Expert-by-experience collaborations in curriculum design: a scoping review exploring power dynamics, impact, and pathways forward

Expert-by-Experience (EBE) partnerships in university-based health profession and social work education offer valuable opportunities for integrating lived experience perspectives into curricula. However, despite growing institutional recognition, tensions persist regarding the legitimacy, implementation, and effectiveness of EBE involvement. This scoping review examined barriers and challenges constraining meaningful engagement, highlighting the disconnect between the espoused commitment to EBE inclusion and its practical integration. Using Arksey and O’Malley’s framework, seven databases were searched. Study characteristics and key concepts were extracted, and data were thematically analysed using a qualitative descriptive approach. The review included 141 studies. Findings reveal inconsistencies in how lived experience knowledge is valued, concerns about tokenistic participation, and structural impediments within institutions that reinforce hierarchical power dynamics. Additionally, logistical constraints, inadequate remuneration, and a lack of co-produced research hinder sustained collaboration. Despite these challenges, evidence suggests that structured, well-supported partnerships can enrich curricula, foster reflexivity in students, and contribute to social justice-oriented education. Universities must move beyond symbolic inclusion and invest in frameworks that promote equitable knowledge-sharing. Greater institutional commitment and expanded co-produced research into EBE pedagogical models can bridge existing gaps, ensuring EBE involvement is recognised not as an adjunct to traditional expertise but as a fundamental pillar of transformative education.