Collaborating with student researchers on the evaluation of APP initiatives

Student engagement in university initiatives and response rates to evaluations of these initiatives continues to be a challenge for those working in access and participation spaces. Therefore, the Access and Participation Plan (APP) Team at University of East Anglia (UEA) established a pilot programme of paid student researcher interns to help embed student voice and collaboration in the evaluation of APP initiatives. The programme aims to build a collaborative working relationship with students to help the team better understand low student engagement with initiatives and evaluation and to have a deeper understanding of the overall student experience. For the students, the programme aims to provide an opportunity for them to develop academic and employability skills, gain real world research experience, and contribute to APP programme development. Seven second and third year undergraduates from the School of Psychology have been recruited and are being supported by professional services and academic staff to work in small groups on their own qualitative research projects. The research projects are using interviews to explore students' awareness of initiatives, barriers and facilitators to engagement, and the impact of university initiatives on academic self-efficacy and sense of belonging for disadvantaged students. This presentation reflects on the experience of establishing the pilot, barriers and facilitators experienced in the process, and reflects on its theory of change to demonstrate how access and participation professionals and academics can collaborate with students to embed student voice and engagement into their programme of activities and evaluation.