This article describes the initiative to establish a European network for undergraduate research (UR). This began with national initiatives in Germany and the United Kingdom, dating back 10 to 20 years. A strong impetus was given by the European project on digital UR (2021-2023), which also was a response to COVID-19 and extended the possibilities…

Research-based learning (RBL) has been discussed in German higher education teaching and learning since the end of 1960s, having found a revival in the 2000s with considerable federal funding which enabled a creation of a variety of RBL-formats at many universities across disciplines. Within this dynamic development, both the Standing Group on RBL…

Spreading the value of undergraduate research globally is the main aim of the nascent Alliance for Global Undergraduate Research (AGUR) and its hallmark conference, the World Congress on Undergraduate Research (WorldCUR). This commentary highlights the historical development of AGUR, WorldCUR, their mission, main objectives, impact, and the…

During April 3-6, 2023 the University of Warwick hosted the 3rd World Congress on Undergraduate Research (WorldCUR) alongside the British Conference of Undergraduate Research (BCUR), combining this international event with a national conference for the first time. The events brought together undergraduate researchers from around the world to…

The 2nd World Congress on Undergraduate Research, held at the University of Oldenburg, Germany, May 23-25, 2019, aimed to foster global dialogue across diverse research disciplines. It brought together exceptional undergraduate researchers to collaborate on pressing international challenges of the 21st century. The event featured six…

Transfer students face many challenges transitioning to a four-year institution, yet support for transfer students can be less comprehensive than for their first time-in-college (FTIC) counterparts. Three four-year universities established the Learning Environment and Academic Research Network Consortium to address this need. They developed and…

The STEM Scholars program at Bucknell University was originally supported with a five-year National Science Foundation STEP grant to begin recruitment for a summer program in 2014. The grant, with a one-year no-cost extension, supported six cohorts of students. The recruitment of participants was specifically designed to attract typically…

Mentorship experiences involve a variety of motives, but some are more effective than others. The authors hypothesized that personal autonomous reasons (PARs, "for me") and relational autonomous reasons (RARs, "for us") for engaging in undergraduate research would be associated with better perceived and scholarly outcomes,…

Undergraduate research is a high-impact educational practice. However, few studies have analyzed the opportunities and barriers to entry into undergraduate research experiences. A survey for the measurement of undergraduate research science capital (URSC) was developed, rooted at the junction of science capital and social cognitive career theory.…

In this article the authors describe a model for onboarding and supporting undergraduates during a multisite research project. Undergraduate students had hands-on experiences conducting social media research focused on adolescent and young adult cancer patients and their caregivers. The research was conducted across multiple sites using online…

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Inclusive Excellence initiative funded 57 institutions to improve capacity to include all students in STEM education and research activities. At Towson University, a professional development (PD) program funded by this initiative helped STEM faculty design course-based undergraduate research experiences…

This study explores the effect the U.S. National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF REU) programs have on REU participants and other undergraduate student researchers and how their success was measured. The authors conducted interviews with 10 principal investigators (PIs) of REU programs and surveyed undergraduate…

For traditionally underrepresented students, engaging in research experiences often means entering traditionally exclusive places with few role models that reflect their social identities. By looking at a small, public, minority-serving institution where students conduct summer research at other, less diverse institutions, this study explored the…

Undergraduate research experiences are a documented high-impact practice affecting student learning, attitudes, and career outcomes. However, many of these reported benefits are associated with longer-term research experiences. This study pilots the use of a small group metacognition activity in a 10-week summer undergraduate research program. It…

Undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative inquiry (URSCI) experiences are found to enhance student growth in skill development. Previous research has not established what literature exists on intentionally preparing students for work through URSCI experiences in the United States. A scoping review was conducted to systematically map what…