Reconceptualising the student experience: An auto-driven photo-elicitation study of the lived experiences of students at a Post-92 university and their implications for conceptions of engagement and success.

Student engagement has become a central objective in university strategies, often defined through measurable outcomes such as attendance, academic performance, employability, and satisfaction. However, despite considerable institutional investment and scholarly interest, the engagement concept remains conceptually weak and under-theorised. This study argues that engagement is a dynamic construction of studenthood, emerging from the interplay of experience, perception, and expectation, and not easily captured through conventional metrics. Using a constructivist framework, the research employed auto-driven photo-elicitation and reflexive thematic analysis to explore final-year undergraduates’ self-conceptions in a consumerised higher education context. Findings revealed a mismatch between institutional definitions of engagement and students’ lived realities, which are influenced by financial pressures, competing commitments, and shifting priorities. Engagement often appeared instrumental and shaped by experiences beyond the campus. Social relationships and a sense of belonging were central to how students found meaning and purpose in university life. The study highlights the need to rethink institutional assumptions about engagement and success, particularly in light of the broader effects of consumerism on student experience.