Human-Centred Approaches to Understanding Student Partnerships’ Impact

This article introduces the Situated Evaluation Framework (SEF), a co-created, human-centred approach to understanding the impact of student partnership work within higher education. Developed by the London College of Communication (LCC) Changemakers at the University of the Arts London (UAL), the framework responds to the limitations of traditional evaluation methods, which often fail to capture the relational, emotional, and identity-based dimensions of social justice initiatives.

Grounded in students-as-partners, critical pedagogy, and arts-based research, SEF combines digital and physical tools to facilitate reflective, dialogic, and participatory evaluation practices. These include journey mapping, body mapping, and engagement mapping, enabling participants to explore their experiences across time and context.

The framework reframes evaluation as a collaborative and iterative process that not only evidences impact but actively contributes to it. Findings highlight enhanced student voice, deeper engagement, and increased visibility of often, overlooked forms of labour and learning. SEF offers a scalable model for institutions seeking to embed inclusive, non-extractive, and socially just approaches to evaluation and decision-making.