Media & PR

Unite Students, the UK’s largest provider of student accommodation, is progressing with the purchase of a new 800-bed Glasgow project.

Our goal is to lead on sustainability and raise standards in the living sector. We sat down with our Head of Sustainability James Tiernan, who leads our Sustainability Strategy, to discuss what’s changed since he joined us in 2012, what our focus is for the next year and how we’re creating places that deliver a positive impact for our people, our communities and the planet.

Purpose-built student accommodation isn’t just a building – it’s about being a positive and engaged part of a local community. We spoke to Ivy Yarrow, Social Impact Manager at Unite Students, for a deeper dive into what social impact looks like at Unite Students and the benefits it provides for our employees, students, university partners, charities and local communities.

Arriving in student accommodation for the first time can be exciting – but also daunting. Jo Blair, Head of Quality and Standards at Unite Students, shares how a revamp of our customer service ‘CARE’ principles will help students to feel more welcome within our buildings during the 2023/24 academic year.

With a new academic year rapidly approaching, we wanted to know what new and exciting initiatives are being rolled out to enhance the student experience in purpose-built student accommodation around the UK – so we asked our Accommodation Matters listeners to submit their own contributions about what they’re doing differently for the 2023/24 academic year.

Unite Students, the UK’s largest provider of student accommodation, has begun work to improve and extend its Rushford Court property in Durham, in partnership with Durham University.

Lottie Randomly, Leapskills Consultant at Unite Students, shares additional research we’ve undertaken with school teachers to understand the needs of the current cohort, and how the findings from both this and the Index highlight the need to prepare young people for independent living at university.

In conversation with Abbie Phillips, a Student Experience Team Member working for Unite Students in Sheffield.

Over the last year, Unite Students has trialled Support to Stay – an innovative student support framework designed to align with university processes. Here, we delve into what Support to Stay is, what came out of the trial phase, and what it means for the full Support to Stay roll-out in the 2023/24 academic year.

Unite Students, the UK’s largest provider of student accommodation, has started building one of its greenest ever purpose-built student accommodation properties.

Our latest research findings suggested that this year’s university applicants are less likely to make sacrifices to live sustainably than last year’s cohort. We explore some of the reasons why sustainability may be a challenge area for students and applicants - and whether student behaviour really does matter in creating more sustainable student accommodation.

RECORD RESERVATIONS, INCREASING UNIVERSITY DEMAND AND SIGNIFICANT GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES

The class of 2023 will soon be arriving at universities up and down the UK - and our recent Applicant Index report highlights some of their needs and concerns. Now, an expert panel discusses the research findings and explores how we can support this year's new students to flourish at university.

Delving into university applicants’ attitudes, needs and confidence in comparison to last year’s cohort, Unite Students’ 2023 Applicant Index is now available to download. From sustainability and finances to wellbeing and independence, here are some of the key takeaways from this year’s report.

Almost one in three applicants (30%) will start university this September with a history of missing education due to their mental health, according to the Unite Students 2023 Applicant Index.

In his foreword for Unite Students’ 2023 Applicant Index report, Richard Smith - Chief Executive at Unite Students - shares his thoughts on our findings about this year’s cohort of university applicants, and what they mean for the Higher Education sector.

Unite Students, the UK’s largest provider of student accommodation, today reveals a £24million refurbishment scheme across three of its UK properties – Station Court in London, Oak Brook Park in Birmingham, and Bridge House in Edinburgh.

Last year’s cost of living episode of Accommodation Matters proved to be the most popular yet – but more than a year on, how has the cost of living crisis moved on, and what does the cost of living picture look like for students in 2023?

Since she joined Unite Students in 2012, Jenny Shaw (HE External Engagement Director) has been a driving force behind our research programme, the introduction of our student support provision, and initial launch of the Unite Foundation, among other things. We caught up with Jenny about her passion for inclusion, her role in making student support a focus within purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA), and the next big research topic for Higher Education.

As part of our Sustainability Strategy launched in 2021, Unite Students committed to net zero development by 2030. We believe this ambition will help us play our part in tackling climate change for future generations to come. Here, we speak with Nicholas Pigula, Sustainable Construction Manager at Unite Students, to hear how the business is meeting its goal.

The Unite Students Commission on Living Black at University is delighted to share a series of resources to support the wider Higher Education sector in achieving race equity and creating a more welcoming university community for Black students.

