The concept of “living environment,” although it may be difficult to measure quantitatively (Cachat-Rosset & al., 2019), is a key element to analyzing success in higher education. It refers to the experiences of college or university community members, as well as to the perceptions of students and staff regarding the actions taken by their institution in terms of diversity, equity and inclusion.

These “intangibles” (Tamtik & Guenter, 2019), which may be difficult to report in institutional documents, include:

  • The experience of exclusion by marginalized groups, in relation to, among other things, the institution’s past;
  • The psychological environment, i.e., perceptions, attitudes and beliefs regarding diversity;
  • The behavioral environment, i.e., the way in which college or university community members interact with each other (ibid.).

Added to these intangibles are the creation and maintenance of a sense of belonging in a safe space (Herrera, 2021), whether virtual or physical.

The Importance of a Sense of Belonging

The need to belong and to be recognized is common to all human beings (Samura, 2022). Recognition is both a lever by which the person exists, constructs and reconstructs their identity and the relationship through which they become a person in their rapport with others (Pullen Sansfaçon & Bellot, 2016).

This fundamental need is expressed at key moments of transition in life (CAPRES, 2020): transition between levels of education, coming of age and learning financial independence for younger people, transition to a new professional life, change of life plans for older people or integration into a new country for the immigrant population. Higher education institutions are thus privileged spaces for socialization, where new interactions take place and new affiliations are forged, thereby influencing the construction of identity (Tzoneva & Gulian, 2020).

Being accepted, recognized and feeling part of a learning community is directly related to success in college and university (Strayhorn, 2018). Indeed, people who develop a sense of belonging to their environment and participate in student life are more likely to succeed (Samura, 2022).

Feeling included in one’s learning environment helps people meet their fundamental need to belong, while reducing stigmatization and exclusion during their educational pathway. A student who feels part of a community – college or university – can thus develop a better psychological adaptation to their environment (Pittman & Richmond, 2008).

Efforts by higher education institutions to increase the sense of belonging of individuals from marginalized groups would have a positive effect on their well-being and ultimately, their success (Walton & Cohen, 2011). In order to have a sense of belonging to their learning community, these people should be able to recognize themselves not only in teachers and professors, but also in the various technical, professional and administrative staff, to foster a sense of identification which, in turn, breeds a sense of belonging.

Image title: Framework for Inclusion When there is low belongingness and low value in uniqueness, this is EXCLUSION. The individual is not treated as a member of the organization with a unique value within the working group. When there is low belongingness and high value in uniqueness, this is DIFFERENTIATION. The individual is not treated as a member of the organization within the working group, but their unique characteristics are considered valuable and key to the success of the group/organization. When there is high belongingness and low value in uniqueness, this is ASSIMILATION. The individual is treated as a member of the organization within the working group when they conform to the norms of the organizational/dominant culture and minimize their uniqueness. When there is high belongingness and high value in uniqueness, this is INCLUSION. The individual is treated as a member of the organization and is also allowed/encouraged to retain their uniqueness within the working group. This table is adapted from Shore & al. (2011).

As the previous table shows, individual uniqueness is valued in an inclusive environment, as is the sense of belonging to the organization (Caidor, 2021). The individual is treated as an equal member and encouraged not only to preserve their differences, but to value them.

Courses of Action for an Inclusive Environment

Regarding student life services

  • Develop initiatives that strengthen the sense of belonging of the entire student population, with particular attention to those from minority or marginalized groups.
  • Help with the establishment of student committees that value identity enhancement, advocacy or support for students who are part of a marginalized group (Doutreloux & Auclair, 2021a).
  • Raise awareness about unconscious biases and prejudice in student life services, including counselling services (Magnan & al., 2017).
  • Enhance the offering for scholarships and tuition waivers by targeting a student population with non-traditional pathways (Universities Canada, 2019).
  • Ensure a better representation of the diversity of the student population in communication tools (Université du Québec, 2021), which should also include the equitable and diverse representation of institutional staff, in particular, teachers and the research community.
  • Conduct studies to understand the complex factors that make up the living environment in an institution and its effects on students’ experience and success, which are not always captured by quantitative approaches (Hansen & al., 2021).
  • Inform the college or university community about the services offered and promote the resources available, particularly to the populations concerned and the professional teams that help them.

