In the dynamic (read: incredibly challenging) landscape of 21st century higher education, the concept of “student belonging” has taken centre stage – see Wonkhe’s Secret Life of Students 2024, and its recent podcast which talks at length about student loneliness and belonging.
Yet something that isn’t being discussed enough is the integration of belonging with the core academic experience, and how that should be our core focus given increasingly constrained resources.
In my view, the situation we are facing necessitates a reimagined approach to building belonging and mattering into the student experience, via the core components of our educational offer.
I think that this shift might require an evolution in the academic role – particularly where such ideas are more revolutionary – transforming it to meet the specific needs of today’s students.
