https://sehej.raise-network.com/raise <p>SEHEJ is an international peer-reviewed journal supporting the work of the <a href="http://www.raise-network.com/">RAISE network</a>. Thus the focus is on student engagement, the active participation of students and staff and students working in partnership. You can sign up as a reviewer, reader, or author on this site by creating an account, and contact the editorial board on admin@raise-network.com </p> RAISE en-US Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal 2399-1836 Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:<br /><p>a. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/" target="_new">Creative Commons Attribution License</a> that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.</p><p>b. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.</p><p>c. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See <a href="http://opcit.eprints.org/oacitation-biblio.html" target="_new">The Effect of Open Access</a>).</p> https://sehej.raise-network.com/raise/article/view/1438 <p>Decolonising the curriculum in higher education is essential for addressing the lingering effects of colonial legacies in academic knowledge production. This practice-based study, conducted in the Department of Chemistry at X University, explores how involving students as active partners rather than passive recipients can drive decolonisation efforts. This approach empowers students as agents of change and leads to more inclusive, equitable, and culturally responsive learning environments. This qualitative work aims to explain how the different initiatives started by the decolonising committee – a survey, an online communication hub, posters, internal events such as seminars, discussion sessions, and the creation of a “History of Chemistry” course – have paved the way for a powerful partnership, driving meaningful changes and initiatives that resonate with the community. The project also highlights the need for continuous reflection and adaptation. Decolonising the curriculum is an ongoing process that requires sustained commitment from all stakeholders. This iterative approach ensures that the decolonisation process remains dynamic and responsive to the challenges it seeks to address.</p> Julieta Litka Milian Geneviève Duché Exequiel Porta Alexander Harvey-Reid Sophie Clough Billie Shearman Elizabeth V. Bedwell Copyright (c) 2025 Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal 2025-09-23 2025-09-23 7 1 20 38 https://sehej.raise-network.com/raise/article/view/1408 <p>Student experience and engagement have emerged as key components of pedagogic strategies and agendas in higher education institutions in many parts of the Global North since the turn of the twenty-first century. We argue that the academy should understand student engagement as a collective re-figuring of pedagogic values to be more affective. Key to this, we argue, is a holistic notion of care, which manifests in multiple and multivalent ways: care for the individual student, care for the programme, care for the institution, and care for the sector. This case study outlines the work undertaken at Newcastle University (UK) in the past half-decade, which is predicated upon a holistic view of student experience, rather than a reactionary approach to the data alone. Student experience is the solid foundation for all education discussions and decisions, and the student voice has been centred alongside the data so that we are not driven by the annual cycle of review which the National Student Survey has mandated.</p> Stacy Gillis Helen Elliott Copyright (c) 2025 Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal 2025-09-23 2025-09-23 7 1 39 48 https://sehej.raise-network.com/raise/article/view/1391 <p><strong><span data-contrast="auto">Background and rationale</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:360}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Engaging with student voice is more important than ever in shaping the experience of those studying and working in higher education settings. Providing new and effective mechanisms for elevating student voice, particularly of those from underrepresented groups, has become a priority for many universities and Students’ Unions. There is a growing expectation for providers to work in partnership with students to assure and enhance the quality of their provision, for example the Quality Assurance Agency’s Guiding Principles on Student Engagement include ‘Student engagement through partnership working is integral to the culture of higher education, however and wherever provision is delivered - student engagement is led strategically, but widely owned’ (QAA, 2018, p. 4).</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:360}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Using reflections of staff and students, this case study proposes to explore the current student voice landscape at Northumbria University. In doing so, we will explore some of the structures and channels that exist within the Students’ Union and the university, and their benefits and barriers to students. