StudentAccommodation

As a Forum, our criteria for developing our workprogramme includes a commitment to focusingon the areas which are of high importance to, andwhich are relatively widely experienced by, studentsbut also on which we can potentially makethe most impact. We are aware that, althoughaccommodation issues can cause high levels ofstress and anxiety for students, any discussionaround improving the situation is necessarilycomplex, since so many factors that are external tothe higher education system are involved e.g. thegeneral cost of living, geographical variations andproperty market forces.

Nevertheless, because accommodationissues can impact so greatly upon a student’sexperience of university, and therefore remainhigh up the student agenda, we were keen tolay out some of the widespread problems andchallenges and identify any simple steps thatcould potentially be taken to improve matters.

We invited Universities UK (UUK), Unite

(the largest provider of student accommodation in the UK)

, the National Union of Students (NUS)and the International Accommodation Ofﬁcerat London Metropolitan University to join us tooutline some examples of positive action alreadybeing undertaken – for example, a review of‘Codes of Practice’ to set out clearer guidance forthose working in the student accommodation ﬁeld.

We learned that these organisations, along withthe Accreditation Network UK

(ANUK, a network that promotes accreditation in private rented residential accommodation)

, Unipol (who work toimprove training, standards and professionalismin student housing) and CUBO

(College and University Business Ofﬁcers who administer the UUK Code of Practice and manage student accommodation across the sector)

are alreadyworking to:develop, revise and join up existingaccommodation Codes of Practice*promote social integration intolocal communitiesprovide dedicated help at universitiesand collegesWe identiﬁed some of the key accommodationissues for students and then developed our idealvision for a university that is tackling this problemas well as can be expected, given the complexityof the external factors.We have not developed formal recommendationsin this area, but rather invite stakeholders such asthe NUS, UUK, Unipol, CUBO, ANUK, UKCISA,the Department for Communities and LocalGovernment and accommodation providers, toview our initial work on this as an invitation toengage in an ongoing dialogue – with us, andwith each other – to explore these issues infurther detail. However, we urge university andcollege accommodation services, in particular, toconsider the implications for their practice, and tomake improvements as necessary.

Current Codes of Practice include the UUK Code of Practice (which caters for predominantly university owned and administeredaccommodation) and the ANUK Code of Practice (which caters predominantly for privately provided student accommodation).For UUK, see http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/PolicyAndResearch/Guidance/AccommodationCodeofPractice/Pages/default.aspxFor ANUK, see:http://www.anuk.org.uk/LargeCode/Introduction.asp

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When things go wrong with accommodation, it can affect every aspectof our life: we risk being less likely to succeed academically or losingcontrol of our ﬁnances. Worse though, it can seriously affect ouroverall sense of wellbeing.

(NSF Member)

Why focuson studentaccommodation?

NSF visionfor studentaccommodation:

where are we trying to get to?

We have outlined our vision of where we are trying to get to – andinvite sector organisations to engage with us in further dialogue toexplore how we can get there.

If my livingcircumstancesas a studentare ideal:

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Students are treated andperceived as equal members ofthe community, and I make aneffort to contribute towards thispositive perceptionI am consulted about issuesthat affect me, for example, Ior my fellow students have hadthe opportunity to comment onplanning applications for newstudent accommodationI can see that building aninclusive community, where Ifeel comfortable regardless ofmy age, gender, disability, race,religion or sexual orientation, isa high priority for my universityand the local communityI feel protected by the lawI am conﬁdent of my rightsand that I have made aninformed choiceI feel there is someoneto support me in myaccommodation choicesI know how to lodge complaintsand I am conﬁdent they will befollowed upI feel comfortable walkinghome in the evening becausethere is adequate lightingwithin the complex and itsimmediate vicinityI feel I get reasonable value formoney, given the general costof housing in my local areaI am able to pay for myaccommodation and my livingexpenses with the money I getfrom my student loans and apart-time job if I need toI am able to study and get onwith my workI have access to the internetand other specialist facilities tomeet my needsI have the amount of spaceI need especially if I have adisability or dependentsI can choose who I live with

I feel like an included, valuedand respected member of mycommunity because:I feel safe because:I feel ﬁnancially secure because:My living space is appropriate to myneeds because: