Fostering engagement in forensic science education for students without a science background through the development of a student-staff partnership

Student-staff partnerships are being increasingly recognised as an effective mechanism for strengthening engagement in higher education (HE), yet their role in Forensic Science education remains largely unexplored. This study provides novel insights into how a partnership between alumni and staff enacted through pedagogical consultancy can enhance engagement for non-science learners undertaking undergraduate Forensic Science modules within a non-science-based Forensic Investigations degree. The partnership was developed to drive innovation in teaching and learning in response to students' reported struggles with the scientific content. Alumni reflections revealed that reciprocal engagement between students and educators was a key driver for engagement, as well as accessible, multimodal, and face-to-face teaching and learning approaches. Providing authentic, experiential learning experiences both in teaching and assessment also emerged as a key factor needed to capture and maintain engagement. An immersive simulated crime scene investigation that progressed in real time and interactive small-group workshops were identified as fundamental to foster confidence, conceptual understanding, and engagement. These findings demonstrate the value of alumni-informed consultancy for illuminating how learners without a science background experience complex scientific content and where pedagogical enhancements are most impactful. This study contributes to broader discussions on student-staff partnerships as a vehicle for engagement by showing how retrospective reflective insights can inform curriculum design, support inclusive pedagogical practice, and strengthen learning for those entering investigative professions. Implications extend beyond HE to the training of early-career police officers, highlighting how partnership-informed design can build Forensic Science literacy and learner confidence required in real-world investigative contexts. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2026 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.]