Partnering with students in the evaluation of higher education: reflections from a diverse university

The employment of undergraduate students as partners in research projects has typically focused on teaching, learning and assessment, with students working with academic staff to evaluate their degree courses. In a move away from the norm, a project was designed to capture student voice across the University of Bedfordshire, encouraging collaboration between students from a range of disciplines and research fellows in the Evaluation and Enhancement Team. Recognising students as partners, the project aimed to design research investigating the experiences of minority ethnic students across the university, while simultaneously training the students in research methodologies, ethics and data analysis. In this reflective essay, researchers and undergraduates reflect on the successes and challenges of employing undergraduate students in cross-disciplinary research at a diverse post-1992 university. The article explores the benefits of this type of partnership and offers suggestions for improvements. It emphasises the importance of accessing student voice in such a project.