Evaluation of bursary and college projects: Producers of Enhancement, Evaluation and Research (PEER)

This evaluation examined the Producers of Enhancement, Evaluation and Research (PEER) programme at Sheffield Hallam University. The study aimed to assess the implementation and outcomes of PEER, focusing on the benefits and challenges of staff-student collaboration. The PEER programme, which has employed nearly 200 students and delivered over 100 projects in three years, aims to enhance student experiences and outcomes through staff-student collaborations. This evaluation involved semi-structured interviews with 10 student researchers and 9 staff project leads, to understand their motivations, experiences, and perceptions of the programme's impacts. Findings indicate that involvement in PEER has, for some students, led to skills development, with students gaining valuable research experience, as well as the ability to work with staff in open and collaborative ways that may not have been previously experienced. Staff reported benefiting from the insights of students and the opportunity to get to know them in a more personal way. Challenges identified included communication issues, time constraints, and delays from ethical approval process difficulties. Effective communication and relationship-building between staff and students were important enablers of success. The study highlights the importance of clear guidance and support from the Student Engagement Evaluation and Research (STEER) team, which facilitated training and regular contact. Recommendations include improving the matching process for staff and student researchers, providing additional ethical support, and ensuring staff and students are clear about roles and expectations for working together. Overall, the PEER programme has positively impacted student and staff experiences, contributing to the university's strategic objectives and offering insights into the dynamics of student-staff partnerships in higher education.