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:360}"> </span></p> <p> </p> Stephany Veuger Victoria Blacklock Niall Sweby Lauren Cuthbert John Booth-Carey Marcus Jones Copyright (c) 2025 Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal 2025-09-23 2025-09-23 7 1 49 60 https://sehej.raise-network.com/raise/article/view/1395 <p>In the diverse and dynamic landscape of United Kingdom (UK) Higher Education (HE), the challenges and opportunities faced by international Postgraduate Taught (PGT) students have become a focal point for institutions striving to create an inclusive environment. The influx of international students highlights their importance to the UK HE sector, yet despite HE institutional efforts to provide support, students often report ongoing challenges and feeling limited in their opportunities to share their student voices in shaping institutional actions. This creates gaps in a feedback loop between problem and solution. We report here on a case-study arising from a recent three-year mixed-methods project in a UK university, exploring student engagement with academic support. Based on a participatory approach, we included students in each year of the project through surveys, focus groups and workshops. Findings from each stage were evaluated by students to feed into the next, leading to the co-creation of practical, inclusive, interculturally-aware resources on how to make the most of a Masters’ experience, from the students’ perspective. These resources are now refreshing student recruitment and staff practice at our University, to ensure a welcoming, empathetic, and inclusive environment. This project highlights the importance of a collaborative approach in supporting international PGT students, valuing their unique contributions to the academic community, and demonstrating the central role played by student partners in closing the feedback loop. </p> Alison Leslie Clare Wright Copyright (c) 2025 Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal 2025-09-23 2025-09-23 7 1 61 68 https://sehej.raise-network.com/raise/article/view/1415 <p>Northumbria University’s Inclusive Reciprocal Insight Scheme (IRIS) aims to form meaningful student-staff partnerships to allow for knowledge exchange between the matched Student Inclusion Consultant (SIC) and the senior, often non-student facing, university staff member. The opportunity to influence decision makers enables transformational conversations which can lead to the removal of barriers to access, participation and success in Higher Education. SICs offer a wide range of lived experience from being part of underrepresented groups, and the scheme allows them to build their networks through an element of experiential learning, applying and developing their employability skills in a professional context. Surveys and participant feedback evidence the success of IRIS, which is well regarded within the institution as being a valuable and flexible opportunity to improve professional practice, as well as offering the chance to help shape the institutional culture.</p> John Booth-Carey Thomas Rundle Copyright (c) 2025 Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal 2025-09-23 2025-09-23 7 1 69 78 https://sehej.raise-network.com/raise/article/view/1421 <p>In response to persistent challenges surrounding student engagement and feedback in higher education, this practice-based case study explores the development and implementation of a comprehensive Student Voice Framework at the Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow. Amidst sector-wide concerns around the visibility, authenticity, and impact of student feedback, the school initiated a review of its feedback mechanisms, including course evaluations and Student-Staff Liaison Committees (SSLCs), with the goal of closing the feedback loop and enhancing student participation. The introduction of updated evaluation tools, improved communication strategies, and student-led SSLCs, alongside the piloting of Student Advisory Panels, marked a shift towards more inclusive and dialogic practices. Central to this initiative was the development of a four-stage feedback loop - Ask, Analyse, Implement, Communicate - designed to ensure transparency, accountability, and sustained improvement. This case study suggest that meaningful engagement with student voice requires structural support, cultural change, and continuous dialogue between staff and students, highlighting the need for institution-wide collaboration to overcome systemic barriers and to ensure student feedback receives genuine consideration.</p> Alison Gibb Gail Angus Karen Clancey Copyright (c) 2025 Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal 2025-09-23 2025-09-23 7 1 79 87 https://sehej.raise-network.com/raise/article/view/1380 <p>End of unit/module surveys have been a longstanding means of collecting teaching, learning and assessment feedback from higher education students. Results in turn intending to inform priorities for course enhancement planning and monitoring the future impact of student experience interventions. In recent years, a growing number of institutions have started to rethink their use of end of unit surveys. This case study of one university in the South East of England reports the rationale for and approach towards moving away from end of unit surveys. Firstly, methodological issues synonymous with end of unit survey are considered. Secondly, the