This Collaborative Enhancement Project addresses student disengagement by identifying those needing support and implementing rapid interventions. It involves peer-led focus groups, a decision tree for tailored interventions, and a repository of successful case studies. This approach builds on previous QAA projects to provide a practical toolkit for increasing student engagement.
About this project
Student disengagement is rising, and with universities holding a duty of care and students paying substantial fees for their education, there is a pressing need for faster, more effective interventions that ensure fair and timely support for all learners.
This project is about finding better ways to understand why some university students disengage from their studies and how to help them re-engage quickly and effectively. It will do this by listening to students directly, creating a tool to guide staff in choosing the right support, and building a shared resource of successful strategies.
This project tackles two key challenges:
Identifying disengaged students early enough to help them
Choosing the right support quickly to make a difference.
This project is about finding better ways to understand why some university students disengage from their studies and how to help them re-engage quickly and effectively. It will do this by listening to students directly, creating a tool to guide staff in choosing the right support, and building a shared resource of successful strategies.
The project tackles the two key challenges of identifying disengaged students early enough to help them, and choosing the right support quickly to make a difference.
Current tools like attendance tracking or module reviews are either too late, too limited, or not representative. This matters because disengagement affects student success, staff workload, and institutional performance. By improving how we respond to disengagement, the project supports quality, retention, and student wellbeing across the HE sector.
Student disengagement is rising, and with universities holding a duty of care and students paying substantial fees for their education, there is a pressing need for faster, more effective interventions that ensure fair and timely support for all learners.
The outputs from this project will benefit staff and students across the sector, and will include:
Peer-led focus group insights into why students disengage.
A decision tree tool to help staff choose the right intervention quickly.
A national repository of case studies and proven engagement strategies.
Initial findings from focus groups and a draft decision tree will be available during the project year, with the full repository and final toolkit launched after pilot testing—likely within 12 months of project start. QAA members can get involved through participating in dissemination events and webinars to explore findings and share insights. Please get in touch with the project team if you are interested to hear more, or to support the hosting or promotion of the engagement toolkit and repository via institutional websites or networks.
Lead institution
Anna Egan is Head of Department for Finance and Economics within Manchester Metropolitan University Business School. Alongside this, Anna is passionate about future focused education with a specific emphasis on sustainability. She is also a member of the PRME UK & Ireland National Steering Committee and is strategic lead for the Business School Sustainability Strategy.
Dr Shobana Nair Partington is Head of Department for Operations, Technology, Events and Hospitality Management at Manchester Metropolitan University’s triple-accredited Business School (AACSB, EQUIS, AMBA). She provides strategic leadership across a diverse portfolio of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, supporting over 1,500 students and 60 academic staff.
Partner institutions
- Dr Jiajia Liu, University of Lancashire
- Dr Julia Osgerby, University of Winchester
- Natalie Kite, Anglia Ruskin University