Kwantlen Polytechnic University – KPU

Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) is committed to providing learners with opportunities to develop hands-on, applied skills, in addition to traditional academics. We are very honoured that we are gifted the use of our name by the Kwantlen First Nation and we strive to capture the spirit of its meaning “tireless runner” which is reflected in our motto: “through tireless effort, knowledge and understanding”. Established in 1981, the university has five campuses across three Metro Vancouver cities (Surrey, Richmond, Langley) which overlap with the unceded traditional and ancestral lands of the Kwantlen, Musqueam, Katzie, Semiahmoo, Tsawwassen, Qayqayt and Kwikwetlem peoples. KPU currently offers a range of degrees, diplomas, certificates, and citations in 140 diverse programs, many of which are unique to the university. Students graduate career-ready and prepared to make a positive impact in their community thanks to a well-rounded education.

In 2023, KPU launched the Office of Equity and Inclusive Communities (OEIC). Guided by KPU’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Action Plan (EDIAP), the Accessibility Plan, and the Task Force on Anti-Racism Report and Recommendations, the OEIC leads the development and implementation of four portfolios: Gender and Sexual Equity, Disability Justice, Anti-Racism, and Social Sustainability. The OEIC works collaboratively with students, employees, and community partners to address systemic barriers, embed equity into policies and practices, and foster culturally safer spaces for learning and working. Through education, capacity-building, and strategic leadership, the office supports initiatives that respond to the lived realities of marginalized and equity-denied communities, ensuring that inclusion is not treated as an add-on, but as a core institutional responsibility.

Gender and sexual equity initiatives include the development of the Gender and Sexual Equity Action Plan (GSEAP), which centers on creating safer spaces for 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. As well, OEIC is leading the creation of a Trans Inclusion Policy to address barriers and strengthen inclusion, safety, and belonging for trans and gender-diverse people across the university. OEIC also coordinates and participates in local Pride events as a visible commitment to community partnership.