There are growing calls for Higher Education Institutions to become more civically engaged and socially relevant in their local regions. The central aim of the Communities and Students Together (CaST) project has been to advance our knowledge and understanding of the myriad forms of Engaged Learning and to develop a deeper understanding of engagement. The project highlighted the diversity and flexibility to be found within Engaged Learning initiatives in each of the participating universities. The examples provided range widely in their structure and intended outcomes. However, the one constant is each initiative’s commitment to a concept where reciprocity between the students, universities and communities is prioritised. This volume includes discussions on the practical methodology, pedagogical strategies and approaches of Engaged Learning, as well as perspectives from both higher education institutes and communities, of the benefits of Engaged Learning in different contexts. The authorshave chosen the title: ‘Voices across Europe’ - in order to represent the wide range of stakeholders’ perspectives involved in Engaged Learning.

This book examines the importance of exploring the varied and diverse perspectives of student experiences. In both academic institutions and everyday discourse, the notion of the ‘student voice’ is an ever-present reminder of the importance placed upon the student experience in Higher Education: particularly in a context where the financial burden of undertaking a university education continues to grow. The editors and contributors explore how notions of the ‘student voice’ as a single, monolithic entity may in fact obscure divergence in the experiences of students. Placing so much emphasis on the ‘student voice’ may lead educators and policy makers to miss important messages communicated – or consciously uncommunicated – through student actions. This book also explores ways of working in partnership with students to develop their own experiences. It is sure to be of interest and value to scholars of the student experience and its inherent diversity.

This book focuses on the voices and experiences of non-traditional students in European higher education. It examines the impact that access to higher education is having on these students’ lives and discusses what this tells us about European education and society. In particular, it explores the multi-dimensional nature of inequality in varied national contexts focusing on the issues of class, gender, ethnicity, age and disability. The book contributes to the on-going debate about the changing nature of European higher education and argues that research based on the experiences of non-traditional students can be used to improve policy and practice in tertiary education. Drawing on biographical narrative interviews with ‘non-traditional’ students, the book covers topics including: • the contemporary nature of inequality and how the various forms of inequality intersect and overlap in higher education and society • the formation and transformation of learner identities • the structural barriers faced by non-traditional students • the sources of student resilience and agency • a comparison of patterns of inequality, access and retention in various European countries • the implications of these findings for practice and policies. Student Voices on Inequalities in Higher Education will appeal to academics, researchers, policy-makers and practitioners working in higher education institutions as well as people working in the field of widening participation, adult education, access and centres for teaching and learning. It will also be of interest to postgraduate students in higher education.

Education today demands innovative approaches that go beyond traditional teaching methods. This book brings together leading research on active pedagogy to offer educators practical tools for enhancing student engagement and deepening understanding. The chapters explore diverse strategies, from integrating systems thinking in biological education to applying neuroeducation insights in active learning environments. By focusing on problem-solving, critical thinking, and interactive learning techniques, the book equips educators with the means to foster both conceptual and procedural skills. At its core, this work advocates a learner-centered approach, emphasizing collaboration between students and educators to coregulate knowledge construction. By blending cognitive science with dynamic teaching methods, the book offers actionable strategies that prepare students for complex, real-world challenges. We hope this collection inspires educators to rethink traditional practices and embrace new, learner-driven approaches for a more engaging and effective educational experience.

This handbook brings together scholarship from various subfields, disciplinary traditions, and geographic and geopolitical contexts to understand how student voice is operating in different higher education dimensions and contexts around the world. The handbook helps not only to map the range of student voice practices in college and university settings, but also to identify the common core elements, enabling conditions, constraints, and outcomes associated with student voice work in higher education. It offers a broad understanding of the methodologies, current debates, history, and future of the field, identifying avenues for future research.

Service learning brings together students, academics and the community whereby all become teaching resources, problem solvers and partners. In addition to enhancing academic and real-world learning, the overall purpose of service learning is to instil in students a sense of civic engagement and responsibility and work towards positive social change within society. Embedding Service Learning in European Higher Education promotes service learning as a pedagogical approach that develops civic engagement within higher education. It both describes and assesses the most recent developments and contextual positioning of service learning in European higher education and considers if and how the pedagogy is responding to European Union policy and the strategy of higher education institutions and towards engagement with broader societal issues. With case studies from 12 universities across Europe, this book draws on existing practice, shares knowledge and develops best practice to provide conceptual and practical tools for teaching, researching and practising service learning. This book: exposes service learning as a key approach in terms of embedding a culture of political and civic literacy within higher education; considers service learning in Europe, an area of growing research in service learning practice; explores the issue of university social responsibility; presents chapters from leaders in the service learning movement at a national and international level. Practical and engaging, Embedding Service Learning in European Higher Education is a fascinating read for anyone working in service learning as well as those working at universities with an interest in social and civic engagement and institutional reform.