It is fundamental that universities proactively work to ensure that their students feel they belong.
This has been evidenced time, and time, and time, and time again. Belonging enhances the student experience, improves academic confidence, and contributes to student success. It is no wonder that it has become a buzzword in higher education – so much so that, in some ways, it has overtaken “student voice” as one of the most cited and documented concepts.
A sense of belonging shows the holistic value of the wider learning journey in higher education, whereby academic and professional service staff work together with students to ensure they feel valued. They are part of the community of staff and peers. In short, they belong!
But it is not straightforward. Conceptually, it is nebulous in its meaning – as shown in the Pearson/Wonkhe research, and in the Advance HE Building Belonging project. And it is complex to define at sector level as it can mean different things for different institutions and different audiences.
Despite – or perhaps because of – these challenges, building a sense of belonging remains a core strategic focus at the University of Lincoln (UoL) – particularly when building a learning community through our One Community ethos and part of our core responsibilities.
