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The future for the class of 2034?
University Business managing editor Hannah Oakman spoke to UNITE to find out more about the new ‘Living and Learning 2034’ report
U
NITE, the UK’s leading operator of purpose-built student accommodation, together with
University Alliance, the voice of the UK’s Innovative and entrepreneurial universities, have launched ‘Living and Learning 2034’, the first UK research to focus on how students might live and learn in the future, including the wider, non-academic student experience. The report looks at what the future
might hold for students 20 years from now. Conducted as a scenario planning exercise over a period of several months, the study draws on a wide range of data and commentary, broad global trends and recent changes within the UK’s higher education sector. The research takes a holistic view of the student experience to help higher education institutions and organisations working in the sector gain a deeper understanding of how students’ needs and preferences, and universities, may change in the future. It also draws together narratives from
current students who have created future scenarios on how their counterparts might live and learn in 2034. The report finds that change is not only affecting the way students make
choices about which university they go to but also how they will learn and live once they get there. It takes known uncertainties, such as the state of the economy, changes to public funding, the impact of the financial crisis, and society’s inclination towards co- operation or competition, and unpicks in detail how they might change the student experience and the HE sector, fundamentally.
UB interview
Jenny Shaw (pictured), head of higher education engagement at UNITE,
chated to University Business about the report and lessons for the future
What were the most significant findings of this new report? Jenny Shaw: It was a real eye-opener to understand the breadth of factors that could have an impact on student living and learning in the future. For example, until we got to grips with the scenario planning we hadn’t realised how much the general ethos in society would affect student life. An individualistic, competitively minded society makes for a completely different student experience – and different HE sector – than a collaborative society. The consensus we reached on
the future of the HE sector was also significant. We very quickly concluded that if current trends continued, we would end up with a more differentiated HE sector. It is often joked that all university mission statements are more or less the same. That is starting to change and there are clear signs that universities are becoming – and want to become – more distinctive and ‘branded’. Mapping out the different ways in which universities could specialise in the future was significant, because each of
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