Enhancing inclusive student engagement in higher education: Literature review
Publication date: 15 Aug 2024
In a complex and technology-focused environment, student engagement is a challenge in higher education – within the UK and internationally.
With student profiles and their preferred engagement methods changing continually, providers need to reconsider student engagement methods to remain innovative, inclusive and deliver effective learning experiences. This, in turn, ensures that teaching and learning remains effective, life-long learning attributes are established and students have the opportunity to develop skills that will enhance their work-readiness.
Focusing on students as co-creators of knowledge, this project aims to provide a deeper understanding of the factors that impact student engagement to drive educator and student behaviour. Global, multi-cultural research on best practice principles and tools of student engagement will enhance the learning experience and sense of belonging by promoting inclusivity, considering diverse learning styles and cultural backgrounds, and creating a more equitable environment for learning. The project will result in an effective framework of inclusive student engagement that speaks globally and contextualises locally.
Project Blogs
Hear more about the project's progress in this blog post, written by project lead Professor Nadia Gulko, University of Lincoln, and project partner Associate Professor Lorraine Derbyshire, University of Cape Town:
We are grateful to the QAA for the chance to work on this exciting and important project on inclusive student engagement. The student voice has been at the heart of our “Standing Out in the Crowd” project, which aims to understand what inclusive student engagement means to students around the world.
Nadia Gulko, Ph.D., PFHEA
Professor of Accounting Education and Sustainability at University of Lincoln, UK (Project Lead)
In increasingly disruptive and uncertain times across societies, placing inclusivity at the centre of higher education will be crucial. We are therefore incredibly grateful to be partnering with QAA to dig deeper into the diverse student voice, sharing insights on how inclusive student engagement looks, feels and is for students globally today. We are excited about how a deeper student perspective can enrich and further develop educators’ and administrators’ understandings to enhance student learning experiences.
Nick McGuigan
Professor of Accounting and Director of Equity, Diversity and Social Inclusion at Monash University, Australia
Project approach
A mixed method approach will be used to share knowledge and collect data from nine countries across five continents, allowing for diverse student voices and cross-cultural comparisons of current student engagement practices. This will include the use of surveys, creative workshops and focus groups with students and educators.
Project outputs
- Literature review report
- Project report summarising the research findings
- Student engagement toolkit based on the evidence gathered from the partner institutions
- Useful learning videos on the contextual and practical understanding of inclusive student engagement
- Two webinars for educators across the globe, sharing the research findings and good practice examples
1. Literature review report
This literature review provides a summary of prior studies surrounding a multifaceted and complex concept of student engagement to which all stakeholders in the learning process (students, staff, and the institution) have a contribution to make. Prior literature demonstrates specific areas which are important in defining student engagement, such as behavioural, cognitive, psychological, sociocultural, socio-demographic, and institutional aspects. Effective student engagement involves creating an environment where students are motivated, feel a sense of belonging, and can participate in their learning process. Educators should implement effective and inclusive strategies in the aim of addressing barriers to engagement and enhancing learning experiences. Fostering an inclusive environment is essential for ensuring that all students have equal opportunities to succeed. Considering inclusion should be a continuous and intentional process of creating a supportive learning environment.
Lead institution: University of Lincoln
Partner institutions: Australia (Monash University), Belgium (Ghent University), Canada (Lakehead University), Ghana (University of Cape Coast), India (Sri Sri University), Malaysia (Monash University), South Africa (North-West University), South Africa (University of Cape Town), UK (Queen Mary University of London), UK (University of Greenwich) and USA (Northern Illinois University)
Other Collaborative Enhancement Projects
QAA supports a number of projects every year, covering a range of topics and interest areas. Each is led by a QAA Member, working in collaboration with other members institutions. You can find more information on all projects, and access resources and outputs, on our website.