Awad Ibrahim

Air Canada Professor on Anti-Racism

Anti-racism work is a foundational element of our raison d’être as a Faculty of Education and a keystone principle that guides our approach to preparing future teachers, researchers, and education professionals.

Advancing equity and inclusion

As the inaugural holder of the Air Canada Professorship on Anti-racism, Professor Awad Ibrahim leads the Faculty's work on anti-racism through academic and community activities, building our expertise and vision for equity, diversity, and inclusion in education. This position—the first of its kind at the University of Ottawa—was established through a generous gift from Air Canada in honour of Calin Rovinescu, who served as the University’s chancellor from 2015 to 2022. Professor Ibrahim also serves as the University of Ottawa's Vice-Provost, Equity, Diversity and Inclusive Excellence (EDI).

"The work of anti-racism," according to Professor Ibrahim "is to enable people to critically situate themselves in time and space and at the same time, question the adequacy of that location, to fully humanize themselves and others, to open cracks so that a better, environmentally friendly, peaceful, wide-awake and fully conscious future is brought into existence.”

Awad Ibrahaim sitting in office

“The work of anti-racism is to enable people to critically situate themselves in time and space and at the same time, question the adequacy of that location, to fully humanize themselves and others...”

Awad Ibrahim

— Holder of the Air Canada Professorship on Anti-racism

Events

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Nov 2

Official inauguration of the Air Canada Professorship on Anti-Racism

The Faculty of Education invites alumni, friends, and members of the University community to join us, in person or virtually, for the official inaugur…

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Feb 9

An Anti-Racist and Decolonial Conversation

As part of its Black History Month activities, the Air Canada Professorship in Anti-Racism is organizing a series of events to discuss the topics of a…

Collage of faces parts from all ethnic origins
Feb 27

Let's talk about diversity within the Francophone minority

As part of its Black History Month activities, the holder of Air Canada Professorship in Anti-Racism is organizing a series of events to discuss the t…

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Mar 8

Embedding data equity into practice:

Join us for a special event, sponsored by the holder of the Air Canada Professorship on Anti-Racism, which will take place on March 8, between 1-2:30 …

In the news

Faculty of Education
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Faculty of Education

Awad Ibrahim named as the first to hold the Air Canada Professorship on Anti-Racism

The Faculty of Education is proud to announce the appointment of Professor Awad Ibrahim as the first professor to hold the new Air Canada Professorshi…
Faculty of Education
Black History Month illustration of people
Faculty of Education

Conversations on Black History Month and education

“What is Blackness and why is the study of Blackness so critical, particularly at this historical juncture?” asks education scholar George J. Sefa Dei…

Photo Gallery

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Beyond box checking

As a panelist on this October 3, 2022, uO Homecoming event on equity, diversity, and inclusion, Professor Ibrahim stated “EDI and anti-racist work require a doing away almost with this idea of creating ‘safe spaces.’ It requires us to move to courageous spaces.”
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Black Excellence Flight for Air Canada

Professor Ibrahim was aboard the second annual Black History celebratory flight from Montreal to Halifax. Held on February 28, 2023, the journey was planned and operated by Black pilots, flight attendants, managers, and ground crew.
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APUO Panel: Racism, antiracism and unions

Professor Ibrahim joined Gertrude Mianda, Director of the Harriet Tubman Institute for Research on Africa and its Diasporas, for a Black History Month panel hosted by the Association of Professors of the University of Ottawa.

Research profile and social media

Indigenous affirmation

We pay respect to the Algonquin people, who are the traditional guardians of this land. We acknowledge their longstanding relationship with this territory, which remains unceded.

We pay respect to all Indigenous people in this region, from all nations across Canada, who call Ottawa home.

We acknowledge the traditional knowledge keepers, both young and old. And we honour their courageous leaders: past, present, and future.

Learn more.