Academic & Communication Excellence Development (ACED) Certificate

Build the academic skills and confidence you need to succeed in a Canadian classroom, while earning the ACED Certificate.

Why Choose the ACED Certificate?

Choose your path: Complete the full certificate or participate in individual workshops.

Comprehensive learning with structured workshops
Hands-on projects showcasing your knowledge and application skills
Recognition of your achievements with a certification

Flexibility to attend workshops that align with specific skills or topic of interest
No long-term commitment
Can enrol into the ACED Certificate program at any time

Who Can Participate?

The workshops and program are open to all undergraduate students (domestic, international, exchange and mature) and to those that have deferred status.

5 Steps to Certification

If you choose the ACED Certificate Pathway, you must:

Complete the registration form to officially enrol in individual workshops or the certification program
Attend 3 workshops (at least one from each theme)
Complete one project in total (Choose a project from any theme)
Submit reflective survey after each workshop
Fulfill all requirements with two years of attending your first workshop

Explore the Academic & Communication Excellence Development (ACED) Certificate Program to learn more and find out how to register.

Fall 2026 Program Themes & Workshops:

Theme 1: Academic Foundations

Build foundational skills and strategies to thrive academically and navigate university life with confidence.

This interactive workshop will help you prepare for success in the Canadian post-secondary classroom. Through hands-on activities, real-life scenarios, and group discussion, you’ll learn how to break down and understand course syllabi, navigate academic expectations, and engage confidently in your classes. You’ll also gain insight into academic integrity, common myths and realities of student life.

Participants will be able to:

Analyze course syllabi to identify key expectations, policies, and deadlines
Explain academic integrity expectations and distinguish between common myths and realities
Prepare and practice strategies for using office hours effectively
Demonstrate active note-taking and post-class review techniques to improve retention
Identify academic supports and campus resources based on specific needs

This introductory workshop provides students with the foundational skills needed to start building a strong research foundation for your coursework and projects.  Through practical demonstrations and hands-on activities, participants will learn how to conduct basic information searches, read and interpret scholarly materials, and evaluate sources for credibility.

Participants will be able to:

Perform basic database searches using appropriate keywords and filters. 
Identify key information in academic articles, figures, and tables.   
Apply basic criteria to evaluate the reliability of scholarly sources.   
Organize retrieved sources using basic citation management tools or manual methods.

Here's a brief snapshot of the projects options you can choose to complete (you only need to choose one project across all themes):

Pick an academic skill and complete a 14-challenge to build lasting, real-world habits.
Take a stand on a debatable topic you care about, support it with research, and present your argument in a bold, single-slide infographic.

Attend workshops in this theme to learn about details and start the project!

Theme 2: Academic Communication

Develop clear and effective written and verbal communication for academic and professional success.

This lively workshop equips students to respond to their course assignments more effectively by taking a strategic approach to reading and writing that emphasizes critical thinking and a recursive writing process. To "demystify" the conventions of academic writing, we will demonstrate how to connect assignments to course content, explore ways to clarify a research path, discuss the importance of critical, analytical thinking, demonstrate methods for using course readings as discipline-specific writing models, introduce students to citation resources, and emphasize the role of repeated review and revision as an important and integral part of the writing process.

Through practical examples and interactive exercises, participants will gain confidence in crafting well-organized papers while upholding academic integrity. Ideal for students seeking to strengthen their writing skills in a supportive, judgment-free environment.

Here's a brief snapshot of the projects options you can choose to complete (you only need to choose one project across all themes):

Reflect on your journey as a communicator by creating a 5-minute podcast that shares the academic or professional skills that helped you grow into a confident, engaging speaker.
Craft and reflect on professional emails for real academic scenarios to build confidence, clarity, and etiquette in formal communication

Attend workshops in this theme to learn about details and start the project!

Theme 3: Collaboration & Presentation

Master teamwork and presentation skills to create impactful group projects and deliver engaging content.

Presentation skills are really important to accurately articulate your ideas and opinions, to get hired and excel in your career, and to convey important information. In this in-person workshop, you will learn practical public speaking strategies and techniques to help you feel confident when speaking in front of an audience.

This workshop will be led by Brian Goldenberg, the Artistic Director/Producer for Vanier College Productions in the Faculty of LA&PS. Brian is a professional theatre/event producer, music director, songwriter/arranger, performer, and educator

This interactive workshop focuses on communication skills and discourse strategies to navigate group work in academic settings. Through scenario-based activities and guided discussions, students will practice expressing ideas clearly, asking for clarification, discussing different perspectives, and communicating expectations and concerns

Students will also explore language for giving and responding to feedback, disagreeing respectfully, addressing misunderstandings, and negotiating responsibilities with group members. This is a great workshop for students who would like to develop useful language and communicative strategies needed to participate more confidently and constructively in group assignments and projects.

Use appropriate academic language to express ideas, opinions, questions, and concerns in group discussions.
Practise active listening by asking clarifying questions and checking for understanding.
Communicate expectations, responsibilities, and requests clearly and appropriately with group members.

Here’s a brief snapshot of the projects options you can choose to complete (you only need to choose one project across all themes):

Deliver a 5-minute TED-style talk that transforms an everyday object into a powerful, thought-provoking story using creativity, research, and presentation skills.
Analyze a failed team scenario, uncover what went wrong, and propose strategies for resolving conflict and improving collaboration.

Attend workshops in this theme to learn about details and start the project!

Workshop Schedule (Fall 2026):

Explore the Academic & Communication Excellence Development (ACED) Certificate Program to learn more and find out how to register.