What Matters To U of T Students?
At the Innovation Hub, we collaborate with UofT partners and students to gain a deeper understanding of university life. At its formation in 2016, through consultation with students, we centred our understanding of student experience on the following 5 Domains of Innovation: Access for every student, fostering connectedness, future-ready students, integrated learning experience, and whole student development. Using our 5 domains, we discovered the importance of self-discovery while gaining a deeper understanding of the core needs students have communicated throughout the history of iHub research.
2020-2023
What helps students feel connected to the university community?
In this report, we highlighted major takeaways shared by many students on campus across three years of data from 2020-2023. We found that students come to university hoping to explore their identities academically, individually, and within the community. Students shared a common desire to connect with others on campus and feel validated in their self-discovery journeys. Our data reveals that self-discovery motivates students to build relationships, self-advocate, and discover new passions.
OUR APPROACH
KEY FINDINGS
When students feel secure to explore their identities, they feel more connected to the university community
We found that students come to the University of Toronto hoping to explore and discover their identities, not only in academics, but also as community members and individuals. Students expressed an eagerness to connect with others throughout their journeys at UofT and shared their desire for their sense of self to grow and be validated as they learn more about themselves.
Our data revealed that self-discovery motivates students to self-advocate, build relationships, and uncover new passions. Exploring their constantly evolving identities feels challenging to students, but those who find comfort within the uncertainty feel freer and more confident. Newfound confidence allows students to make choices that connect them with others and expand possibilities for their futures.
For each of our Domains of Innovation, we found various needs and wants.
Access for every student: Students expressed their need for feeling connected to service providers, their individuality to be recognized and welcomed, feeling safe when accessing support, and ability to meet their basic needs.
Fostering connectedness: Students want to feel included in the academic community, form authentic connections and access to spaces that facilitate spontaneous connections, welcomed to take up space, represented, and acknowledged.
Future ready students: Students want to definitions of success to be challenged and broadened, contribute to "real-world" issues, and prioritize workplace competencies.
Integrated learning experience: Students need flexibility and interdisciplinary approaches to education, acknowledgment of their ongoing growth, to feel empowered to engage in self-care, and to learning new topics comfortably.
Whole student development: Students want to prioritize their wellbeing, have permission to fail, self-explore alongside academic growth, and prioritize movement.