University of XXXX’s (2024) Student Voice Principles and Framework is presented as an example of a multi-modal, inclusive and collaborative approach to working in partnership with students to enhance their learning and experiences without the need for end of unit surveys. Finally, initial evaluation findings related to these approaches are discussed including staff and student feedback related to the removal of the end of unit survey. &nbsp;</p> Steve Briggs Julie Brunton Ruki Heritage Amy McLaughlan Copyright (c) 2025 Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal 2025-09-23 2025-09-23 7 1 88 100 https://sehej.raise-network.com/raise/article/view/1401 <p>This small-scale case study explores the transformative potential of student-staff partnerships in the co-production of an institutional teaching and learning plan within a leading open and distance-learning university. The paper is co-authored by the Student Representative and an Associate Dean, employing an approach rooted in narrative inquiry to explore insights into the collaboration. The study centres on the lived experience and reflective narrative of the Student Representative involved in the project, providing rich, nuanced insights into the collaboration and emphasising the empowerment and agency that she derived from this work.</p> <p>The study resonates with existing scholarship on student-staff collaboration, emphasising the potential of these partnerships to shift traditional power dynamics, foster epistemic confidence, and promote a more equitable academic environment. The study highlights how student co-production, underpinned by a distributed leadership approach, facilitated the development of the plan by intentionally integrating student input 'from the ground up'.</p> <p>The findings underscore the critical need to move beyond tokenistic engagement to create spaces where students are recognised as active contributors who genuinely influence policy outcomes. This approach fosters more inclusive and equitable educational environments, yielding both personal transformation and laying foundations for innovative institutional practice.</p> Kara Johnson Cinnomen McGuigan Copyright (c) 2025 Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal 2025-09-23 2025-09-23 7 1 101 111 https://sehej.raise-network.com/raise/article/view/1388 <p>In the evolving landscape of higher education, student engagement is critical for academic success. This case study examines a strategic initiative within a United Kingdom (UK) university’s nursing programme to enhance student voice through a student council, fostering authentic co-production amid post-pandemic challenges and financial pressures. The council, with diverse representatives, shifted from traditional feedback methods like surveys to co-creation, engaging students in curriculum design, teaching methods, and assessment strategies via anonymous surveys and regular meetings. It addressed inclusivity for less vocal or non-traditional students, balanced student-staff expectations, and tackled challenges like sustaining engagement through hybrid models and transparent communication. Outcomes included increased student satisfaction, stronger tutor-student relationships, and enhanced leadership skills through peer mentoring and council-led events. This initiative offers a replicable model for other disciplines seeking inclusive, student-centred academic environments.</p> Nicola Morrell-Scott Copyright (c) 2025 Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal 2025-09-23 2025-09-23 7 1 112 118 https://sehej.raise-network.com/raise/article/view/1414 <p>This Case Study shares insights from the Barometer Project, a collaborative initiative between Bangor University and Undeb Bangor Students’ Union designed to evaluate and inform the evolution of the institution’s Student-Led Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy (2022–2025). Drawing on a co-created 'Students as Consultants' (SaC) framework, the project positioned students as active agents in shaping wellbeing policy and institutional culture. A diverse group of undergraduate and postgraduate students were trained as consultants, co-designed consultation activities, and gathered qualitative data from peers across the university community.</p> <p>Beyond informing strategic improvements—such as clearer service communication, more responsive resources, and wider use of peer-led support—the project had a developmental impact on those involved. Students reported significant gains in confidence, leadership, institutional literacy, and a strong sense of community, while staff reflected on the ways the process challenged assumptions, shifted power dynamics, and enabled deeper, more authentic engagement with student perspectives. The project’s deliberately dialogic, inclusive approach created space for what participants described as “courageous conversations”, demonstrating how trust, flexibility, and peer-to-peer facilitation can foster more meaningful consultation and institutional change.