Belonging, the physical space of the university campus and how it is perceived by students: a quantitative analysis among a diverse student group.

Abstract

The physical space of campus may influence student belonging. Quantitative data were collected using a bespoke questionnaire among a diverse group of students at a post-92 UK university. A total of 635 students, primarily female, undergraduate and of diverse ethnicity participated. Overall sense of belonging and agreement that campus space was important were high, with no differences by study or demographic characteristics. The main functions identified were academic or social, as were the spaces students considered most important. Gender and ethnicity differences in the extent to which the campus matched expectations were seen.