- Connection
- Inclusion
- Support
- Autonomy
Those are the four foundations of belonging in higher education, as suggested by Wonkhe, and explored in a fantastic online conference I recently attended. If you don’t know who they are yet, you should. An organisation who is involved with HE policy to bring the sector together through expert analysis, debate and insight, they work hard to drive change and make an impact across the UK.
“Belong from the Beginning”, the name of the Wonkhe conference, feeds into our own priorities here at The University of Sheffield; the need to build a strong sense of belonging within both staff and students, from the very beginning of their university journey. As soon as I saw it advertised, I knew I just had to attend. It links directly to the Education Conference that is being organised here at the University of Sheffield for 18th April 2023 (yes, this is a direct plug! For more details see Education Conference 2023).
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| The Octagon Centre, where the Education Conference 2023 will be held |
Based upon a year’s worth of research and data gathering, Wonkhe delivered exactly what a conference should - provided probing questions, shared good practice, discussed key research and gave practical recommendations and advice that colleagues can use in universities around the UK. I came away feeling refreshed, inspired and motivated to help make a change in higher education that is needed now more than ever.
It’s easy to forget that the pandemic began only a couple of years ago, yet the shadow it cast over students’ experience in education is still very much in place. Their lives were disrupted, their classes cancelled, their courses moved online - and it all happened within a matter of days. Don’t forget, many students are still only experiencing formal exams for the very first time. All of this feeds directly into their university experience - moving away from home, transitioning to a new way of living, changing relationships with friends and family; the list goes on.
And what could help students ease this transition? Feeling like they belong.
A key finding from the Wonkhe student survey found that when students were asked what would help them feel a greater sense of belonging at university, the top three answers were all linked to building friendships and peer connections.
This means that fostering community, building quality relationships (between both staff and students), and providing support which is easily accessible, is crucial to helping the students of today experience university much more positively. Having a strong sense of belonging has a direct impact on academic achievement too - it’s a win/win situation.
So, how can we ensure our students here at the University of Sheffield feel like they’re part of a community? Setting up group work within teaching, providing structured social time, ensuring students are aware of the communal spaces around campus, signposting students to where they can get support from, and much more, can help support students with this.
We already do a lot already here at Sheffield, yet as with most things, more can always be done.
See the full Wonkhe report here - it’s definitely food for thought.
- Chiara Bruno is an Academic Development Adviser in the Elevate Team, working within learning and teaching across the University, after spending the last nine years as a secondary English teacher. She also works closely with the Faculty of Social Sciences acting as Elevate Faculty Liaison.