Macquarie University

Macquarie University’s SJET initiative revealed a pressing issue in the era of hybrid learning — students were finding it increasingly difficult to feel connected. Many struggled to build community, navigate campus life, or access the right support. The post-pandemic environment had eroded students’ sense of belonging, leaving them disengaged and isolated.

To address this, we conducted surveys with students across Australian universities to explore how they define belonging, what drives connection, and how hybrid environments shape collaboration.

Our findings highlighted three key pillars of belonging: community, friendship, and self-expression. Students wanted authentic ways to connect with peers who share similar academic or personal interests — supported by a centralized system that made communication seamless and intuitive.

Building on these insights, we conceptualized a mobile app designed to foster meaningful connection. A personalized onboarding survey curates relevant updates and opportunities based on each student’s program, interests, and location. The platform helps students find peers nearby, join or organize events, collaborate on passion projects, and receive tailored notifications — creating a cohesive ecosystem for connection and engagement. The key features are as below:

• Personalisation: Tailored content based on user survey at sign-up
• Landing page: Shows updates relevant to students' programs & needs
• Support for online students: Connects remote students locally
• Passion project hub: Collaborate on creative & academic side projects
• Campus events: Easily organise or join study groups, meetups, and more

The proposed app reimagines how universities can nurture belonging in hybrid learning environments. By focusing on interest-based communities and centralized communication, it helps reduce isolation, encourages participation, and builds a more supportive student experience that extends beyond the classroom.

By actively involving students throughout the process, I was able to understand their real challenges with feeling isolated and overlooked, especially during the early weeks of university life.

What stood out was the importance of designing with users, not just for users. Co-design sessions helped us uncover subtle emotional needs that traditional surveys might miss. It reinforced my belief that empathy-led research and rapid prototyping are key in shaping digital tools that foster meaningful human connection.