Student Civic Engagement

Enhancing the Student Civic Experience

The Civic University Network has worked with a range of partners to develop the existing evidence base and further enhance knowledge of university student civic learning and engagement. Representatives from across higher education and leading civil society and student organisations were brought together to discuss how, when, and where students engage in civic learning and participation before, during, and after their university studies.

The Enhancing the Student Civic Experience report argues that universities need to fully adopt a ‘truly civic’ approach to designing and delivering the student civic experience through formal teaching and learning, campus-based extra-curricular activities, and in the communities where students live and work. University degrees and apprenticeships, regardless of the subjects studied, should enable students to develop their civic identities through sustained opportunities civic learning and participation. There is a need to promote universities as civic and democratic communities of participation to prepare them for a lifelong commitment as active citizens.

Universities and Students’ Union should undertake an annual ‘Student Civic Health Check’ to assess levels of civic engagement and participation in systems of representation, student elections, and local democratic and volunteering networks, and all undergraduate and postgraduate programmes of study to ensure that all students are provided with opportunities for civic learning and participation.
Our report also outlines four key policy recommendations which draw on the evidence collated for this report.

Recommendation 1: Supporting Democratic Participation

We recommend the introduction of compulsory electoral registration as part of student induction should be rolled out across the sector, campus-based local, regional, and national election hustings, and regular on-campus ‘surgeries’ for students and staff.

Recommendation 2: Acknowledging the Student Civic Experience

We recommend the recognition and reward civic universities who embed the student civic experience into their teaching and learning, research, and community engagement through the Teaching Excellence Framework, the National Student Survey, the Graduate Outcomes survey, and the Knowledge Exchange Framework. We also propose the creation of a National Student Civic Awards as part of existing higher education awards.

Recommendation 3: Refreshing Civic University Agreements

We recommend existing and new Civic University Agreements to fully recognise the importance and value of the student civic experience to ‘truly civic’ universities.

Recommendation 4: Supporting the Student Civic Experience

We recommend the creation of a ‘What Works’ resource hub to support universities and their staff, students’ unions, and other invested stakeholders to enhance student civic learning and participation on campuses and in communities. A funded programme of research should explore the diversity of student civic experiences, including different institutional approaches to teaching and learning, well-being, careers outcomes, and citizenship ‘gains’ and civic impacts for students.

The report was developed by the Civic University Network through funding from the UPP Foundation. The Civic University Network would like to extend sincere thanks to:

• Our report author, Andy Mycock, Chief Policy Fellow, Yorkshire Policy Engagement and Research Network (Y-PERN), University of Leeds
• The project team: Debbie Squire, Head of Place and Civic Engagement, Sheffield Hallam University Richard Brabner, Executive Chair, UPP Foundation and Director of ESG Paul Manners, Co-Director, National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement Tania Carregha, Senior Research Manager, The Young Foundation Ellen Chlebicka and Louisa Pinder, Project Officers, Sheffield Hallam University
• All those who took part in our workshops and provided materials for our evidence review. Particular thanks to Dr Alison Body (University of Kent), Andy Coppins (Nottingham Trent University), James Forde (formerly University of Huddersfield), Dr Charlie Dannreuther (University of Leeds), Josh Burke and Jen Wilkins (Community Action To Create, Leeds), and Jim Dickinson (WONKHE).

Examples of student civic engagement initiatives:

Download the Enhancing the Student Civic Experience report here:

We would love to hear from you!

We are seeking to assemble some short case studies that highlight good practice.

Download the University of Exeter Lessons Learned report here:

Download the One Community Forum Toolkit here: