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www.universitybusiness.co.uk | T: @UB_UK
these have different requirements for student accommodation and a distinctly different student experience. Finally, I think the student stories
are a vital element in understanding the possible futures for the UK HE sector, because they are so vivid. It was really important to involve students in creating these stories and, in doing so, we got a real sense of what was important to them. For most of them, this was to preserve the idea of a rounded student experience. So the most significant outcome of the research will be to galvanise the debate about what kind of HE sector and student experience we all want in the UK for the next generation of students.
How can student accommodation providers improve student living? Above and beyond providing high- quality accommodation and first-class service, the most important thing we can do is to understand what students want and what they need. A major focus within UNITE at the moment is to understand what success means to students and how we can help facilitate this. Clearly, this is something that changes throughout a student’s time
“Student stories are a vital element in understanding the possible futures for the UK HE sector”
at university. Academic success is important at all stages and measures such as controlling noise, providing group study rooms and keeping in sync with the university calendar so as to be sensitive to exam times are all important. But many students, especially in their first year, place a great emphasis on making new friends and gaining independence and life skills. There are many things an
accommodation provider can do to facilitate this, such as providing social media tools for students to meet each other before and during their stay, social events that are inclusive, and providing a friendly word, practical support and a referral to further information or support for students who are facing challenges. Research such as this is important to allow us to look over the horizon and anticipate these needs in the future, for example, there is a strong case for investing in technology to support student living. There’s so much more we can do to enhance the student experience and we
have lots of plans over the next couple of years so watch this space!
What will a student's top three priorities be in the future? This is quite difficult to answer because all students are different. But if I were to generalise I would say:
✥ A good return on the investment they make in their higher education. Our research suggests that the abolition of fees in England is very unlikely, which means that many students are more serious about their study right from the start.
✥ To gain work skills and experience. In a challenging job market this is extremely important, but if the economy recovers well I think employers will continue to be more sophisticated in how they identify and secure talent.
✥ A time to make a transition to adult professional life and develop an adult identity. In some of our scenarios, this was more of a challenge, but the idea of university as a time between adolescence and adulthood in which you can prepare for the next stage of your life is very securely embedded in our society and I think this will always be a driver for students. UB
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