International students are a substantial part of the UK's student population, but how do their mental health needs differ from those of home students?

New insight from UCAS is highlighting the rapidly increasing pressure that is likely to faced in the student housing sector, with a projected 30% increase in higher education applicants by 2030. UCAS, in partnership with Unite Students and Knight Frank, has invited 50 key thinkers from across the UK as part of a national debate to give their view on tackling the challenges and seizing the opportunities.

In this Journey to a Million essay, Unite Students and Knight Frank explore the impact that a million applicants will have on student accommodation.

One of the starkest findings from the Living Black at University report was the mental health challenge faced by Black students in UK student accommodation. Guest contributor Melissa Browne, Deputy Director of Commercial Services and Estates at University of Kent and Vice Chair of CUBO (College and University Business Officers), has seen the impact first-hand in her family – now, she shares her advice for parents of Black students on how to support them during their university experience.

Following on from our latest Accommodation Matters episode ‘What does 1 million applicants mean for student accommodation?’, we now share Jenny Shaw’s full interview with Ben Jordan, Head of Policy at UCAS, about the UCAS ‘Journey To A Million’ essay series – sponsored by Unite Students and Knight Frank.

What’s it like to work nights in the Unite Students safety team? We spoke to Dave Booth, Student Safety Manager (Nights) in Durham, about what his role looks like, its importance in providing a great student experience 24/7, and how he’s been an ally to LGBTQ+ students.

Unite Students introduced its Resident Ambassador scheme in 2016, providing valuable peer-to-peer support in our buildings as well as a work and development opportunity for the students who live with us. With recruitment underway for the next academic year, we spoke to Izzy Pemberton, a first-year student at Manchester Metropolitan University, who has been a Resident Ambassador at New Medlock House since October 2022.

Ahead of the release of Unite Students’ Journey To A Million essay, co-authored with Knight Frank, a panel of sector experts looks at what a million applicants means for student accommodation - covering supply and demand, research into the student experience, and what accommodation for the next generation of students looks like.

As predicted by the government’s 2019 international student strategy, the number of Indian students studying in the UK has grown significantly in the past few years. Bernadette Cochonat, Head of International Sales at Unite Students, shares what trends have been identified within this student population, and how that shapes their accommodation needs.

Helene became Group People Director in January 2021, with a renewed vision for the People function. Leading all aspects of the People strategy, Helene has brought her experience from international start-ups and multi-national organisations to Unite. Here, Helene shares more about Unite’s ambition to deliver a Home for Success for our employees.

Karan leads the operational and commercial functions for Unite, working with his team to enhance the student experience, deliver commercial performance and raise brand awareness. He joined the business in June 2021 from InterContinental Hotels Group, where he served as managing director for the UK and Ireland. Here, Karan explains some of the focus areas for the year.

Unite Students, the UK’s largest provider of student accommodation, has secured planning approval to improve and extend Rushford Court in Durham – with a view to establishing it as a college of Durham University.

An expert sector panel discusses Unite Students' new report on neurodivergent students' university experience and what universities and accommodation providers can do to better meet their needs.

New figures released from UCAS today indicate the UK could see up to 30% more higher education applicants over the remainder of the decade, intensifying competition for places and posing risks to disadvantaged students.

A major new report on student experience and neurodiversity shows more than 14 per cent of current university applicants report having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and/or are autistic. 

Unite Students has today published ‘An asset, not a problem: Meeting the needs of neurodivergent students’, a report on the experiences of students who are autistic and/or have ADHD, created in collaboration with students from Bristol University Neurodiversity Society (BUNS). Here are some top-line findings about their accommodation and university experience.

What actions did our delegates take away from the Living Black at University Conference to create a more equitable living environment for Black students? Here are six key takeaways from the day.

Unite Students’ Day in the Life series is back to shine a spotlight on more of our frontline employees and the fantastic work they do in our city teams. First up is Karina Croft, General Manager for Leeds North, who has been with Unite Students since 2005 and last year won the CEO Award at our internal Stars Awards – we hear about a typical day in her role, how it felt to be recognised, and the most unusual situation she’s had to deal with.

In conversation with Unite Students’ Head of Operations (Financial Planning & Analysis), Richard Morris, who drove the company's Family Leave Policy update