TY - JOUR
T1 - A sense of belonging among Australian university students
AU - van Gijn-Grosvenor, Evianne L.
AU - Huisman, Penelope
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - This study was designed to explore what students perceive as essential
factors influencing their sense of belonging. Gaining insight into what
students perceive as influencing their sense of belonging enables design
of interventions to foster that sense of belonging. Two hundred and
nine students from a university in Sydney responded to the question:
‘What would help you to feel that you belong at Macquarie University?’
Results showed students most frequently identified people as
instrumental in feeling that they belonged at university. Students also
reported that places where there is respect, and where others are
accepted, contributed to their feelings of belonging. Lastly,
opportunities to interact with other students, such as within clubs,
societies and at events, were reported by students to contribute to
their feelings of belonging. Findings of the current study are discussed
in relation to existing literature, to develop approaches that may
enhance university students’ sense of belonging.
AB - This study was designed to explore what students perceive as essential
factors influencing their sense of belonging. Gaining insight into what
students perceive as influencing their sense of belonging enables design
of interventions to foster that sense of belonging. Two hundred and
nine students from a university in Sydney responded to the question:
‘What would help you to feel that you belong at Macquarie University?’
Results showed students most frequently identified people as
instrumental in feeling that they belonged at university. Students also
reported that places where there is respect, and where others are
accepted, contributed to their feelings of belonging. Lastly,
opportunities to interact with other students, such as within clubs,
societies and at events, were reported by students to contribute to
their feelings of belonging. Findings of the current study are discussed
in relation to existing literature, to develop approaches that may
enhance university students’ sense of belonging.
KW - sense of belonging
KW - university students
KW - Australia
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85074051428&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/07294360.2019.1666256
DO - 10.1080/07294360.2019.1666256
M3 - Article
SN - 0729-4360
VL - 39
SP - 376
EP - 389
JO - Higher Education Research & Development
JF - Higher Education Research & Development
IS - 2
ER -