METHODOLOGY

The Evaluating Student Knowledge Exchange Project employs a comprehensive and mixed methodology to achieve its objectives and evaluate the impact of international exchanges. The following framework and evaluation methods are utilized:

Objectives:

1. Examine the impact of international exchanges on students, including the role of community and stakeholder engagement activities in accruing benefits;
2. Examine best practices and identify indicators to measure effectiveness;
3. Develop an innovative, sustainable, cross-disciplinary network to share knowledge exchange (KE) and foster mutual understanding of complex issues, testing and scaling new solutions prototyped with locals;
4. Develop a visualisation tool of change, combining quantitative and qualitative indicators to evaluate activities and outcomes to improve student benefits continually.

Methodology/Framework:

• Project Structure:
  • Each 5-week project begins in the UK, where Zambian students are introduced to contemporary challenges such as homelessness and food insecurity.
  • All students undergo training in design thinking, permaculture, ethnographic practices, and affirmative participatory approaches.
  • In Zambia, students work in groups of four, collaborating with various stakeholders in Mayukwayukwa to address food security and other project activities developed in partnership with the Department of Resettlement and UNDP.
  • The project runs five times, with each iteration building upon the previous one, fostering continuous improvement.

Evaluation:

The project employs individual, institutional, and sector outcome evaluations to assess its impact:

1. Student-Based Evaluations:
   • Presentations, reports, and self-evaluation through reflective journals and informal development review processes.
   • Pre and post knowledge exchange questionnaires and focus groups.
2. Institution-Level Evaluations:
   • Evaluation of additional national and international opportunities pursued by students, exceeding undergraduate degree expectations at Brunel University London (BUL), University of Zambia (UNZA), and Copperbelt University (CBU).
   • Assessment of internships, placements, and conference presentations to enhance students’ self-efficacy and cultural intelligence.
3. Higher Education (HE) Sector Evaluations:
   • Implementation and continual improvement of the KE Model of Practice (MoP) developed.
   • Development of a visualisation tool to assess KE effectiveness over time, measuring changes in student academic and soft skills.

Impact & Future Activities:

• Staff and student involvement is vital for exchanging best practices and research ideas related to climate mitigation, migration and resettlement, agriculture and agroforestry, and social justice.
• Future activities will involve students as co-creators of subsequent project iterations and support their publication of ESKE findings in academic journals, magazines, and online forums to enhance professional development and employability.

Outputs:

1. Digital peer-to-peer learning infrastructure to enhance sustained knowledge exchange between students and staff from all partner higher education institutions.
2. Intensive International KE Program that reinforces South/North learning and knowledge exchange.
3. Best Practices report encompassing models of practice and evaluation methodologies that focus on effective approaches for student engagement.