In this episode, we dive deep into the growing importance of student belonging in higher education with Professor Rebecca Hodgson. We explore why this concept has become a central focus today, examining what's missing in current discussions and how changes in the socio-economic landscape, like the rise of commuting students, are reshaping the sense of community on campuses. Rebecca shares practical strategies universities can adopt to foster belonging in academic spaces like lectures, seminars, and workshops. We also discuss the evolving role of technology—its potential to both enhance and challenge student connections—and the critical skills academics need to build inclusive communities. Finally, we consider the long-term impacts of embedding belonging into the student experience amid financial constraints and evolving demands in higher education. Tune in to discover how institutions can create environments where all students feel seen, supported, and connected.

Rebecca Hodgson is Professor of Higher Education in the Manchester Institute of Education, University of Manchester. With a background in adult and community learning and development, followed by post-16 teacher education, she has developed her career in teaching and learning leadership across a diversity of settings in UK higher education. Her values are grounded in her practitioner background, and centre on the provision of an excellent student experience via authentic leadership, the support and development of academic staff, and effective partnership working with all stakeholders in the exchange that is education. Her research interests include professional identity in academics and higher education staff more broadly, exploring belonging, mattering, and self-efficacy, and the intersection of this with the student experience and student outcomes.