Regarding institutional governance

  • Continue to educate the entire college and university community about DEI, prejudice, discrimination and privilege (Lafortune, 2020; Universities Canada, 2019).
  • Engage in a process involving the iterative, co-constructive identification of the needs of people from groups experiencing inequity.
  • Develop respectful training methods to tackle difficult subjects in a safe environment (Campbell, 2021).
  • Allocate human and material resources to periodic surveys in order to measure the student population’s level of inclusion and sense of belonging (ibid.).
  • Strengthen data collection to illustrate the diverse nature of the student population and of the various staff categories.
  • Identify indicators to measure and monitor the implementation of an inclusive environment, making sure to disaggregate this data based on relevant sub-groups (sex, gender, racialized people, etc.).
  • Promote the involvement of a diversity of student voices in the implementation, monitoring and improvement of institutional DEI policies (Cuellar & al., 2022).

References

Cachat-Rosset, G., Carillo, K. & Klarsfeld, A. (2019). Reconstructing the Concept of Diversity Climate – A Critical Review of Its Definition, Dimensions, and Operationalization. European Management Review, 16(4), 863‑885.

Caidor, P. (2021, november 12). Vers une excellence inclusive : cadre de changement pour l’excellence inclusive dans le milieu de l’enseignement supérieur [communication orale]. Colloque de l’IRIPI « Regards croisés sur les pratiques en recherche et en sciences humaines », Montréal, QC.

Campbell, A. (2021). Equity education initiatives within Canadian universities: promise and limits. Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education, 25(2), 51‑61.

CAPRES (2020). Transitions interordres et intercycles en enseignement supérieur.

Cuellar, M. G., Bencomo Garcia, A. & Saichaie, K. (2022). Reaffirming the Public Purposes of Higher Education: First-Generation and Continuing Generation Students’ Perspectives. The Journal of Higher Education, 93(2), 273‑296.

Doutreloux, E. & Auclair, A. (2021). Rapport d’enquête sur l’expérience étudiante en lien avec l’équité, la diversité et l‘inclusion. Service de recherche et de développement pédagogique du Cégep de l’Outaouais.

Hansen, M. J., Keith, C. J., Mzumara, H. R. & Graunke, S. (2021). Developing and implementing an institutional research office diversity, equity, and inclusion strategic plan. New Directions for Institutional Research, 2021(189‑192), 93‑108.

Herrera, D. (2021, november 11). Vers une culture de l’inclusion [communication orale]. Colloque de l’IRIPI « Regards croisés sur les pratiques en recherche et en sciences humaines », Montréal, QC.

Lafortune, G. (2020). De l’inclusion et de la réussite au collégial : « Au fond, vous voulez savoir ce que ça veut dire d’être Noir.e au cégep ». Les Cahiers de l’IRIPI, no 3, 7‑12.

Magnan, M.-O., Pilote, A., Grenier, V. & Darchinian, F. (2017). Jeunes issus de l’immigration et choix d’orientation au postsecondaire à Montréal. Canadian Journal of Higher Education / La Revue canadienne d’enseignement supérieur, 47(3), 34‑53.

Pittman, L. D. & Richmond, A. (2008). University Belonging, Friendship Quality, and Psychological Adjustment During the Transition to College. The Journal of Experimental Education, 76(4), 343‑362.

Pullen Sansfaçon, A. & Bellot, C. (2016). L’éthique de la reconnaissance comme posture d’intervention pour travailler avec les jeunes trans. Nouvelles pratiques sociales, 28(2), 38‑53.

Samura, M. (2022, 6 mai). 3 ways to make « belonging » more than a buzzword in higher ed. The Conversation.

Strayhorn, T. L. (2018). College Students’ Sense of Belonging A Key to Educational Success for All Students. Routledge.

Tamtik, M. & Guenter, M. (2019). Policy Analysis of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategies in Canadian Universities – How Far Have We Come? Canadian Journal of Higher Education / La Revue canadienne d’enseignement supérieur, 49(3), 41‑56.

Tzoneva, T. & Gulian, T. (2020). Les enjeux de la réussite scolaire des étudiants issus de l’immigration au cégep. Les Cahiers de l’IRIPI, no 3, 55-63.

Université du Québec (2021).Guide de communication inclusive. Pour des communications qui mobilisent, transforment et ont du style ! Université du Québec.

Universités Canada (2019). Équité, diversité, et inclusion dans les universités canadiennes : Rapport sur le sondage de 2019. Universités Canada.

Walton, G. M. & Cohen, G. L. (2011). A Brief Social-Belonging Intervention Improves Academic and Health Outcomes of Minority Students. Science, 331(6023), 1447‑1451.