From October 2 to 9, the International French-speaking higher education and research network for EDI (REFEDI) held a series of meetings to strengthen collaboration and the sharing of practices in the field of equity/equality, diversity and inclusion in higher education and research in the countries of the French-speaking world.
The trip began at Brussels, where colleagues from Belgian universities and schools welcomed members of the Quebec Interuniversity EDI Network and CPED. The meeting provided an opportunity to share experience in creating and developing national networks working for equity/equality, diversity and inclusion. Aude Stheneur, Managing Director of CPED, and Pascal Tisserant, EDI Vice-President at the Université de Lorraine and Assistant Treasurer of CPED, presented the background to the creation of CPED, its raison d'être, operations and actions. For their part, Bibiana Pulido, Executive Director of RIQEDI, and Patricia Neitthoffer, EDI Advisor at Université Laval, presented the regulatory context of EDI in Canada and Quebec, the arrival of EDI in higher education and research, and the creation of the network, its actions and challenges, particularly in terms of funding.
Exchanges between members of the Belgian, French and Quebec networks then focused on a number of issues: expanding EDI themes to include climate justice and sustainable transition, protection and support for staff working in EDI, the role of trade unions, and tools and procedures for victim protection.
Activities then continued at the University of Paris Nanterre, with a REFEDI Steering Committee meeting devoted to the development of future lines of action. It was also an opportunity to share inspiring practices, notably through the presentation of the Dimensions Canada program.
Lisanne Tremblay, REFEDI Project Manager, Bibiana Pulido, and Fadila Hamouni, EDI Manager at HEC Montréal, were pleased to co-facilitate a workshop to take a cross-sectional look at experiences and courses of action in Quebec and France, for a fair and inclusive transition. This workshop was part of the program for Responsible and Inclusive Company Week, organized by the French Association of Diversity Managers (AFMD).
Finally, a day of exchange held as part of the Entretiens Jacques Cartier rounded off the trip. Entitled «Combining research and practice: a lever for transformative action in EDI».», The day brought together researchers from France and Quebec, as well as a number of practitioners, for a rich exchange of ideas on EDI action research. The event was organized in close collaboration with Florence Françon, in charge of equality and non-discrimination at ENS Lyon and a member of CPED's Board of Directors.
The morning session began with a round-table discussion involving researchers and practitioners, bringing out new perspectives on how to conduct action research in EDI, and on the conditions for successful collaboration between researchers and practitioners. In the afternoon, participants had the opportunity to discover and appropriate innovative EDI initiatives in Quebec and France that build bridges between research, training and action.
The day concluded with a conference on cognitive stereotypes and recruitment decision-making, offering concrete tools for reducing bias, given by Isabelle Régner, vice-president for gender equality and anti-discrimination at Aix-Marseille University and member of the CPED Board of Directors.
All these meetings have helped to strengthen links between French-speaking networks, promote the sharing of expertise and consolidate international collaboration.
Stay tuned! In 2026, REFEDI will be launching a series of webinars highlighting the experiences and EDI initiatives of higher education and research players from various French-speaking countries.
Follow REFEDI's activities: https://www.linkedin.com/company/105791724/