In the fall of 2024, Collège Nordique reached an important milestone by obtaining its institutional accreditation. This achievement opened the door to new educational opportunities, new projects and the ability to welcome an increasing number of students from diverse backgrounds.

A few months later, like many organizations across the North, the College was faced with significant restructuring and budget reductions. In response to this new reality, one priority emerged: focus available resources on initiatives that would have the greatest impact for students, employees and the community.

These decisions naturally aligned with the 2023–2027 DEI Strategy, adopted in 2023. Those familiar with the College's work may notice that the terminology has evolved since the strategy was introduced. While the strategy retains its original title, current initiatives are now guided by an approach that embraces equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility and other dimensions of identity (EDIA+). This evolution reflects the growth of best practices over the past several years and is already informing the College's reflections as it prepares for its next strategic plan. Built around four key pillars, people, environment, programs and community, the strategy continues to serve as the roadmap for fostering an increasingly inclusive, accessible and representative learning and working environment that reflects Northern realities.

Today, these priorities are reflected in concrete initiatives that support student life, strengthen the College internally and contribute to the vitality of Francophone communities across the territories. Several projects have been launched, others have evolved, and some have been adapted to better meet emerging needs.

A Strategy That Continues to Evolve

From the beginning, the 2023–2027 DEI Strategy was never intended to be simply a policy document. Its purpose has always been to embed the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion throughout every aspect of Collège Nordique's activities.

One of the strategy's first major accomplishments was the Pan-Territorial Symposium on Inclusive Leadership and DEI, held in March 2025. Organized by Collège Nordique in partnership with the Association franco-yukonnaise (AFY) and the Association des francophones du Nunavut (AFN), the symposium brought together participants from all three territories for workshops, presentations and discussions on inclusive leadership, unconscious bias, relationships with Indigenous communities, linguistic diversity and practices that foster more equitable and inclusive environments. This first pan-territorial initiative helped launch meaningful conversations and strengthen the capacity of Francophone communities across the North to advance DEI.

Like any living strategy, the plan continues to evolve alongside organizational realities. Some planned initiatives were postponed so the College could focus its resources on projects with more immediate benefits for students, employees and Northern Francophone communities.

This ability to adapt allows the College to direct its efforts where they can make the greatest difference.

Bringing EDIA+ to Life Internally: Relaunching the DEI Committee

Among the most significant achievements of the past year has been the relaunch of the College's DEI Committee.

Although a committee had previously existed, organizational restructuring temporarily paused its work. Relaunching it became a priority, as the College believes that internal initiatives are just as important as those aimed at the broader community.

"EDIA+ cannot simply exist through projects. It has to become part of our organizational culture and the way we work every day," says Mounir Barry, Director of Student Experience and Quality Assurance.

The relaunch of the DEI Committee was made possible through the support of the Fédération franco-ténoise (FFT) as part of its Systemic Changes to Strengthen the Role of Women in Northern Francophone Communities project. While the College initiated the committee's return, FFT provided valuable guidance in developing the committee's charter, which now serves as the foundation for its work.

The DEI Committee brings together representatives from different sectors of Collège Nordique, along with an external representative from the student community. This diversity of perspectives makes the committee a valuable space for reflection, dialogue and recommendations to senior leadership.

In the longer term, the committee also plans to establish a network of volunteer resource persons who will be able to confidentially support students and employees while providing recommendations that contribute to the continuous improvement of the College's practices.

Creating a Space for Dialogue Across Northern Francophone Communities

Beyond its internal initiatives, the College also sought to address a need expressed by members of the community: creating a Francophone space where people could discuss issues related to equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility in a Northern context, co-create solutions, develop initiatives and build a true learning community.

This vision led to the creation of the EDIA+ Community of Practice.

Bringing together Francophones from the Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut, the Community of Practice encourages the sharing of experiences, knowledge and collective reflection on challenges unique to Northern communities.

After only a few meetings, participants have already identified common challenges and are now working together to develop both individual and collective initiatives that can be implemented within their own communities.

This initiative aligns closely with one of Collège Nordique's core missions: supporting lifelong learning by creating opportunities to learn from one another, collaborate and grow together.

Building Lasting Awareness Through Accessible Resources

Institutional accreditation also marked the beginning of a new chapter for Collège Nordique. As the College welcomed new student populations and expanded its programming, it became increasingly important to provide lasting educational resources that could support both students and instructors over time.

Rather than relying solely on one-time workshops, the College chose to develop permanent resources that could be reused with every new cohort.

Three awareness videos were created to address issues that are particularly important in post-secondary settings:

• Racism
• Bullying
• Sexual violence

The goal is twofold: to educate students about these issues while clearly affirming the College's commitment to preventing discrimination, bullying and violence.

These videos are particularly well suited to the Northern context. They can be used both in person and online, shared with every incoming cohort and remain available long after their initial release.

Faculty members have responded very positively. Within an increasingly diverse student population, these resources provide valuable support for classroom discussions and will continue to enhance student orientation and learning throughout their studies.

Looking ahead, the College hopes to develop additional videos addressing topics such as gender diversity and intersectionality, as resources allow.

Strengthening Knowledge Through Education

Awareness also begins with education.

Over the past several years, the College has continued developing its Introduction to DEI course, which introduces learners to foundational concepts such as equity, diversity, inclusion, unconscious bias and their impact across different environments.

In April 2026, Collège Nordique also partnered with the Fédération franco-ténoise to offer a workshop on anti-racism and unconscious bias.

This initiative also supports Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada's (IRCC) requirement that funded organizations implement concrete anti-racism measures.

Following the workshop, the College produced a practical reference guide explaining concepts such as unconscious bias, microaggressions, intersectionality and intervention strategies for those witnessing discriminatory situations.

Beyond the training itself, this resource helps sustain learning, encourages more inclusive daily practices and will continue to support future awareness initiatives within the broader community.

Prioritizing the Initiatives That Will Have the Greatest Impact

Like any organization, Collège Nordique has had to make strategic choices.

As part of its strategy, the College provided students, employees and community members with access to thousands of specialized diversity and inclusion resources through the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI) digital library until March 2026.

Following a review of priorities for the new fiscal year, this initiative was temporarily paused so resources could be focused on projects with more immediate community impact, such as the EDIA+ Community of Practice.

This decision reflects the College's commitment to continually adapting its strategy to maximize the impact of every initiative.

A Commitment That Continues to Grow

The accomplishments of the past year demonstrate that the 2023–2027 DEI Strategy is far more than a planning document.

Today, it is reflected in educational resources, training opportunities, spaces for dialogue, partnerships and collaborative initiatives that contribute to a more equitable, inclusive, accessible and representative learning environment.

As the current strategy approaches its conclusion, the College is already reflecting on its next strategic plan to ensure it continues to evolve alongside emerging practices and the changing realities of the communities it serves.

"For us, EDIA+ is not a one-time project. It is a way of thinking, collaborating and building a College that reflects the realities of everyone who learns and works here. Every initiative we undertake helps move that vision forward," concludes Mounir Barry.

Equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility are not built through a single initiative. They are achieved through many meaningful actions that, together, help create a stronger, more welcoming and more representative community.

Published on July 3rd 2026