Examining on-and-off-Campus Students’ Public Participation Experiences in Management Consciousness Towards a Sense of Responsibility

Background: Today, the education field has been transformed by integration courses and social awareness among students to enhance their sense of responsibility. These courses encourage students to be active not only in education but also in solving social problems. Objective: This study examines the influence of public participation in social activity experiences on students’ awareness, engagement and sense of responsibility in the context of evolving university education. Methodology: A total of 800 students across 38 institutions in Guangxi, China, were recruited, and structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to examine research hypotheses. Furthermore, Hayes' bootstrapping approach was applied to examine students’ awareness and engagement in mediating the relationship between public participation experience and a sense of responsibility. Result: Public participation experiences positively affect students’ awareness, engagement, and sense of responsibility. The public management quality faces some challenges, especially those related to students’ sense of responsibility, including awareness and engagement during the learning process. Moreover, personal public participation experience can potentially enhance students’ attitudes and engagement in a sense of responsibility in public management consciousness. Unique contribution: The study emphasises the value of experiential learning in advancing students' comprehension of public affairs and management by arguing that students' sense of responsibility is shaped by their active participation in public activities. Key Recommendation: Personal public participant experience has a crucial role in influencing students' sense of responsibility; government and education stakeholders should invite students to collaborate on social activities and public management services.