Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Call for interest in Dimensions review committee
On this page
- Call for reviewers
- Who should apply?
- Goal of the review committee
- Time commitment
- Meeting location
- Official languages
- How to apply
- Deadline to apply
- Confidentiality
- Application accommodations
- Conflict of interest
- Code of conduct
- Overview of Dimensions
Call for reviewers
The Tri-agency is now inviting expressions of interest in reviewer roles for the assessment of postsecondary institutional applications for Dimensions recognition.
Who should apply?
Dimensions invites expressions of interest from across the postsecondary research sector, including:
- Scholars who have lived experience as a member of one or more of the five equity-deserving groups of Dimensions
- Scholars who have expertise in academic studies related to understanding inequity and exclusion in society, and in the higher education context in particular
- Administrators and professionals with lived experience as a member of one or more of the five equity-deserving groups of Dimensions
- Administrators and professionals who have experience or expertise related to efforts to address EDI in the postsecondary research sector
The Dimensions review committee aims to include representation across a wide range of lived experience and a majority who self-identify as a member of one of the five equity-deserving groups, including: women, Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Inuit, Métis), persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities/racialized groups, and members of LGBTQ2+ communities. The review committee membership will also reflect diversity with respect to: institution size, region, and location; Canada's official languages; teaching and research focused institutions. The process for establishing the committee therefore will include asking those expressing interest to provide some self-identification information. Dimensions may directly recruit members to the committee, should self-nominations not include enough diverse representation.
Goal of the review committee
The goal of the review process is to assist Canadian postsecondary institutions advance the state of EDI in their research communities. The review committee will provide a careful and thoughtful review of applications by assessing institutional progress and by providing constructive feedback to help institutions continue to make change.
The committee will also be assessing an institution's efforts towards reflection, critical self-assessment and engagement with their research communities; their collection and analysis of data; their development and implementation of initiatives through an action plan to address gaps and inequities; and their assessment of the impacts of actions taken.
Time commitment
Each application for Dimensions recognition will be assessed over two sets of meetings.
The first set of meetings is scheduled to be held between December 5 - 16, 2022, and the second between January 23-February 3, 2023.
The purpose of the first meeting will be to discuss individual reviews, calibrate, and generate feedback, questions, and comments for applicant institutions. The purpose of the second meeting will be to hear presentations from representatives of applicant institutions, to hear responses to feedback, to have an open question period and to determine final recommendations about which recognition stage to give.
In addition to meeting time, reviewers will read and provide feedback on 4-5 applications in advance of the first meeting.
Reviewers will also spend time becoming familiar with the Dimensions approach and documentation.
Meeting location
Meetings will be held virtually by videoconference. Accessible format selection will occur in consultation once the committee has been established.
Official languages
All Dimensions materials will be provided in both official languages. All reviewers will be encouraged to participate in the official language of their choice. Institutional applications will be available in one of the official languages and will not be translated.
How to apply
Interested individuals are invited to apply through one of the following options:
- A short letter of interest (one-to-two-pages), or;
- A pre-recorded video or audio-recording, or;
- A live phone or video interview. Interviews must be requested by email to the following address, DimensionsEDI@nserc-crsng.gc.ca or by phone: call 1-855-275-2861
Please complete the anonymous EDI Tri-agency self-identification questionnaire. In the “Information” section, under “funding opportunity” select “Dimensions (ID: 1617)”; under “role” select “reviewer”; and in the “ID” field please input “1617”.
Submissions must address the following:
- Indicate whether you can review applications in one of, or both official languages
- Discuss your understanding of issues related to EDI in the postsecondary research ecosystem and how you are contributing to efforts focused on addressing such issues, whether through personal (lived experience), academic, community, or volunteer contexts
- Indicate your experience participating in review or advisory panels and committees if applicable
Deadline to apply
Those interested in applying for reviewer roles are invited to submit an expression of interest by Friday August 19, 2022, however the invitation will remain open beyond this date should additional expressions be required. Expressions should be sent to: DimensionsEDI@nserc-crsng.gc.ca.
If not selected for this review committee, please indicate if you might be interested in other related activities.
Confidentiality
The contents of submitted expressions of interest are protected and will only be shared on a need-to-know basis for committee membership selection.
Application accommodations
The Tri-agency can support applicants by creating versions of this call for expressions of interest in the following formats:
- Audio or video (with closed captioning)
- A plain language version
- A version with larger font
- Word or PDF documents that are edited to the applicant's needs
Other accommodations will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
To request accommodations or application support, please reach out to the following email address: DimensionsEDI@nserc-crsng.gc.ca; or by phone, call: 1-855-275-2861.
Conflict of interest
Reviewers will be expected to act with integrity and impartiality and to be open, fair and unbiased when making decisions. Once selected to serve as a review committee member, a digitally signed declaration of conflict-of-interest form will be required.
Code of conduct
Meetings will be conducted in accordance with NSERC's code of ethics and business conduct for members of NSERC standing and Advisory Committees.
Overview of Dimensions
Dimensions: equity, diversity and inclusion Canada is a program designed to help postsecondary institutions increase equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), and to help drive deeper cultural change within the research ecosystem.
Dimensions is a flagship initiative of the Tri Agency EDI Action Plan administered collaboratively by the organizations that make up the Tri-Agency — the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).
The program addresses barriers and discrimination faced by equity-deserving groups, including women, Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Inuit, Métis), persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities/racialized groups, and members of LGBTQ2+ communities, in all disciplines and at Canada's post-secondary institutions — CEGEPs, colleges, polytechnics and universities.
The program was co-developed during a pilot period with a cohort of 17 diverse postsecondary institutions from across Canada. It is intended to be “inclusive-by-design” — each part co-created with those members of the research ecosystem who will use it and are expected to benefit from it.
Dimensions has two components:
- All Canadian postsecondary institutions are encouraged to endorse the charter as part of their commitment to increasing EDI within their institutions
- As part of the pilot phase, cohort institutions can apply for a Dimensions recognition, to be assessed using a peer review process on actions taken to lay the foundation for institutional EDI research culture transformation, and how such change has become a reality. Applications must demonstrate the institution's commitment to the charter's principles by including extensive evidence of efforts taken to date, change that has occurred, and of the plans in place for strategic action
The Dimensions recognition program has four stages intended to reflect the journey of carrying out EDI work and achieving success.
- Stage 1 — Foundation
- Stage 2 — Construction
- Stage 3 — Consolidation
- Stage 4 — Transformation
Further information on the pilot program or this call for expressions of interest is available upon request. Please contact: DimensionsEDI@nserc-crsng.gc.ca or 1-855-275-2861.
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Contact
Dimensions
DimensionsEDI@nserc-crsng.gc.ca
1-855-275-2861