Higher ed communicators’ key role in advancing EDI: must-attend event
As universities and colleges continue striving be more diverse and inclusive, how can and should communicators help with these efforts?
The upcoming Access Reboot conference will help higher education communicators understand their vital role in advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, decolonization and accessibility at their institutions.
Organized by the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO), the in-person event on Nov. 3 will focus on “practical and creative strategies to broaden institutional reach and connect with students in new and different ways.” A discounted fee is available until October 15.
Taking place at Delta Hotels Toronto, the conference will feature several panel discussions and workshops on topics such as:
- supporting diverse pathways to post-secondary education
- best practices for promoting students’ mental health
- helping international students thrive
- universal design for learning
- inclusive approaches to engaging with students
Delivering the keynote address will be Dr. Chika Stacy Oriuwa, an accomplished physician and advocate for racialized and marginalized populations. Oriuwa draws on her personal and professional experience to share insight and actionable strategies related to transformative leadership, mental health and wellness and building a more equitable future for all.
For folks who work in the communication and marketing units at post-secondary schools, this event will provide insights and inspiration for how to shape marcomm strategies, tactics and messaging to be meaningfully inclusive of their diverse student communities.
“This is about what access means not just in terms of who gets in the door, but about the experience the student has going through the institution, and whether it is equitable…Fulfilling that priority trickles down to the marketing and communications side,” says Matt Ross, director of communications at HECQO. “Schools have to be able to communicate that priority to prospective students and parents.”
“Making sure students leave your institutions with a positive experience of their time, that’s the best word of mouth you could ask for out there. So I do think it’s really important for marketers and communicators to understand those needs,” says Amy Kaufman, director of policy, research and system improvement at HEQCO.
“Institutions are adjusting in a whole bunch of different ways to meet their students’ diverse needs, and I think is really important for communicators and marketers to understand these changes because that’s the message their prospective students want to hear,” she adds.
HEQCO researcher Rachel Courts highlights one learning session where participants will have the opportunity to hear about successful initiatives at higher ed institutions that have cultivated more inclusive spaces and opportunities for students.
Communicators who attend Access Reboot will also have opportunities to network with attendees from diverse areas from within higher education, including admissions, access, student services, teaching and learning, work-integrated learning and research. Up to 300 participants are expected to event.
Presenters at the conference will be from universities and colleges in Canada and the U.S. such as Centennial College, Carleton University, McMaster University, Michigan State University, Trent University, Toronto Metropolitan University, the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto and York University.