Building a campus where everyone feels a sense of belonging is a commitment that the University of Victoria (UVic) takes seriously. From our institutional plans to our everyday work, we strive to address systemic barriers by creating equitable and inclusive environments for our diverse students, employees and community members.
A few examples of our work in the last year include the appointment of associate deans Indigenous, the opening of the new Indigenous Law wing, the Better Data project and the Equity Action Plan (EAP) toolkit.
Associate deans Indigenous
Three new associate deans Indigenous (ADI) in the faculties of Law, Fine Arts and the Gustavson School of Business were appointed. These senior academic roles are a significant step in advancing UVic’s Indigenous Plan—Xʷkʷənəŋistəl | W̱ȻENEṈISTEL | Helping to move each other forward—and reflect our shared responsibility to uphold ʔetalnəw̓əl̓ | ÁTOL,NEUEL | respecting the rights of one another and being in right relationship with all things.
The new ADIs will provide visionary leadership and ensure Indigenous perspectives, knowledge systems and governance practices are embedded in faculty structures, curriculum, research and decision-making.
New Indigenous Law wing
The new Indigenous Law wing at UVic, opened in October 2026. It provides a place to share Indigenous legal traditions and is the home to the Faculty of Law’s JD/JID program—the first law program in the world to combine the study of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous laws.
It is an expansion of the Fraser Building—an exemplary and Indigenous-informed facility that provides space appropriate for the learning and practice of Indigenous Laws. It will house the Canadian Common Law and Indigenous Legal Orders program (JD/JID) as well as much needed classroom space, clinical and research space for the Indigenous Law Research Unit, the Environmental Law Centre, the Access to Justice Centre for Excellence and the Business Law Clinic.
Informing inclusive action with the Better Data questionnaire
The Better Data Project aims to enhance the collection, management and use of self-identification demographic data across campus. The questionnaire helps us understand the diverse, intersectional experiences that shape our community.
Today, about 78% of all continuing employees have completed the questionnaire. We now have a better understanding of who makes up our community than ever before.
Public student and employee interactive dashboards were launched in September 2025. The dashboards on the Better Data main page allow for everyone to view the complexity of identities present at UVic through an intersectional lens. This insight is also used to inform services and initiatives across campus like supporting provincially required pay transparency reports of UVic employees, evaluating programs in Student Wellness and facilitating Black inclusion work on campus.
EAP Implementation framework and toolkit
The Implementation framework & toolkit was launched in 2024 to support leaders, units, departments and groups in advancing the goals set out by the Equity Action Plan (EAP). The Implementation Framework includes the principles and phases necessary for unit-level advancement of the EAP, helping them to move from identifying which actions units can contribute to, to activity implementation and meaningful evaluation.
Best Diversity Employer 2026
UVic has been recognized as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers for the 15th consecutive year. Winners of the 2026 competition, listed UVic as one of only two BC universities to be honoured.
The national competition recognizes employers that have exceptional workplace diversity and inclusiveness programs from five diverse groups: women, members of visible minorities, persons with disabilities, Indigenous peoples and 2SLGBTQIA+ peoples. According to MediaCorp, at a time when conversations around diversity, equity and inclusion have grown polarizing, this year’s winners have taken a different approach: focusing on programs that make their organizations demonstrably stronger and more resilient.
UVic was selected for a range of leading diversity initiatives, including:
- Establishing the role of vice-president Indigenous, and additionally previously launching the Office of Vice-President Indigenous (OVPI) to provide oversight of the organization’s Indigenous portfolio, including student support services and programming, policy, Indigenous initiatives and procedural developments, and the implementation of the Indigenous Plan.
- Creating an Indigenous Employee Guide to provide specialized support to new Indigenous employees and outline the university’s commitment to building relationships with Indigenous communities. The guide provides an overview of supports and resources available to Indigenous employees, including access to Indigenous Elders.
- Recently launching its Equity Action Plan, which outlines strategies in recruitment and retention, plans for greater identity-related data collection and the right to conduct limited and preferential hiring searches for underrepresented populations and has made tangible action on the plan, including the implementation of a “better data” questionnaire to collect demographic data of students and employees.
UVic has been recognized as one of BC’s Top 100 Employers for five consecutive years and as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers eight times.
See UVic’s full profile and the complete results of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers 2026.
