27 Jun 2025
by Anne-Marie Payne
The student experience has always extended beyond the classroom—and today there’s a growing recognition that connection, purpose, and participation are essential parts of campus life. At Republic, the Campus Experience Team is embedding these values through a civic-minded, student-informed events programme. With eight universities sharing the campus, and over 15,000 students passing through each year, Trilogy Campus is reimagining what it means to engage, support, and empower a diverse student population.
Insights that drive action
In early 2024, Trilogy Campus commissioned an in-depth study of student life at Republic. Over 670 students responded to the Republic Student Survey, and 32 shared their stories in one-to-one interviews.
The findings were clear:
- Students want more support with careers, job applications, and networking.
- International students face specific challenges with integration and academic adaptation.
- A significant number of students leave campus immediately after lectures, citing a lack of social or extracurricular spaces.
These insights have become the blueprint for the events strategy at Republic—helping shape a calendar of activity that’s as ambitious as it is inclusive.
A strategic, multi-layered approach
Republic’s events programme is grounded in four key pillars:
- Career development and employment support
- International student experience and inclusion
- Social connection and community engagement
- Public space activation
Each pillar reflects feedback from the student body and is underpinned by partnerships with universities, local organisations, and industry experts.
Career development and employment support
Students at Republic are balancing studies with work—50% work part-time and 20% full-time. Career readiness is a core part of the student experience, especially for those juggling study with part-time or full-time work.
From CV clinics and headshot booths to mentoring events and LinkedIn workshops, the Campus Experience Team curates experiences that directly support students’ employment goals. Flagship employability events bring together students, employers, and alumni, creating real-world connections that outlast the event itself.
Student-led enterprise is also championed. Incubator programmes offer a platform for students to pitch ideas to investors, meet founders, and explore entrepreneurship as a viable post-study path.
Supporting International student experience and inclusion
With over half of respondents identifying as international, the needs of this cohort are a core focus. Many international students reported feeling disoriented or isolated, particularly in the first few months of arriving in the UK.
In response, the Campus Experience Team has:
- Hosted multicultural events and cultural celebrations, from Eid al-Fitr to global food festivals
- Platformed LGBTQ+ and underrepresented voices across student programming
- Explored buddy systems and informal mentorship schemes
These events form part of a broader inclusion strategy that recognises the challenges of transition and prioritises belonging.
Only 40% of students said they found it easy to form social connections.
Making space for connection
Only 40% of students said they found it easy to form social connections. 13% actively reported struggling to make friends.
To address this, Republic has become a hub of informal, low-pressure opportunities to connect:
- Welcome Weeks that introduce students to societies and services
- Weekly open mic nights and live music events
- Interactive workshops, from craft sessions to sports tournaments
- Student-curated cinema screenings and themed socials
These activities help students view the campus as a welcoming environment where they can connect and unwind beyond their academic schedules.
Public space as platform
Public space at Republic isn’t passive. It’s a canvas for engagement. From lakeside sandpits to outdoor study zones, every inch is designed with purpose.
The Common Room is the latest example—co-designed with students, it’s a flexible, modular space that adapts to how students want to use it. Whether for group study, cultural events, or a quiet moment between lectures, it signals a new approach to placemaking: responsive, participatory, and student-led.
A civic approach to student engagement
Republic’s events programme is more than a calendar of activity. It’s a civic infrastructure, embedding higher education within the wider social and economic fabric of East London.
This is what makes Republic different:
- Collaborative delivery: Events are co-designed with universities and local organisations, creating shared value
- Shared resource use: A single events team delivers for multiple institutions, reducing duplication and improving efficiency
- Impact-driven outcomes: Programming is measured against wellbeing, inclusion, and civic participation goals
Looking ahead
Campus life at Republic is designed to continue beyond the classroom—through community, culture, and civic engagement.
As higher education redefines itself for the 21st century, campuses like Republic are leading the way. The work of Trilogy Campus shows what’s possible when events are fully integrated into the student experience and broader civic life.
To find out more about student events at Republic, or to collaborate on a future initiative, contact community@republic.london
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