</p> <p>The Case Study proposes a potential for SaC approaches to be applied beyond mental health, with stakeholders identifying broader uses in curriculum development, inclusion work, and service design. Drawing on the Project Team's shared reflection, the Case Study suggests the Barometer Project offers a practical, transferable model for co-creation that reimagines how institutions can work in partnership with students to develop more inclusive, responsive, and transformative practices.</p> William Carey Zoi Vatrani Gian Fazey-Koven Rob Samuels Cerys Vernon Marcia Ody Copyright (c) 2025 Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal 2025-09-23 2025-09-23 7 1 119 130 https://sehej.raise-network.com/raise/article/view/1410 <p>Incorporating Student Voice in institutional decision-making and strategic work is an extremely important and valued aspect of higher education (HE). This case study explores the challenges and opportunities related to embedding student voice within the University of Warwick's History Department. We highlight the limitations of traditional course representation systems and identify a need for a more professional and accountable approach. The department introduced paid Student Voice Ambassador (SVA) roles to ensure meaningful and diverse student participation in departmental governance. This approach has led to improved student engagement, more effective decision-making, and enhanced collaboration between students and staff. Its success is evidenced by positive feedback from both students and staff. In this article, both staff and students involved in this process reflect on the importance of professional conduct, accountability, and empowerment in the SVA role. We also consider future plans to further integrate and promote the role within the broader student body. Our experiences have demonstrated that professionalising student voice through paid roles can significantly enhance the impact and legitimacy of student contributions in HE.</p> Simon Peplow Lydia Plath Tom Chaloner Sarah Inchley Seth Reece Arushi Singhai Copyright (c) 2025 Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal 2025-09-23 2025-09-23 7 1 131 138 https://sehej.raise-network.com/raise/article/view/1397 <p>This case study reports on three student-staff partnerships which aimed to improve lab skills and interest in chemistry, develop self-efficacy and interpersonal skills, and build community in an undergraduate chemistry programme. Each partnership is described from conception, through implementation to evaluation, and the value of input from student partners, who had previously taken the courses, is discussed. In addition, student and staff partners reflect on their experiences. Despite the three projects spanning very different teaching activities, common themes on the benefits and challenges of such partnerships emerged. In particular, novel, unexpected and successful routes to engage with the voice of the student partners and main student cohort, combined with increased student satisfaction and engagement, validated the success of the partnerships and led to permanent changes in the curriculum.</p> Frances Docherty Conor Clarkson Oscar Doherty Cosma Gottardi Aidan Guthrie Claire Johnston Tess Lynn Beth Paschke David Sutherland Copyright (c) 2025 Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal 2025-09-23 2025-09-23 7 1 139 149 https://sehej.raise-network.com/raise/article/view/1409 <p>This case study is a reflection by the authors on a comprehensive and holistic departmental student voice strategy undertaken within the Department of Social Care and Social Work at The Manchester Metropolitan University. The authors approached student voice by drawing on their disciplinary knowledge and practice relating to participation and empowerment, and implemented integrated activities intended to create a supported and inclusive community for all learners. The authors’ adaptation of the Lundy model (2007) in considering a rights-based approach to ‘voice’, has been instrumental in providing a framework to develop meaningful student participation and influence in teaching, curriculum and assessment design and offers the potential to reimagine how higher education providers can support a cultural shift towards embedding student voice and engagement.</p> Zinnia Mitchell-Smith Ffion Evans Rachael Rooke Copyright (c) 2025 Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal 2025-09-23 2025-09-23 7 1 150 161 https://sehej.raise-network.com/raise/article/view/1385 <p>Student voice is one of the foundational principles of student-staff pedagogical partnership in US institutions of higher education. In this cross-context, practice-based case study, we present examples of how pedagogical partnership programmes at three institutions of higher education in the US have evolved over time in engaging the student voice. The case study is co-authored by three staff members who facilitate pedagogical partnership work in these three programmes, as well as a student partner from each context. After describing the ways our respective partnership programmes have evolved, we look across all three examples to identify insights that might inform other partnership programmes’ approaches to engaging with the student voice going forward. We emphasise themes of equity and inclusion, within various structures and through multiple approaches, that can support dynamic and effective learner/teacher relationships. Guiding all of these is a commitment to seeking, in partnership with students, new areas of focus—program design, pedagogical practice, curricular development, feedback—and media of communication to be informed by student voice.