ABSTRACT
A sense of belonging is typically derived from regular face-to-face contact with people and places. In global higher education, it is often the case that students will experience a profound sense of belonging and connection to their university and their peers within it. In a “new” COVID-19 online landscape, this conceptual chapter evaluates the position of networked publics as facilitators of belonging across global higher education during the pandemic. Social media is discussed through the analytical lenses of learning communities, relationships and support, and place. Through this, we determine that global higher education has benefited from the temporary sense of belonging and community development that social media can facilitate, especially in economically developing countries where remote learning is limited, while also acknowledging that social media cannot replicate the visceral nature of belonging gained through on-campus interaction. Issues such as digital accessibility, social integration, and context collapse are also discussed.
