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Belonging in Engineering Education: A Systematic Literature Review of Its Impact on Recruitment and Retention for Female Students and Students from Ethnic Minority Backgrounds

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Title: Belonging in Engineering Education: A Systematic Literature Review of Its Impact on Recruitment and Retention for Female Students and Students from Ethnic Minority Backgrounds
Language: English
Authors: Mieke Cannaerts (ORCID 0000-0001-8167-205X), Sofie Craps (ORCID 0000-0003-2790-2218), Jenny Veldman (ORCID 0000-0003-1560-4512), Colette Van Laar (ORCID 0000-0002-8113-1242), Veerle Draulans (ORCID 0000-0001-9590-5870), Greet Langie (ORCID 0000-0002-9061-6727)
Source: European Journal of Engineering Education. 2025 50(3):512-538.
Availability: Taylor & Francis. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 27
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Information Analyses
Descriptors: Engineering Education, Sense of Belonging, Females, Womens Education, Disproportionate Representation, Social Capital, Self Concept, Self Efficacy, Student Experience, Ethnicity, Minority Group Students, Racial Differences, Student Characteristics, Cultural Influences, Role, Models, Mentors
DOI: 10.1080/03043797.2024.2449212
ISSN: 0304-3797
1469-5898
Abstract: Diversity in engineering, and STEM in general, is essential to address societal challenges, yet women and individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds remain underrepresented. Belonging has shown promise for recruiting and retaining these groups, prompting further exploration. This review investigates the impact of (anticipated) belonging on the pursuit and persistence in engineering education among underrepresented groups. Through a systematic literature review, 480 articles from the Scopus database were screened, with 20 articles selected for analysis. Multiple definitions of belonging were revealed, leading the authors to propose a core definition that distinguishes it from closely related concepts like identity alignment and social support. Additionally, a complex network of concepts affecting the relationship between belonging and recruitment/retention emerged, including social capital, engineering identity, self-efficacy, and academic experience and representation. The authors present a simplified conceptual model capturing the role of belonging in the recruitment and retention of underrepresented students in engineering education.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1487623
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Belonging in Engineering Education: A Systematic Literature Review of Its Impact on Recruitment and Retention for Female Students and Students from Ethnic Minority Backgrounds
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mieke+Cannaerts%22">Mieke Cannaerts</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8167-205X">0000-0001-8167-205X</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sofie+Craps%22">Sofie Craps</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2790-2218">0000-0003-2790-2218</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jenny+Veldman%22">Jenny Veldman</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1560-4512">0000-0003-1560-4512</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Colette+Van+Laar%22">Colette Van Laar</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8113-1242">0000-0002-8113-1242</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Veerle+Draulans%22">Veerle Draulans</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9590-5870">0000-0001-9590-5870</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Greet+Langie%22">Greet Langie</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9061-6727">0000-0002-9061-6727</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22European+Journal+of+Engineering+Education%22"><i>European Journal of Engineering Education</i></searchLink>. 2025 50(3):512-538.
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  Data: Taylor & Francis. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
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  Data: 27
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Engineering+Education%22">Engineering Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sense+of+Belonging%22">Sense of Belonging</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Females%22">Females</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Womens+Education%22">Womens Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Disproportionate+Representation%22">Disproportionate Representation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Capital%22">Social Capital</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self+Concept%22">Self Concept</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self+Efficacy%22">Self Efficacy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Experience%22">Student Experience</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ethnicity%22">Ethnicity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Minority+Group+Students%22">Minority Group Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Racial+Differences%22">Racial Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Characteristics%22">Student Characteristics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cultural+Influences%22">Cultural Influences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Role%22">Role</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Models%22">Models</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mentors%22">Mentors</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1080/03043797.2024.2449212
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  Data: 0304-3797<br />1469-5898
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  Data: Diversity in engineering, and STEM in general, is essential to address societal challenges, yet women and individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds remain underrepresented. Belonging has shown promise for recruiting and retaining these groups, prompting further exploration. This review investigates the impact of (anticipated) belonging on the pursuit and persistence in engineering education among underrepresented groups. Through a systematic literature review, 480 articles from the Scopus database were screened, with 20 articles selected for analysis. Multiple definitions of belonging were revealed, leading the authors to propose a core definition that distinguishes it from closely related concepts like identity alignment and social support. Additionally, a complex network of concepts affecting the relationship between belonging and recruitment/retention emerged, including social capital, engineering identity, self-efficacy, and academic experience and representation. The authors present a simplified conceptual model capturing the role of belonging in the recruitment and retention of underrepresented students in engineering education.
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  Data: As Provided
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: EJ1487623
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        Value: 10.1080/03043797.2024.2449212
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      – Text: English
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      Pagination:
        PageCount: 27
        StartPage: 512
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Engineering Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sense of Belonging
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Females
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Womens Education
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      – SubjectFull: Disproportionate Representation
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      – SubjectFull: Social Capital
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      – SubjectFull: Self Concept
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      – SubjectFull: Self Efficacy
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      – SubjectFull: Student Experience
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      – SubjectFull: Ethnicity
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      – SubjectFull: Minority Group Students
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      – SubjectFull: Racial Differences
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      – SubjectFull: Mentors
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      – TitleFull: Belonging in Engineering Education: A Systematic Literature Review of Its Impact on Recruitment and Retention for Female Students and Students from Ethnic Minority Backgrounds
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