</p> Alison Cook-Sather Aaniyah Alexander Adriana Signorini Téa Pusey Jacques Safari Mwayaona Jessica Robinson Copyright (c) 2025 Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal 2025-09-23 2025-09-23 7 1 162 172 https://sehej.raise-network.com/raise/article/view/1403 <p><span data-contrast="none">This practice-based case study reports on evidence generated from the implementation of a hybrid community space as a new method to engage with students’ voice. This innovative model moves the concept of student voice away from the conventional and hierarchical approach currently in place in Higher Education to engage with students as part of a partnered learning community.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}">&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span data-contrast="none">This project involved a large undergraduate cohort of around 500 students in the design and implementation process, ensuring that the space truly reflected their needs and preferences. By empowering students to actively participate and make decisions, the project aimed to foster a sense of ownership, enhance social connections, and support community-building activities within the cohort.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}">&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span data-contrast="none">By emphasising the importance of fostering a sense of belonging among students and integrating activities related to sustainable development goals, the case study speaks to broader issues of student well-being, and social and environmental responsibility. Additionally, the case study emphasises the importance of student voice and agency in shaping educational experiences, sparking innovation and fostering stronger connections between students and academics.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}">&nbsp;</span></p> Aurelie Le Normand Barbara Waters Copyright (c) 2025 Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal 2025-09-23 2025-09-23 7 1 173 184 https://sehej.raise-network.com/raise/article/view/1392 <p>‘Student voice’, while of course referring to the 2.9 million individual voices of students in the UK, is in this context used to describe engagement between students and institutions to inform, shape or transform the education and wider experience. Activity associated with student voice has been subject to considerable attention, activity and commitment in higher education institutions in England over the last 15 years. It spans work that takes place at the micro level, focused on transformation of learning, through to whole institution approaches that shape priorities and inform change. During this period, changing models of financing universities, including increased tuition fees, student numbers, fluctuations in international recruitment and a focus on quality and equity of outcomes has provided a nuanced backdrop, combined with the significant disruption of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, and wider political and societal change. In this piece I look back at research that I undertook between 2010-13 on the different ideologies that inform student voice to understand how these have changed and adapted in today’s landscape. I argue that understanding how ideologies intertwine, and making the implicit, explicit, is important for understanding the value of student voice. &nbsp;By acknowledging these, I argue for future approaches that are more honest and intentional to enable transformation, in an ever more complex, challenged system.</p> Rebecca Freeman Copyright (c) 2025 Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal 2025-09-23 2025-09-23 7 1 10 19 https://sehej.raise-network.com/raise/article/view/1398 <p>This paper aims to explore the concept of representativeness through exploration of current student engagement literature. Under the lens of Bols’ definition, this paper will draw from theory and practice of student engagement activities to explore challenges arising in each area to ascertain if representativeness challenges can be applied to student association/union/guild activity. It will then draw conclusions to what key challenges the wider HE sector faces and how research and institutions could address such challenges.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> Aimee Cuthbert Copyright (c) 2025 Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal 2025-09-23 2025-09-23 7 1 185 200 https://sehej.raise-network.com/raise/article/view/1413 <p>“The lesson for progressive education is that it requires in an urgent degree, a degree more pressing than was incumbent upon former innovators, a philosophy of education based on a philosophy of experience” (Dewey, 1938, p.10)</p> <p>This article evaluates the impact of coproducing a community project between a university lecturer, a group of social science students, and a Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) organisation in the local community, along with their service users. The project was part of a collaborative initiative between The British Academy and Students Organising