Sense of Belonging, Trust and Anxiety in STEM in a regional Australian University

This study examines the sense of belonging (SoB) among students in the Faculty of Science and Engineering at a regional Australian university. It explores relationships between SoB, trust in instructors, and academic anxiety, recognising their interconnections. The results suggest that distance from campus is not a significant factor in student belonging, trust, or anxiety. Computing students reported significantly higher belonging and lower anxiety than Science students, with Engineering students between. The most striking finding is the disconnect between quantitative and qualitative data: while online and on-campus students showed no statistical belonging differences, online students strongly articulated isolation concerns, suggesting that traditional belonging measures may not fully capture the online experience. For the growing population of online, part-time and mature-age STEM students, institutions must move beyond traditional campus-based belonging interventions to create meaningful connection opportunities that accommodate diverse life circumstances.