EDIA education and tools
Building understanding
Building Understanding: A new broad-based (introductory) EDIA awareness and skills building training course
The Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion — in partnership with Human Resources, the Mount Royal Faculty Association (MRFA), the Mount Royal Staff Association (MRSA) and the Management and Exempt employee groups — has developed a broad-based (introductory) equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility (EDIA) awareness and skills building training course for all employees. Under the sponsorship of the Office of the Provost and Vice-President, Academic, we have come together to engage and support the Mount Royal University (MRU) community in doing this important work that is reflective of our shared values.
We are excited to share this course — Introduction to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: Creating a Respectful Workplace — and for the learning and growth opportunities it fosters. Celebrating, embracing and understanding the unique perspectives and experiences of our diverse community strengthens our relationships with one another, and with ourselves.
Following engagement with relevant areas, a pilot of this training course took place in spring 2023. We greatly appreciate the valuable contributions of knowledge, perspective and time from those who engaged with the pilot to support the final course material.
This training supports the goals of both our office and MRU. When we increase our understanding, we are less likely to make assumptions or generalize, we decrease the likelihood of acting based on bias or stereotypes, and we are less likely to unintentionally offend someone, miss cues or misunderstand a cultural viewpoint.
The course includes:
- An overview of EDIA and how we can work together to support a respectful workplace
- Scenarios to help you apply your learning in various situations
- An understanding of bias (both conscious and unconscious) and stereotypes
- Strategies on how to be an effective ally in the workplace
This course builds on the EDIA work that has come before and that continues to take place across campus. MRU recognizes that we are all at different stages in our EDIA learning. This course is designed to act as a baseline, creating common ground from which we can all work together to continue our individual and collective EDIA journeys.
All employees at MRU are encouraged to complete this training. Building a common understanding of EDIA makes us a stronger community. MRFA members are required to complete the training under the terms of their collective agreement.
Accessing the course
Find instructions and credentials for accessing the course in the Employee Training area of myMRU.ca. Use Google Chrome for optimal performance and enable pop-up windows. (Learn how to enable pop-up windows.)
Frequently asked questions
All employees at MRU are encouraged to complete this training. Inclusion, diversity and understanding make us a stronger community. MRFA members are required to complete the training under the terms of their collective agreement.
Employees at all stages of their EDIA learning are encouraged to complete this training, as it helps establish a shared foundation of knowledge for everyone in our workplace. MRU has many employees, from faculty to casual workers to full-time staff. For some, EDIA is an integral part of their field of study, while others are beginning their learning journey. This course provides a baseline, so we all have a common understanding from which to grow.
No, participants who completed the pilot are not expected to retake this course. If you are an MRFA member, your completion has been registered. Thank you to all those who took part in the training pilot: your knowledge, experience and thoughtful feedback have enriched this resource.
While the majority of employees can fit the training into their existing workload without need for extra time, there are some exceptions:
- Contract faculty: You will receive a stipend of $60 to complete this training. All contract faculty MRFA members who complete the course prior to Nov. 30 will receive the stipend on their pay in December. Those who complete the training after Nov. 30 will receive the stipend in April.
- Casual employees: Speak with your leader about incorporating time for this training into your regular working hours. They have strategies to support this and can also speak to your area’s HR Business Partner to facilitate your training.
It should take you about 60 to 90 minutes to complete the course. You can do it all at once or start and stop as your schedule allows.
No. You can leave the online platform and return at another time. However, if you leave the course before completing it, make a note of the section/slide where you left off as the course platform does not track your progress. When you resume the training, log back in to the course and use the course outline on the left-hand side to navigate to the section where you left off.
Once you have completed the course, click on the ‘record my completion’ button at the bottom of the course window. This is important to ensure that we receive confirmation that you have completed the training.
There is a link to download a certificate at the end of the course after you click the ‘record my completion’ button. Once you download the PDF (be sure to be logged into your mtroyal.ca Google account on your browser), you can fill in the date and your name.
Contact humanresources@mtroyal.ca regarding technical issues.
Please speak with your area’s HR Business Partner to facilitate your training. You can find a list of HR Business Partners on the MyMRU Employee Resources & Timesheets page. Under the Human Resources section, click the link for Human Resources Key Contacts.
Currently, only those students who are also employees of MRU (e.g. casual staff, internal work placements, Residence Services, etc.) may access the course. Please speak with your workplace leader about incorporating time for this training. While this course is for employees, the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion looks forward to consulting with relevant areas to develop EDIA training for students in the future.