for Sustainability (SoS) “which uses a ‘living laboratory’ model to demonstrate the importance of arts, humanities and social sciences in tackling sustainability challenges” (<a href="https://www.sos-uk.org/post/shape-sustainability-impact-projects-22-23">https://www.sos-uk.org/post/shape-sustainability-impact-projects-22-23</a>). The students worked with Base 25, a local VCFSE organisations providing support services to disadvantaged young people and families in the Wolverhampton area (<a href="https://base25.org/">https://base25.org/</a>), to identify a project that could support the Mental Health and Wellbeing of young people – one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Working co-productively with staff and young service users at Base 25 the students, supported by the lecturer, produced a ‘Recipe for Life’ website for the organisation, freely available for anyone to use and circulated to local schools.&nbsp; By engaging in a project that responded to a real need in their local community, working across disciplines and organisational boundaries, the students gained critical skills, values and competencies that move beyond a narrow understanding of ‘employability’ (Booth, 2023). Instead it provided an opportunity to nurture graduates better equipped to engage in “Wicked Problems” (Brown et al, 2010). In addition, by the University participating in a more community-centric approach to research and pedagogy, it was able to widen the impact of its practice and knowledge through the softening of boundaries between academic and “local” community knowledge.</p> Jane Booth Kyla-Shanice Barnes-Yates Emma King Megan Roberts Berlind Zaheri Copyright (c) 2025 Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal 2025-09-23 2025-09-23 7 1 201 218 https://sehej.raise-network.com/raise/article/view/1278 <p class="Abstract" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;">Student-staff partnership working within higher education is a process in which student voice is critical for success. Trust is frequently identified as fundamental to both student voice and partnership, yet how is trust built and maintained? This project, in which eight student researchers interviewed both staff and students (n = 41) across four diverse institutions in the United Kingdom, was established to explore the implications of trust-building for student voice and partnership working and to capture insights from their experiences. Staff and student reflections on partnership working were collected using narrative inquiry in which participants were invited to explore their perceptions and experiences. Both trust and empathy were identified as key factors for meaningful partnerships alongside a consideration of the impact of power dynamics, reasonable reciprocal expectations, and authenticity. The importance of the findings for impactful student voice strategies is that a focus on trust-building and inclusivity is essential to successfully scale partnership working across higher education.</span></p> Catherine McConnell Susan Smith Kevwe Olomu Elizabeth King Oindrilla Ghosh Claire Hamshire Copyright (c) 2025 Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal 2025-09-23 2025-09-23 7 1 219 236 https://sehej.raise-network.com/raise/article/view/1405 <div> <p class="19">This paper introduces the <span class="16">Choice, Voice, and Poise (CVP) framework</span>, a tripartite model designed to bridge the gap between student engagement theory and the&nbsp;<em><span class="15">Students as Partners (SaP)</span></em>&nbsp;movement in higher education. Addressing critiques of tokenism and power imbalances in existing partnership models, CVP integrates behavioral (<em><span class="15">Choice</span></em>), emotional (<em><span class="15">Voice</span></em>), and cognitive (<em><span class="15">Poise</span></em>) dimensions of engagement into a scaffolded developmental progression. Through the reflective case study of "April," a university tutor who implemented CVP in her classroom, we demonstrate how the framework facilitates authentic learner-tutor partnerships—from co-designed rubrics to student-led peer feedback. Findings reveal that structured autonomy (<em><span class="15">Choice</span></em>) builds foundational agency, dialogic validation (<em><span class="15">Voice</span></em>) fosters emotional investment, and metacognitive leadership (<em><span class="15">Poise</span></em>) enables students to steward their own learning. While institutional barriers and cultural hesitancy pose challenges, CVP’s iterative approach offers a pragmatic pathway to decentralizing instructor authority and nurturing student ownership. The study contributes actionable strategies for educators and argues for systemic support to scale partnership pedagogies. By redefining engagement as a dynamic, equity-centered process, CVP advances a vision of higher education where students are not merely participants but co-architects of their academic experience.