Tuesday, November 25, 2025

Previous | Next

• Reminder: Join the Global Futures Ideas Exchange on November 26

• Wrapping up the United Way campaign

• Observing International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3

• Nominations open for Amit & Meena Chakma Award for Exceptional Teaching by a Student

• Waterloo marks 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence

By Sam Toman.

Faculty and staff exploring bold, high-impact ideas are invited to the Global Futures Ideas Exchange on Wednesday, November 26. This interactive session is designed to help shape the next round of Global Futures Fund (GFF 2.0) applications.

At the event, attendees will learn how GFF 2.0 can support initiatives at every stage of development through its three grant streams:

• Pre-seed grants – Up to $50,000 for one year to help early-stage ideas assess feasibility, build teams or prepare for future funding.
• Leverage grants – Up to $200,000 over two years for projects that build on existing initiatives.
• Scale grants – Up to $500,000 over two years to grow initiatives with campus-wide or regional impact.

The Ideas Exchange is also an opportunity to meet collaborators, connect with the Global Futures Office, and hear from colleagues whose work is advancing one or more of Waterloo’s five Global Futures.

Register for the Global Futures Fund Ideas Exchange, Wednesday November 26 from 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon in the Student Life Centre Black and Gold Room.

Expressions of Interest for GFF 2.0 are due February 2, 2026.

More information on eligibility, timelines and previously funded initiatives is available on the Global Futures Fund website.

Wrapping up the United Way campaign

A message from the University of Waterloo United Way campaign.

Thank you to the faculty, staff, retirees, and students whose collective efforts contributed to the University of Waterloo’s annual United Way campaign. Your generosity raised more than $100,000 for our local community.

Throughout October, the campus came together through donations, volunteerism, and a series of special events. Bake sales, movie nights, auctions, and departmental challenges once again demonstrated the spirit of Waterloo. This year’s total remains a testament to the resilience and compassion of our campus community. The past year has brought significant challenges, yet we continued to support neighbours at a time when that support is needed most.

The University of Waterloo’s longstanding partnership with United Way Waterloo Region Communities, continues to be a meaningful part of our institutional mission to engage locally and contribute positively to the broader region.

If you have not donated yet, or if you would like to make an additional gift, there is still time to give. Please visit the United Way campaign website.

Observing International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3

A message from the Office of the Associate Provost, Campus Support and Accessibility.

In observance of International Day of Persons with Disabilities on Wednesday, December 3, the Office of the Associate Provost, Campus Support and Accessibility is excited to share two virtual events that are open to the University of Waterloo community.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) occurs every year on December 3 and aims to “promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities.” The day was proclaimed in 1992 by the United Nations and continues to be urgently relevant as communities around the world strive towards sustainability, equity, and inclusion. To learn more about the observance and its impact on the Waterloo community, visit International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

This year, we are celebrating collaboration by uplifting and promoting the events happening across our networks. By spotlighting the diverse initiatives organized by partner networks, we help strengthen connections, broaden reach, and demonstrate that meaningful progress comes from working together toward common goals of accessibility and disability inclusion.

Watch party: Making our digital spaces more accessible

In celebration of the UN’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities in December, McGill's Equity Team and Digital Communications are pleased to invite you to an online event featuring a discussion with Lucy Greco, web accessibility expert, advocate, and icon. Join us to take in highlights from Lucy's recent visit to McGill. Hear her reflect on her decades of work in accessibility in higher education, share stories from the field, and answer questions about what’s changed, what still needs changing, and what comes next.

• Date: Tuesday, December 2, 2025
• Time: 11:00 a.m. to 12 noon
• Location: Online event, Microsoft Teams platform

Find more information and registration on the McGill Watch Partywebsite.

Many Roads, One Destination: Accessibility Initiatives across Ontario

Join the Ontario Council of University Libraries for the kickoff of a series of virtual discussions that will explore accessibility and disability inclusion work across Ontario universities. These inspirational and informative talks are open to all Ontario universities.

This first discussion will be moderated by Michael Clark, Accessibility Specialist, University of Waterloo with presenter Samantha Fowler, Disability Inclusion Coordinator, University of Waterloo. They will explore the University of Waterloo's Disability Affinity Program, community building for disability inclusion, and accessible campus programming.

• Date: Wednesday, December 3, 2025
• Time: 1:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.
• Location: Online event, Microsoft Teams platform

Find more information and registration at Many Roads, One Destinationwebsite.

Nominations open for Amit & Meena Chakma Award for Exceptional Teaching by a Student

A message from Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA).

Do you know a teaching assistant, lab demonstrator, or instructor who has demonstrated a commitment to excellence in teaching? Celebrate their impact by nominating them for the 2024-2025 Amit & Meena Chakma Award for Exceptional Teaching by a Student (AETS).

Nominations are now open and will be accepted until Friday, February 6, 2026. 

How to nominate

Visit the Centre for Teaching Excellence’s AETS page to review the award criteria and confirm your nominee’s eligibility. 

Complete the nomination form and email it to cte-aets@uwaterloo.ca by the deadline. 

Recognize the outstanding contributions of your favourite student instructor today!

Waterloo marks 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence

A message from the Sexual Violence Prevention & Response Office (SVPRO).

Gender-based violence is a local, national, and global issue.

Each year, SVPRO and the University of Waterloo join forces with campus partners, Kitchener-Waterloo organizations, various levels of government, and communities worldwide to participate in the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.

16 Days is used as an organizing strategy by governments, organizations, communities, and individuals around the globe call for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls and show support and solidarity with women’s rights activists and mobilizers advancing gender equity. 

Awareness-raising is central to our work in addressing gender-based violence – here are some starting points, drawing from the United Nation’s Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women. 

This year’s theme, “Come Together, Act Now,” emphasizes the importance of involving everyone in Canada, particularly men and boys, in changing social norms, attitudes, and behaviours that contribute to gender-based violence. The campaign reminds us that we each have a role in ending gender-based violence (GBV) through our everyday actions and commitments.

The Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office (SVPRO) is honouring the 16 Days of Activism, an annual international campaign beginning on November 25, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and concluding on December 10, Human Rights Day. SVPRO will host events and initiatives across campus to stand together in support of those affected by GBV. We hope to see you at these activities, demonstrating solidarity and sharing our commitment to change.

Founded in 1991, this campaign calls for accountability and action in preventing violence against women, girls, and 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals. International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1999 and marked each year on November 25 to commemorate the Mirabal sisters of the Dominican Republic, who were assassinated in 1960 for their activism. Their legacy lives on, urging a global call to end GBV. Human Rights Day, on December 10, marks the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a milestone document translated into over 500 languages, holding the Guinness World Record as the most translated document globally. In Canada, December 6 is also observed as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, honouring the women lost in the tragic Polytechnique Montréal shooting in 1989. 

Follow along on social media with the hashtag #16DaysUW. Learn more on the 16 Days website.