Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Post-Secondary Research System

Summary

The increasing diversity of Canada’s population presents significant opportunities for the post‑secondary research system. Varying experiences, perspectives, and knowledges, if meaningfully engaged, can broaden the range of research questions and enrich research activities and outcomes.

To unleash the full potential of this talent pool, institutions, research funders, and members of the scientific community can aspire to create research environments that foster equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). In recent years, they have made headway in this regard, enacting policies and committing resources to bring about impactful changes. More work needs to be done, however, to accelerate progress for people facing barriers at different stages of their academic careers. Key to this work is knowing which measures have proven effective in advancing EDI in Canada and around the world among institutions of different sizes and capacities.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Post-Secondary Research System examines measures that can enhance EDI, the benefits and challenges of implementing them, and their potential impacts on people and institutions.

The question:

What is the state of knowledge regarding measures that organizations in Canada and around the world are implementing to achieve equity, diversity, and inclusion in the post-secondary research system?

The sponsors:

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council; Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada; Canadian Institutes of Health Research; Canada Foundation for Innovation; Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada; National Research Council Canada; and Health Canada.

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EDI initiatives have led to transformative changes at institutions across Canada. But continued progress hinges on a deeper understanding of what measures are effective and why. Gaps in qualitative and quantitative data, and a lack of disaggregated data on race and disability, can conceal inequities and reduce the effectiveness of EDI measures.

Many measures advancing EDI in the research system are also relatively new, which limits the evidence on their effectiveness. This challenge is amplified by the difficulty of attributing effectiveness to a single measure, as many intersect and depend on broader institutional and policy contexts. However, successful measures share some commonalities.

Report findings

Measures accompanied by accountability, transparency, and enforcement mechanisms produce meaningful changes in post‑secondary research institutions
Leadership and organizational structures play a key role in building equitable, diverse, and inclusive post‑secondary institutions
EDI capacity-building grants and recognition and accreditation initiatives help institutions move beyond diversity and cultivate inclusion
Changes to some existing admission and recruitment processes can support people belonging to underrepresented groups
Transparent and flexible compensation systems benefit faculty members from underrepresented groups
Resistance to EDI measures and to Indigenization and decolonization remain significant obstacles to effecting meaningful change
Additional research is needed to determine what measures are beneficial to people who self‑identify with multiple underrepresented identities

Effective measures are interconnected and mutually reinforcing, highlighting the need for multi-level and coordinated implementation approaches. To bring about lasting and meaningful culture change, EDI initiatives must also be resilient to evolving pressures, situations, and environments.