Universities in Times of Crisis: Conversations across Differences

Public Talks, Roundtables and Forums, Facilitated Dialogues, and Workshops and Skills Building

The role of post-secondary institutions has always been fundamental to embracing differences, but how they, as universities, are implicated in contentious and tense public debates has shifted over the recent years. This shift contributes to divisiveness and heightened expectations, impacting institutional capacity to create safer spaces and raises important questions around accountability.

To address the role of post-secondary institutions, including the U of A, in crises and societal transformation, the Office of the Provost is introducing the series "Universities in Times of Crisis: Conversations across Differences.” Spanning 12 months, the series will consist of roundtable forums with local and external experts, facilitated dialogues among the University of Alberta community, and instructor-led workshops covering topics like trauma-informed teaching and conflict resolution. These activities aim to enhance skills and build capacity within the U of A community, fostering spaces of care, courage, and resilience.

The series will explore what a university looks like that prioritizes hard conversations and how those hard conversations remain respectful of different experiences, positions, duties, and capacities. It will also raise questions on the role of post-secondary institutions and its citizens in times of crisis, and what these moments can teach us about how to be together in an ongoing way.