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The Faculty of Open Learning & Career Development, in partnership with the department of People and Culture, has introduced the Certificate in Inclusive Leadership to the university鈥檚 staff and faculty. 聽The fully online program is designed to equip participants with the skills needed to foster inclusivity and drive meaningful change.

In this program, learners will uncover biases, enhance emotional intelligence, and apply equity-driven strategies to their leadership approach both in and outside the workplace. In today鈥檚 rapidly evolving workplaces, leaders and individuals at all levels of the institution must be able to navigate the complexities of power and privilege to create truly inclusive environments.

鈥淭his certificate goes beyond traditional leadership training by addressing power, privilege, and bias in decision-making. It equips leaders with the tools to self-reflect and create safe and inclusive workplaces,鈥� says Kristin Hewlett, People and Culture. 鈥淭he cohort nature of the program allows learners to grow their knowledge and skills together, while being exposed to diverse perspectives and experiences.鈥�

The program consists of five courses:

• Mind and Matter: Being and Self-Awareness 鈥� Explore motivational cognition, privilege, and marginalization in leadership. Participants will gain insight into their leadership styles and develop strategies for fostering equity-centered self-leadership.
• Cognitive Mastery and Emotional Insight 鈥� Develop cognitive skills and emotional intelligence to advance equity and inclusion. Leaders will learn to recognize biases and self-limiting beliefs while strengthening their decision-making capabilities.
• Relating and Social Intelligence 鈥� Foster connection and empathy-driven action in organizational relationships. This course emphasizes humility, vulnerability, and compassion as essential leadership traits.
• Collaborating and Trust Building 鈥� Build inclusive collaboration skills based on transparency and trust. By leveraging logic, clarity, and communication, leaders can create spaces where everyone feels valued and heard.
• Action for Future Sustainability 鈥� Leverage diverse perspectives to drive innovation and equity-focused leadership. This course focuses on sustainable leadership approaches that prioritize inclusivity and creativity.

鈥淟eaders who complete this program will be better prepared to build trust and inclusivity within their teams,鈥� says Huwaida Medani, People and Culture. 鈥淭he skills they develop will allow them to address systemic barriers and create an organizational culture where everyone can thrive.鈥�

A key component of the program is the expertise of聽Celina Caesar-Chavannes, a business consultant, coach, and international speaker, and a聽PhD candidate in neuroscience at Queen鈥檚 University. As a former Member of Parliament and a recognized leader in聽the democratization of justice, Celina applies聽cognitive principles聽to leadership development, helping participants聽optimize their cognitive processes for better decision-making, resilience, and transformational leadership. She has been widely recognized for her advocacy, including being featured in聽O (Oprah Winfrey) Magazine聽and named聽Chatelaine Magazine鈥檚 Woman of the Year (2019).

鈥淚n today鈥檚 complex workplaces, traditional leadership training is no longer enough. This certificate goes beyond conventional models by integrating cutting-edge聽cognitive optimization聽and聽neuroscience-based leadership聽principles,鈥� says Celina Caesar-Chavannes. 鈥淒esigned for those who want to drive meaningful change, this program enhances decision-making, emotional intelligence, and resilience鈥攌ey competencies for navigating today鈥檚 evolving social and organizational landscapes鈥�.

Participants will聽learn how the brain processes bias, power, and privilege聽and develop聽scientifically backed strategies to foster inclusive environments. Through this transformative experience, leaders will聽train their minds聽to optimize performance, strengthen self-awareness, and create workplaces where everyone can thrive.

The program begins in April 2025, and learners will be moving through all five courses in the same group of peers from across the university. The deadline to apply for the first cohort of this certificate is March 14, 2025. If you鈥檙e looking for more information about this certificate, please reach out to the team at the Faculty of Open Learning and Career Development (openlearning@dal.ca). For more information on tuition waiver eligibility, please contact聽benefits@dal.ca.

Please visit the聽聽(requires login to Dal account) for full details and to complete the application form.