</p> </div> Yu Wang Jiashi Wang Copyright (c) 2025 Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal 2025-09-23 2025-09-23 7 1 237 248 https://sehej.raise-network.com/raise/article/view/1399 <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Student voice is widely regarded as central to student engagement initiatives in higher education. However, engagement is often measured through feedback mechanisms and committee participation, which can inadvertently marginalise students whose communication styles differ from institutional expectations. For neurodivergent students, including those who are autistic, traditional indicators of engagement may not align with their ways of processing or expressing ideas. As a result, their contributions may be misunderstood or overlooked. In response to these limitations, this article examines a co-created project led by an autistic postgraduate student to redesign a university’s postgraduate intake interview process for greater inclusivity. Key outcomes included revised interview procedures, staff training, and a guidance leaflet now used by academic courses. Drawing on this example, the article explores a relational model of engagement centred on lived experience, shared decision-making, and recognition of diverse contributions. It demonstrates how autistic student-led initiatives can not only reshape institutional practices but also reimagine engagement as a collaborative process of inclusion and structural change.</span></p> Kate Coldrick Lili Ly Copyright (c) 2025 Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal 2025-09-23 2025-09-23 7 1 249 268 https://sehej.raise-network.com/raise/article/view/1411 <p>International students have been a growing cohort in UK universities and remain a significant presence despit the impact of policy changes. However, the picture for international students joining UK institutions is complex, and their voices often unheard: little of the data on international students is drawn from international students themselves. Furthermore, there is little by way of a coordinated strategy to support the necessary adjustment processes of international students andtheir institutions. This paper argues that it is ethically important that universities understand how to better support these students, as well as culturally and economically vital for the continued growth and success of UK higher education.&nbsp;</p> <p>The aim of this research was to give voice to the international students on an MA programme at one post-1992 university; to find out more about their experiences with a view to informing future teaching and support practices. This aim is reflected in the project methodology, Constructivist Grounded Theory, which can be a powerful catalyst by which to amplify voices and foster agency in change processes. The project team consisted of an academic member of staff and two international students currently undertaking the MA, the presence and insight of the latter has been instrumental in shaping the data collection and analysis. Though small-scale in nature, the project has succeeded in its aim of 'demuting' the voices of some of the students, going onto to not only inform subsequent developments on the programme, but reaching a wider audience across the institution and its hierarchy.</p> Madeleine Findon Jumaima Mahama Oluwaseun Ojo Copyright (c) 2025 Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal 2025-09-23 2025-09-23 7 1 269 289 https://sehej.raise-network.com/raise/article/view/1384 <p>Student-Led Teaching Awards allow students to nominate their lecturers for various awards, such as Best Lecturer, Outstanding Student Support, Most Innovative, and many more. They give students the opportunity to recognise the lecturers whom supported their university experience in that academic year. This research study contributes to the growing literature in Student-Led Teaching Awards that, has previously mostly focussed on lecturers’ perceptions of the Awards. This research study is an original contribution as it analyses how students perceive their lecturers and their teaching practice as written in the student nominations about their lecturers. This research study analysed Student-Led Teaching Award nominations for 750 lecturers, over a four-year period (2016-2020) from a UK teaching-oriented university. A thematic network analysis was used to decipher how students perceive their lecturers and found four distinct areas: students as consumers, students as learners, lecturers as academics and lecturers as educators. Throughout these four areas, it is clear that lecturers are expected to undertake duties that fall outside their normal duties, expected to perform, and expected to be on demand. Overall, this research study claims that students are experts in teaching excellence and their viewpoint gives us an insightful view into lecturers’ teaching practice, and it warns of the Higher Education sector perpetuating the unhealthy work-life balances of lecturers.</p> Sophie Banks Copyright (c) 2025 Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal 2025-09-23 2025-09-23 7 1 290 310 https://sehej.raise-network.com/raise/article/view/1446 Megan Bruce Jackie Cawkwell John Parkin Conor Naughton Josh Alcaraz Copyright (c) 2025 Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal 2025-09-23 2025-09-23 7 1 1 3 https://sehej.raise-network.com/raise/article/view/1431 Megan Bruce Jackie Cawkwell Rachel Forsyth John Parkin Copyright (c) 2025 Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal 2025-09-23 2025-09-23 7 1 4 9