Cultivating cross-disciplinary collaborations to enhance student outcomes: a case-study from London Southbank University

In a rapidly evolving higher education landscape, fostering cross-disciplinary collaborations is vital to preparing students for the complexities of contemporary professional, social, and political contexts. This presentation explored how Learning Developers at London Southbank University (LSBU), an institution committed to vocationally relevant and professionally recognised education (London Southbank University, 2025), led initiatives to embed discipline-specific Academic Practice(s) and English Language support into curricula. Focusing on two diverse programmes, Level 4 (first year, undergraduate) BA Business Management and Level 6 (final year, undergraduate) BA Fashion Communication, Learning Developers collaborated with subject tutors to identify key areas where students faced challenges in engaging with academic content. In Business Management, interventions targeted critical reading and analysis skills needed to evaluate case-studies and construct evidence-based arguments. In Fashion Communication, teaching focused on fostering critical reflection to refine research questions, aims and objectives, and methodologies/methods for critical research proposals, while enhancing peer-to-peer feedback to align with academic standards. These collaborations resulted in co-designed materials, co-teaching, and workshops tailored to each programme’s unique demands. Preliminary results highlighted the transformative impact of this approach. Students in both programmes reported increased confidence in navigating discipline-specific academic language and applying it within their fields. Quantitative data show improvements in first-time assignment submission rates, overall pass rates, and the quality of submitted work. Academic staff also noted enhanced student participation and deeper critical engagement with course materials. This case study demonstrated how embedding academic practice(s) within vocationally focused programmes can address persistent barriers to student achievement. It offered a replicable model for institutions seeking to enhance outcomes by bridging disciplinary divides and equipping students to engage critically in diverse contexts.