Recording and recognising the experiences of estranged students in higher education [RREESHE]: A participatory research project using photo-elicitation. Funded by a Lincoln Higher Education Research Award 2017/18.

This report details the preliminary findings of a research project undertaken by Dr. Rachel Spacey at the University of Lincoln (UoL). It was funded by a Lincoln Higher Education Research Award (LHERA) from the Lincoln Higher Education Research Institute (LHERI) in 2017/18. This LHERA funded project aimed to raise awareness both of the existence and issues facing estranged students and to address this qualitative research gap with a study of estranged students at the UoL. Through engaging estranged students in participatory research in order to better understand how the UoL can improve their experience of HE, this project contributes to an institutional focus on the student experience as indicated in the university’s current strategic plan (2016-21). Moreover, in England, the Office for Students makes reference to estranged students as an under-represented group of students in its recent Access and Participation Plan Guidance suggesting that universities may wish to consider the support they provide for them in future Plans (OfS, 2018). This qualitative research project adopted a participatory approach which involved the students throughout the project. Although it is based on the experiences of a relatively small number of students, its findings in relation to finance, accommodation and wellbeing, for example, appear to align with other estranged students research, the majority of which has been produced by the charity, Stand Alone. It is hoped the findings will assist the University of Lincoln in its aim to promote fair access and widen participation as it will be better placed to help estranged students access, continue and succeed whilst at university