America’s Northwestern University has announced that it will offer an online short course to help professionals in the public and private sectors lead more inclusively and equitably. The six-week short course entitled Leading Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will be offered in partnership with GetSmarter, a 2U Inc brand. It will be taught by Alvin Tillery, a well-known US expert on race relations and founding Director of the Center for the Study of Diversity and Democracy. The course, which is now open for enrolment, will begin in October, confirmed Northwestern University.
“At a moment when our nation and the world are facing a once-in-a-generation reckoning on race, racism, and equity, the importance of developing inclusive leaders and leadership skills has never been more critical to all organisations,” stated Alvin Tillery, Associate Professor of Political Science at Northwestern and lead instructor for the course. “By providing professionals with an actionable framework for becoming more inclusive leaders, this new course will foster more sustainable approaches to building diverse and equitable institutions.”
STRONG DE&I EXPERTISE
Tillery is a leading expert on race relations and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I). He is the founding director of the Center for the Study of Diversity and Democracy at Northwestern, an award-winning author, and a frequent commentator in the national media on diversity issues, racial politics, and presidential leadership. His perspectives have appeared in the New York Times and NBC News, as well as other US media.
Studies by Deloitte and the Case Foundation have found that millennials are more loyal to organisations and brands that prioritise DE&I and that they rank it as one of the top issues for their generation. Throughout the new short course, participants will learn to identify the root causes of workplace inequalities, make a business case for DE&I initiatives, develop and define relevant DE&I metrics, and evaluate how organisations can leverage communication strategies to lead effectively during DE&I crises. Participants will earn an official certificate of completion from the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences at Northwestern University.
CREATING INCLUSIVE LEADERS
“A core part of 2U’s purpose as a company is to help our university partners meet society’s critical needs,” added Andrew Hermalyn, President of global partnerships at 2U. “Today, across every institution in our society, building more diverse and equitable workplaces is a top priority. Professor Tillery’s insights, expertise and course will help prepare a new generation to better take on the important challenge and opportunity of becoming more inclusive leaders.”
Northwestern has been partnering with 2U’s GetSmarter since 2014 to offer a range of online short courses and technical boot camps. This is the sixth online short course Northwestern offers in partnership with GetSmarter, in addition to Business Law, Digital Operations, Strategic Change Management, Market Research and Customer Experience Innovation.
Click here for more information about Northwestern University’s Leading Diversity, Equity and Inclusion short online course.
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