KAMLOOPS — A $400,000 federal government grant is enhancing efforts at Thompson Rivers University (TRU) to improve equity, diversity and inclusion that are aimed at creating a more empowering research and learning environment.

TRU is one of 12 colleges and universities nationally to be awarded an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Institutional Capacity-Building Grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC).

The goal is to foster EDI in Canadian post-secondary research by identifying and eliminating systemic barriers that impede the career advancement, recruitment and retention of underrepresented and/or disadvantaged groups.

These funds will be used to create an EDI office at TRU. The office will gather data that provides an evidence-based approach for the development of a more diverse, inclusive and equitable learning and working environment, and will also act as a hub for EDI initiatives at TRU.

“We are delighted to have been awarded an EDI Capacity Building Grant to support the EDI work that has been taking place at TRU for the past few years,” says Christine Bovis-Cnossen, TRU provost and vice-president Academic and Research. “We are committed, through our vision, to ensure a sense of belonging at TRU, or Kw’seltktnéws. This grant allows us to expand the transformational focus of our EDI initiatives, and to claim space as a leader in this area.”

Last year, TRU enacted a university-wide vision to redefine the university as a place of belonging. This initiative embraces that vision and validates ongoing efforts. There are many ongoing EDI initiatives already underway including EDI-centred training in interculturalization, anti-harassment and direct discrimination. TRU has also implemented unconscious bias training for recruitment committees. This grant augments those activities and allows for the development of an institution-wide training plan for systemic change. This support will lead to integrated exchanges between groups on campus to provide a more unified, integrated, and intersectional approach to EDI.