Accessibility, authenticity, and agility:Lessons learned from a case study of students as partners in research

Student loneliness is a prevalent challenge across universities around the globe. Epistemological, ethical, and efficacious challenges characterise contemporary research on student loneliness. To address this, our team of 11 staff researchers implemented a students-as-partners initiative with 16 students from 12 universities across the United Kingdom (UK). This student research team were responsible for co-producing the design, delivery, and dissemination of a research project to understand student belonging and loneliness. Adopting a participatory evaluation approach co-authored with seven members of the student research team, this paper critically examines strengths and limitations in our team’s approach to addressing common challenges in student-as-partners activities, namely engaging underrepresented groups, fostering meaningful and authentic engagement, and navigating sensitive topics. In doing so, we elicit good practice for inclusive, accessible, and impactful research with students as partners.