Situated Student Sense of Belonging in Higher Education: The Importance of Context and Engagement

While the benefits of student sense of belonging in higher education are well established, lower levels of belonging among minoritized ethnic students and fluctuations over time are frequently reported. However, most research focuses on the wider institution, overlooking the department as the primary setting for meaningful interpersonal interactions that foster belonging. Using students’ ‘home’ department as the principal context for belonging, this longitudinal study employed psychometric measures across the first year of study to examine situated sense of belonging, exploring differences by ethnicity and changes in belonging over time. Relationships between belonging, involvement, and engagement were also explored. Contrary to previous findings, ethnicity had no effect on belonging. However, both belonging and involvement declined over time, whereas engagement remained stable. Engagement, but not involvement, emerged as a significant predictor of belonging. The absence of previously reported differences according to ethnicity highlights the importance of context, supporting the situated nature of student belonging and suggesting that departments may have greater potential than institutions to foster belonging, mitigate inequality, and support student wellbeing and success. The reported decline in students’ belonging signals the need for sustained interventions that promote engagement and belonging beyond the initial stages of the students’ entry into higher education.