A mixed-methods study of sociocultural factors influencing mature undergraduate student engagement in Omani higher education

This research explores the engagement of mature students in higher education (HE) in Oman, focusing on how structural and psychosocial influences shape their academic experiences. While existing literature on student engagement primarily reflects Western contexts, this research highlights the unique challenges and opportunities faced by mature learners in Oman, where engagement is not just an individual process but a socially negotiated experience involving family, employers, and institutional structures. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study combines survey data and semistructured interviews to examine cognitive, emotional, and behavioural engagement in both academic tasks and extracurricular activities (ECAs). The findings reveal that while mature undergraduate students in Oman exhibit high behavioural and emotional engagement in academic tasks, their participation in ECAs is limited by time constraints and institutional barriers. A key contribution of this research is the identification of engagement as a three-way negotiation between students, their families, and their employers. The finding challenges existing models that focus only on the student-institution relationship. In addition, this study attempts to examine the structural and psychosocial influences impacting on mature undergraduate students in Omani HE. The findings indicate that these influences are intertwined and closely connected, even though they seem to be separated theoretically. This research contributes to the global discourse on mature student engagement by expanding it into a non-Western, Middle Eastern context with a unique culture and distinctive values. It offers practical insights for policymakers, educators, and HE institutions to better support diverse student populations. It also underscores the need for more inclusive institutional policies that recognise the complex realities of mature learners.