13: Conclusion

The concluding chapter explores the sense of belonging in higher education (HE), highlighting the importance for student engagement and relationship building. Through contributions from authors, sharing their experiences with creating inclusive learning communities, the text emphasises that there is no single approach to fostering belonging but that it is multifaceted. Some of the key themes discussed in the edited text explore the connection between belonging and student engagement, retention and success. Authors have provided examples and learnt experiences of where and how practices and strategies can address wider sector drivers and core challenges within HE. As the final chapter, the conclusion provides some integral messages from the collections presented in the chapters. These include the importance of learning from challenges, ensuring practices are framed within strategic priorities, the imperative to include and value student voices, facilitate co-creation and learn from others and from the wider sector. In addition, the conclusion frames the importance of understanding sense of belonging as being central to fostering inclusion and community. On a final note, sense of belonging presents a challenge, conceptually, and needs to be understood as complex, fluid and evolving.