Surrey psychology students play vital role in ESRC-funded loneliness project
Second-year psychology students at the University of Surrey, Abbie Fluck and Aneesa Rahman, have played a vital role in the success of a major student loneliness research project funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) through its Cost of Living Innovation Fund (COLIF) pilot.
Here’s what student-led ESRC research is telling us:
• Loneliness is shaped by systems, not just individuals – course design, commuting, accommodation, timetabling and campus spaces all matter.
• Cost of living is actively eroding belonging – students are skipping social opportunities simply because they can’t afford to participate.
• Connection isn’t as accessible as we think – societies, events and support exist, but cost, timing, culture and communications exclude many.
• Academic spaces miss huge opportunities for belonging – large cohorts and limited interaction leave students socially disconnected.
• Commuter and marginalised students are hit hardest – distance, transport costs and reduced campus time deepen isolation.
• Loneliness is everyone’s responsibility – tackling it requires action across teaching, estates, transport, communications and leadership.
Being involved in this project has been an invaluable experience. It has provided me with the opportunity to develop and refine my research skills and has deepened my understanding of the wider and complex issue of student loneliness. My experience with the Neighbourly Lab team has been nothing but positive, and I hope that the outcomes of this work will do justice to the students involved.Aneesa Rahman, Psychology Student
Participating in this Neighbourly Lab project has shown me how impactful student-led, collaborative research can be. I hope the findings from the institutions inform practical solutions and lead to lasting improvements in how our universities address student loneliness and the ever-growing cost-of-living crisis.Abbie Fluck, Psychology Student
The project has made clear that student loneliness is not an individual failing, but a systemic challenge which requires coordinated action across universities, not isolated interventions.
In response, a new cross-university Community of Practice is being created to bring together the four partner institutions and translate student-led research into practical, scalable change.
At a final co-design session held at SOAS University of London on 30th January, partners reviewed the findings and identified realistic, institution-specific actions to take forward. The University of Surrey was represented by colleagues from psychology, the FABSS FRIO and Wellbeing Team, who all aim to focus on exploring a potential pilot to better support commuter students, who incidentally make up at least a third of Surrey’s student population and face disproportionate barriers to connection.
The University of Surrey also plans to host a future Community of Practice meeting later this summer, sharing learning, tracking progress, and championing best practice in cross-institutional collaboration to support student wellbeing and belonging.
Surrey representatives at the ESRC COLIF Student Loneliness Project Meeting - SOAS University of London. From left to right; Joanna Bott, Fabio Fasoli, Simon Evans, Julia Warsap, Aneesa Rahman, Abbie Fluck, and Silfana Nasri.