Session 77: Reflections on how student retention co-ordinators can foster a student’s sense of belonging at LJMU

Abstract

Increasing attention is being paid to the importance of student retention and continuation in Higher Education and, at LJMU, the removal of barriers to student progression has been identified as a strategic priority (LJMU’s Learning and Teaching Strategy 2023-2030). It has long been recognised that students are at a higher risk of attrition if they do not feel a sense of belonging (Thomas, Hill, O’Mahoney, and Yorke, 2017), but the barriers to creating this feeling of connectedness within the LJMU community have now been compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis. Increasing numbers of students are commuting, working long hours, and experiencing poor mental health (Holden, 2022; Neves and Stephenson 2023). The practical consequence of this is that students are increasingly removed from campus and, as such, they are losing the opportunities to engage with peers and with lecturers that occur in corridors and outside of teaching spaces. It is becoming more difficult, then, for students to forge the relationships (academic and social) that are crucial to belonging. In recognition of these challenges, this year the School of Law introduced two dedicated student retention co-ordinators (SRC). This paper will reflect upon the SRC’s experiences of supporting students at risk of disengaging, the challenges that they encountered, and their plans to adapt and refine the role moving forwards.