{"id":1445,"date":"2023-08-17T12:45:56","date_gmt":"2023-08-17T11:45:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.cardiff.ac.uk\/education-development-toolkit\/?page_id=1445"},"modified":"2026-09-14T17:07:47","modified_gmt":"2026-09-14T16:07:47","slug":"fostering-a-sense-of-belonging-for-all-students","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.cardiff.ac.uk\/education-development-toolkit\/theme-overview\/inclusivity\/fostering-a-sense-of-belonging-for-all-students\/","title":{"rendered":"Fostering a sense of belonging for all students"},"content":{"rendered":"

An Inclusivity Theme Page<\/h3>\n
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Fostering a sense of belonging<\/h2>\n

Belonging is the sense of being valued and accepted within a community. On this page you will read about how you can support belonging and community in Higher Education, by enabling students to see themselves in the curriculum, through effective transition support, and by challenging the hidden curriculum. It is for anyone who is teaching or supporting students, in any role.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It aligns to the Professional Standards Framework (PSF 2024) overall requirement for \u2018effective and inclusive practice\u2019, and in particular to Professional Values V1: Respecting individual learners and groups of learners, and V2: promoting engagement in learning and equity of opportunity. It also enables application of K1: \u2018how learners learn\u2019, and K2: \u2018Approaches to teaching and\/or supporting learning\u2019. You can read more about actively seeking, listening and responding to student voices, for K3: critical evaluation, in the \u2018evaluation\u2019 section of this toolkit.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Inclusive Education Enhancement model<\/a> has a number of areas of focus for fostering a sense of belonging and diversity, to further support your self-reflection and development.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You can develop your understanding of Inclusive Education by engaging with our related workshops, which are available asynchronously, to take in your own time, and can be followed by a live workshop (with enough demand), or a bespoke meeting with the lead to discuss application to your practice. Find out more on the Cardiff LTA CPD page.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Creating a welcoming, inclusive environment where all students feel they belong is central to Cardiff University\u2019s Strategy, \u2018Our Future, Together\u2019. By embedding a sense of belonging, or\u202fCynefin\u2014a Welsh term for belonging and sense of place\u2014into our practices, we aim to ensure all students thrive academically, socially, and personally.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Understanding Belonging<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Research<\/span> shows that students with <\/span>a strong sense<\/span> of belonging in higher education are more motivated, persistent, and academically successful (Meehan & Howells, 2017; Gillen-O\u2019Neel, 2019)<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span> Representation and understanding increase student engagement and satisfaction (Good et al., 2012)<\/span>, and r<\/span>ecognising how diverse characteristics (<\/span>such as<\/span> social class, ethnicity, disability, gender identity) intersect helps us support underrepresented students more effectively (Haddow & Brodie, 2023).<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Read <\/span>more in <\/span>this short blog on\u202f<\/span><\/span>Building Student Belonging by Dr Helen Webster\u202f<\/span><\/span><\/a>or listen to <\/span>this <\/span>podcast on Belonging<\/span> from the \u2018Talking Learning and Teaching\u2019 Spotify page.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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1. Recognising and celebrating the diverse university community and enabling students to see themselves represented in the curriculum.<\/h2>\n

Creating an inclusive environment means actively recognising and celebrating the diversity within our community. Representation in the curriculum allows students to see themselves valued in the academic setting. By embracing <\/span>and <\/span>representing<\/span> varied backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences, <\/span>for example in images, case studies or discussions, <\/span>students can bring their whole selves to their learning, enhancing their engagement and sense of belonging (Thomas, 2012).<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \n\n

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\n Globe<\/title><\/path><\/svg> <\/div>\n \n
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What do the students say? What my school does well:<\/h3>

\u2018They let you choose the topic for assessments and essays. There is a range to choose from. The first few assignments were based on who we were and our backgrounds. <\/span>I think the first one<\/span> was about place and space, acknowledging who we were and our cultural, <\/span>educational<\/span> and lived experiences.<\/span>\u2019<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div> \n\n \n

Watch Carin Taylor\u2019s (24 March 2022) TEDxSonomaCounty talk \u2018Belonging, A Critical Piece of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion\u2019’:<\/em><\/p>\n