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Get Ready for Success

We are here to support you during your time at university! Our Academic & Communication Excellence (ACE) certificate program is designed to help you develop essential skills to thrive as a student and after graduation. You can also meet with a PASS or SNACK leader for FREE tutoring support in your most difficult courses and achieve academic success!

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Academic & Communication Excellence (ACE) Certificate

Strengthen your academic communication skills, excel in collaboration and become career ready with the ACE Certificate.  

The ACE Certificate Program is designed to empower you with the skills and experiences needed to excel in your academic and professional journeys.

Through interactive workshops and hands-on projects based on real-world scenarios, you will: 

Strengthen academic communication skills

Learn how to express your ideas clearly and confidently in classroom discussions, group projects, and presentations.

Apply your learning through projects

Choose and complete practical projects that let you apply academic skills in meaningful ways.

Receive an official physical or digital certificate

Showcase your achievement and dedication—perfect for academic and professional milestones.

Explore Themes & Projects
Explore the Workshop Schedule
Register Now

Explore your Options

Not sure if you should complete the Certificate program or just do individual workshops? Learn more about the benefits provided by the certificate and workshop-only options below.

Certificate Enrollment Benefits

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  • Comprehensive learning with structured workshops .
  • Hands-on projects showcasing your knowledge and application of skills.
  • Recognition of your achievements with a certificate.
  • Register now

Workshop-Only Enrollment Benefits

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

Who can participate?

The workshop and program is open to international undergraduate students and those that are unable to begin their studies due to a deferral.

Five Steps to Certification

To earn an ACE Certificate you must:

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Step 1

Complete the registration form to officially enroll in individual workshops or the certification program.  

Step 2

Attend three workshops (at least 1 from each theme).

Step 3

Complete one project in total (choose a project from any theme).

Step 4

Submit reflective survey after each workshop.

Step 5

Fulfill all requirements with two years of attending your first workshop.

Program Themes & Workshops

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Theme 1: Academic Foundations

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

This introductory workshop provides students with the fundamental skills needed to begin academic research with confidence. Participants will learn how to conduct basic information searches, read and interpret scholarly materials, and evaluate sources for credibility. Through practical demonstrations and hands-on activities, you'll gain essential techniques to start building a strong research foundation for your coursework and projects. 

By the end of this workshop:

  • Participants will be able to perform basic database searches using appropriate keywords and filters. 
  • Participants will be able to identify key information in academic articles, figures, and tables.   
  • Participants will be able to apply basic criteria to evaluate the reliability of scholarly sources.   
  • Participants will be able to 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-day 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!  

Student raising hand in class

Theme 2: Academic Communication 

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

This workshop equips students with the foundational skills to write clearly, ethically, and persuasively in academic settings. Participants will learn to structure essays logically, integrate and cite sources correctly, and navigate the ethical use of generative AI in their writing process. Through practical examples and interactive exercises, you’ll 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.  

By the end of this workshop:

  • participants will be able to structure an academic essay with clear introductions, body paragraphs, and conclusions.  
  • participants will be able to apply basic citation rules (e.g., APA/MLA) to integrate sources and avoid plagiarism.  
  • participants will be able to evaluate the ethical implications of using generative AI tools in academic writing.  
  • participants will be able to Demonstrate paraphrasing and quoting techniques to maintain academic integrity.

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!

Group of four students working together

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 

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 Calendar (Winter 2026)

SessionDateTime                              Location                              Registration
Writing Matters: Strengthening Your Academic VoiceTuesday, January 204:00 - 5:30 p.m.Virtual via ZoomRegister Now
Research Skills: Navigating, Reading and Evaluating InformationTuesday, February 102:30 - 4:00 p.m.Scott Library: Room 530Register Now
Writing Matters: Strengthening Your Academic Voice Wednesday, March 42:30 - 4:00 p.m.280 A, York LanesRegister Now
Deliver Presentations with Confidence and Clarity Tuesday, March 174:30 - 6:00 p.m.Fred Thury Studio Theatre (258 VC)*Register Now
Research Skills: Navigating, Reading and Evaluating Information Wednesday, March 254:00 - 5:30 p.m.Virtual via ZoomRegister Now

*Specific Location Instructions: Take the elevator to the 2nd floor and look for the Big VCP Sign. 

This program is delivered together with York International.