Our Research Programme
Belonging and Early Withdrawal: Mental Health and Wellbeing among First-Year Commuter Students
We are delighted to announce our first research programme, in partnership with Royal Holloway University London and Royal Holloway Students' Union.
​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​With a growing number of commuter students making up almost half of students attending university , there is a vital need to learn more about how to offer support to our extended campus community.
Focused around the importance of our sense of belonging amongst first-year undergraduate students , we are beginning a series of interviews, to listen and learn, with the aim of taking focused action around our findings.
The Critical Challenge: Why This Research Matters
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Nearly half of UK university students now commute rather than live on campus, yet support systems are largely designed for residential students.
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Student mental health and wellbeing have declined significantly, making the first term a critical period for support.
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Commuter students face unique challenges—including long travel times, financial pressures, and limited opportunities to integrate into campus life—all of which influence early withdrawal risk.
​This project will explore how first-year commuter students experience belonging, social support, and mental health challenges during this critical first term.
Our Deliverables
The findings will provide universities with actionable insights to strengthen retention and wellbeing support.
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A detailed qualitative research report capturing the voices and lived experiences of first-year commuter students.
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Actionable, evidence-informed recommendations for universities.
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Main themes and findings will be shared publicly at the Campus to Campus Summit.
Research Launch & Summit
We are officially launching our research findings on 20th May at our Summit in Central London, in Kindred. This landmark event brings together voices from across the ecosystem to bridge the gap in student support.
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What to expect:
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Keynote Speakers: Insights from leaders in education and mental health.
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Stakeholder Panel: A deep dive into the pastoral care between educational transitions, and into the workplace
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Impact Networking: Time to craft 'what' to do as an ecosystem to make a change
Don't miss out - join us and be part of the change.