lens in the Classroom

Wednesday, November 5, 2025 - 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. - REGISTER NOW

This workshop explores how principles of Indigeneity, equity, diversity, and inclusion (IEDI) and anti-oppression can be applied meaningfully in teaching practice. By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Understand key principles of IEDI and anti-oppression in teaching and learning. 
• Recognizing how classroom environments influence student success and a sense of belonging. 
• Analyze classroom scenarios involving bias, ableism, and microaggressions. 
• Apply inclusive, anti-oppressive strategies in areas such as grading, participation, and communication

Location: Virtual

Inclusive Leadership in Action: Embedding Anti-Oppression and Anti-Racism in Decision-Making

Wednesday, November 19, 2025 - 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. - REGISTER NOW

What does it mean to lead inclusively in academic and professional settings? This 90-minute workshop invites students, staff and faculty at the University of Guelph to explore how anti-oppressive and anti-racist principles can shape more equitable and inclusive decision-making processes. 

Through scenarios, guided reflection, and group discussion, participants will examine how power, privilege, and bias influence everyday choices. Together, we will build practical strategies for fostering environments where equity, inclusion, and justice are not just values, but guiding practices. 

Location: Virtual

Equity Champion Training for Search Committees: Advancing Inclusive Excellence in Faculty Recruitment

Wednesday, November 26, 2025 - 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. - REGISTER NOW

This scenario-based workshop is designed for faculty members in search committees at the University of Guelph. Through case studies and facilitated discussion, participants will deepen their understanding of how to embed Indigenization, equity, diversity, and inclusion (IEDI) principles into each stage of the hiring process.

Rooted in both legal frameworks and ethical imperatives, the session explores how systems of oppression shape academic pathways and candidate experiences, and equips participants with the tools to lead equitable, bias-aware hiring processes. Participants will reflect on their own social positionality, develop strategies to coach committee members, and learn how to evaluate academic contributions and career trajectories using inclusive, anti-racist, and anti-oppressive approaches. 

Location: Virtual