Centre SÈVE is a strategic consortium funded mainly by the Fonds de recherche du Québec-Nature et technologies (FRQNT) As such, we follow the concepts of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) of the Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ).
Definition of the acronym EDI from the FRQ website.
« Equity refers to fair treatment, including the elimination of systemic barriers that disadvantage particular groups. Fair treatment is not necessarily the same for everyone, but takes into account different personal realities, both present and historical, to provide all individuals with access to the same opportunities for the promotion and support of research.
Diversity refers to the presence, within the research ecosystem and society, of people from different groups, which promotes the expression of diverse perspectives, approaches and experiences, including those of underrepresented groups. The FRQ value the contribution of this diversity to research.
Inclusion refers to the establishment of practices that allow all members of society to be and to feel valued, supported and respected, paying particular attention to underrepresented groups within the research community and in research itself. »
We are aware that Centre SÈVE members face barriers. They have been identified through a survey among our members. These barriers are, but not limited to, language and belonging to an underrepresented group. These obstacles have an impact on their academic and professional careers. As a strategic cluster, we are committed to minimizing these barriers and enabling our members to better integrate within our cluster and affiliated laboratories, as well as supporting our members in their academic and professional careers.
As a strategic group, Centre SÈVE is committed to:
- Establish an inclusive, diverse and equitable environment, both in our governance and in our various activities (organizing activities, communicating, and setting up student or grants competitions).
- Help research teams establish an inclusive and equitable environment within their laboratories and community.
- Help the student community, staff, and faculty members of Centre SÈVE to overcome barriers related to EDI.
- Evaluate membership applications, New Initiative grants and student scholarships with EDI values in mind, to minimize evaluation bias.
Centre SÈVE Action Plan – Horizon 2024-2030
Establish an inclusive, diverse, and equitable environment, both in our governance and in our various activities (organizing activities, communicating, and setting up student or grants competitions):
- Continue to set up an EDI committee to implement and validate actions.
- Maintain a diversified executive committee, with members from various underrepresented groups and young researchers, to enable better integration of these groups into the strategic grouping.
- Use inclusive writing following the Université de Sherbrooke‘s guide when communicating, in addition to French and English.
- Set up an anonymous comment box on our website to allow Centre SÈVE members to communicate with us on our EDI practices and identify EDI barriers for members over time.
- Set aside a period of time to talk about Centre SÈVE’s EDI actions, and let Centre SÈVE members have their say at the annual members’ meeting.
Help research teams establish an inclusive and equitable environment within their laboratories and community.
- Set up EDI training courses for our members, tailored to their needs.
- Share resources (relevant websites and videos) on EDI concepts on our website. These resources will aim to encourage dialogue on these subjects, to inspire Centre SÈVE members to take new initiatives adapted to their environment and reality, and thus create a more inclusive and equitable environment for all.
- Share EDI resources from our partner institutions on our website.
- Set up New Initiatives – Participatory Science grants for Centre SÈVE members. These grants will be earmarked for projects that require public participation but can also encourage certain social agriculture projects that consider the realities of affected communities.
Help the student community, staff, and faculty members of Centre SÈVE to overcome barriers related to EDI.
- Set up grants to support student members who wish to develop projects involving EDI in plant science.
- Maintain the New Initiatives grants for young researchers to support the next generation of researchers.
- Adapt events organized by Centre SÈVE (e.g., English and French at events, daytime events).
Evaluate membership applications, New Initiative grants and student scholarships with EDI values in mind, to minimize evaluation bias.
- Transmit Centre SÈVE’s EDI policies and positions to each member of our evaluation committees and ensure that committee members are aware of them and follow Centre SÈVE’s EDI criteria.