Advancing inclusion and excellence
Fostering diverse and inclusive academic cultures through peer-to-peer conversations
About Us
Founded in 2016, the Toronto Initiative for Diversity and Excellence (TIDE) is a grassroots service group consisting of University of Toronto faculty members and librarians from across disciplines who volunteer their time to support action on diversity and inclusion through research-informed, peer-to-peer education and knowledge translation.
We offer consultation services, workshops, and resources tailored to academic, clinical, and professional workplace contexts on a sliding scale.
Our Workshops
Our workshops are designed to start conversations about inclusion. We illustrate common patterns of bias, provide practical tools to mitigate bias in practices and processes, and discuss ways to create more diverse and inclusive unit cultures.
Colleges & Universities
Our university-focused workshops are context-specific, evidence-based, and grounded in peer-to-peer learning. Our approach emphasizes practical application, collegial dialogue, and strategies that reflect the lived experiences of faculty, staff, and academic leaders.
Professional Organizations
Our workplace workshops are led by University of Toronto academics, translating rigorous research into actionable tools tailored to your organization’s sector, workforce, and goals — supporting meaningful, sustainable change in complex professional environments.
Medical Contexts
We partner with medical faculties and departments to design, deliver, and evaluate evidence-informed EDI programming. Our practical, case-based approach helps medical professionals improve their practice and meet accreditation requirements.
Online Course
Unconscious Bias Education
We offer an online Unconscious Bias Education course with 4 modules that provide an introduction to unconscious bias, how it manifests in typical processes and procedures, and how academic units might adopt more inclusive practices by considering these dynamics.
These modules are designed for everyone seeking education about unconscious bias and how it can affect assessments, decisions, and inclusive climates in their professional lives. While these were designed to be particularly relevant to academic contexts, the underlying challenges with decision-making are common across sectors and can be informative about inter-personal dynamics in any context.
Module 1
What is Unconscious Bias?
Defines Unconscious Bias and provides examples of how unconscious bias may affect our thinking in everyday life.
Module 2
Effects of Unconscious Bias on Assessment
Discusses examples of how Unconscious Bias can lead to unfair assessment of accomplishments, experiences, and expertise.
Module 3
Interrupting Bias
Discusses common manifestations of unconscious bias in committee deliberations and other assessments.
Module 4
Inclusive Academic Cultures
Describes practical steps that can be taken to improve the climate and culture of an academic unit.
Trusted by Organizations Across Canada
We offer programming for universities, professional organizations, and medical practitioners. We have delivered talks and workshops to over 3,000 colleagues, and have helped countless organizations advance excellence and inclusion.
“Without TIDE we would not be making any shifts in getting our non-Black colleagues to hold the space and to make the space.” (University of Toronto GroundBreakers S2 E2)
Professor Rhonda McEwen
President & Vice Chancellor, Victoria University, University of Toronto
“As a trainee, TIDE’s session was my first opportunity to engage with primary data related to EDI practices in Canadian research. The workshop was informative, professional, and overall very valuable to RNA Canada’s community.”
Dr. Jennifer Porat
2024 Scaringe Young Scientist,
RNA Canada
“It was great because we came out with actionable ideas. Our entire search was informed by the learnings from that TIDE workshop.” (University of Toronto Engineering News)
Professor Greg Jamieson
Search Committee Chair, University of Toronto Engineering
We can help advance equity and inclusion in your organization
Land Acknowledgement
We wish to acknowledge this land on which the University of Toronto operates. For thousands of years, it has been the traditional land of the Huron-Wendat, the Seneca, and the Mississaugas of the Credit. Today, this meeting place is still the home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work on this land.