Dr David Gilani
| Name | Dr David Gilani |
|---|---|
| Job title | Head of Access and Participation |
| Research institute | |
| Primary appointment | Access & Participation |
| Email address | d.gilani@mdx.ac.uk |
| ORCID | https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1099-7118 |
| Contact category | Academic staff |
Biography
Biography David works at Middlesex University as a staff governor and their Head of Access and Participation, leading on their interventions, research and reporting to ensure equitable student success. Having started his career as a students’ union officer, he is a strong
proponent of the student voice and in 2012 he founded the Student Publication Association, which
supports student journalists across the UK and Ireland. He believes strongly in universities working together to support student experience efforts, and so is a former co-chair of the CASE Student Communications conference and lead for AHEP’s Student Experience and Engagement Network. He holds an MBA in Higher Education Management from UCL’s Institute of Education, and in 2024 he received his PhD from the University of York on the topic of student belonging. He regularly speaks and publishes on topics related to student engagement, belonging, wellbeing and success. He is the co-editor of the 2025 book Student Belonging in Action: Practical Case Studies to Foster a Sense of Belonging Across the Higher Education Student Journey.
Supervision
Education and qualifications
Grants
Prizes and Awards
External activities
Research outputs
Virtuous or downward spirals – a qualitative exploration of the interconnections between student belonging, engagement, and anxiety over time
Gilani, D. 2025. Virtuous or downward spirals – a qualitative exploration of the interconnections between student belonging, engagement, and anxiety over time. Pastoral Care in Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/02643944.2025.2592920Student belonging in action: an introduction
Gilani, D. 2025. Student belonging in action: an introduction. in: Edmunds, K. and Gilani, D. (ed.) Student belonging in action: practical case studies to foster a sense of belonging across the higher education student journey London, UK Routledge.Student belonging in action: practical case studies to foster a sense of belonging across the higher education student journey
Edmunds, K. and Gilani, D. (ed.) 2025. Student belonging in action: practical case studies to foster a sense of belonging across the higher education student journey. London, UK Routledge.Encouraging self-reflective practices to improve student mental health outcomes: a case study
Gilani, D. 2025. Encouraging self-reflective practices to improve student mental health outcomes: a case study. Journal of Further and Higher Education. 49 (9), pp. 1275-1295. https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877x.2025.2550020Editorial – higher education student communications in practice
Futter, B. and Gilani, D. 2025. Editorial – higher education student communications in practice. Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education. 29 (3), pp. 121-122. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603108.2025.2493470Can we research students’ sense of belonging without affecting it? A process evaluation exploring online diaries as a student voice activity
Gilani, D. and Thomas, L. 2025. Can we research students’ sense of belonging without affecting it? A process evaluation exploring online diaries as a student voice activity. Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603108.2025.2487059Understanding the factors and consequences of student belonging in higher education: a critical literature review
Gilani, D. and Thomas, L. 2025. Understanding the factors and consequences of student belonging in higher education: a critical literature review. Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. 34. https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.vi34.1385Student communications: a review of current practices and scoping a new vision
Shaw, J. and Gilani, D. 2025. Student communications: a review of current practices and scoping a new vision. Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education. 29 (3), pp. 123-131. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603108.2024.2449395The agentic belonging workshop: a quasi-experimental evaluation of a social belonging intervention in two English universities
Gilani, D., McArthur, D. and Thomas, L. 2024. The agentic belonging workshop: a quasi-experimental evaluation of a social belonging intervention in two English universities. Student Success. https://doi.org/10.5204/ssj.3667The promise and limitations of student belonging as a predictor of retention
Gilani, D., McArthur, D. and Thomas, L. 2024. The promise and limitations of student belonging as a predictor of retention. Trends in Higher Education. 3 (4), pp. 993-1016. https://doi.org/10.3390/higheredu3040058How to better understand students’ sense of belonging
Gilani, D. and Connor, S. 2024. How to better understand students’ sense of belonging. Wonkhe.Belonging Research Project: an analysis of innovative methodologies
Connor, S., Gilani, D., Cojocaru, C., Heron, E., Parkin, H., Thomas, L, May, M. and O'Connor, R. 2024. Belonging Research Project: an analysis of innovative methodologies. National Teaching Repository. https://doi.org/10.25416/NTR.27248700.v2Book Review: The Impact of a sense of belonging in college: Implications for student persistence, retention and success by Bentrim, E. M., and Henning, G. W.
Gilani, D. 2024. Book Review: The Impact of a sense of belonging in college: Implications for student persistence, retention and success by Bentrim, E. M., and Henning, G. W. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice. https://doi.org/10.1177/15210251241268868Challenging simplistic and deficit perceptions of belonging amongst historically underrepresented students
Gilani, D. 2024. Challenging simplistic and deficit perceptions of belonging amongst historically underrepresented students. Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal. 5 (3), pp. 17-24.Student attitudes and preferences towards communications from their university – a meta-analysis of student communications research within UK higher education institutions
Gilani, D. 2024. Student attitudes and preferences towards communications from their university – a meta-analysis of student communications research within UK higher education institutions. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management. 46 (3), pp. 274-290. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360080X.2024.2344234Building belonging a year on – how has higher education changed?
Gilani, D. 2023. Building belonging a year on – how has higher education changed? Wonkhe.What do you mean by belonging?
Bewick, B., Thomas, L. and Gilani, D. 2022. What do you mean by belonging? University of Leeds.Peer-to-peer phone calls as a method of providing proactive and personalised support to enhance student engagement
Gilani, D., Parke, R. and Wilson, N. 2022. Peer-to-peer phone calls as a method of providing proactive and personalised support to enhance student engagement. Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal. 4 (2), pp. 82-104.Creating connections: the role of universities in enhancing graduates’ social capital and challenging nepotism
Gilani, D. 2020. Creating connections: the role of universities in enhancing graduates’ social capital and challenging nepotism. Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education. 24 (1), pp. 14-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603108.2019.1678528Setting realistic student expectations in clearing
Gilani, D. 2019. Setting realistic student expectations in clearing. Wonkhe.3213
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