The Pedagogy of Student Belonging and Wellbeing Special Interest Group (SIG) held its first official meeting on Thursday, 25 September 2025, bringing together educators passionate about enhancing student connection, wellbeing, and engagement in higher education.

The meeting began with introductions from the SIG facilitators, who outlined their vision for the group – to create a collegial, safe, and inspiring space for educators to share ideas, collaborate, and support each other in embedding belonging and wellbeing into their teaching practice. We discussed guiding principles for this group to help to build a respectful community and to foster an environment where all feel safe to speak and contribute.

This meeting also showcased an example of research in this space – the Kindness in Education Toolkit – and discussed opportunities for collaborative Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) projects. Participants were invited to help shape the group’s direction and contribute to future sessions.

The SIG looks forward to continuing to grow this community of practice and welcomes anyone interested in exploring how pedagogy can enhance student belonging and wellbeing.

You can watch a recording of the session here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyTcEJmMdZs

To stay connected, join our LinkedIn group and keep an eye on upcoming meetings through HERDSA Notices.