Universities
We work in long-term, trusted partnerships with universities to enhance the student experience.
A trusted partner to universities
Accommodation is ranked as one of the most important factors influencing student wellbeing.
We work with universities to provide their students with a Home for Success – a place where they can grow, belong, and thrive.
“The residential experience is a core part of the student experience. Student accommodation is much more important in the UK than in most other countries.”
– Nick Hillman, Director of the Higher Education Policy Institute
HE relationship contacts
YOU’RE INVITED TO JOIN US AT OUR LIVING BLACK AT UNIVERSITY CONFERENCE
7 March 2023, Newcastle
A new model for student leadership
Our Resident Ambassador Programme
Giving a voice to our students is vital to help them feel like they belong to a community while at university. At every property, we have resident ambassadors who support fellow students and run events. Through them, we are able to understand what matters most to the students in each community and what we can do to best support them. We also provide coaching and guidance for our resident ambassadors to ensure the role is a fulfilling one and develops them as a student.
Research and insights
Living Black at University
Living Black at University is a major new report into Black students’ experience in UK student accommodation, commissioned by Unite Students and carried out by Halpin Partnership.
Research and insights
The climbing cost of living - Financial tips for students and parents
Our new independent research* has shown that students and parents are extremely worried about the increasing cost of living. We’ve teamed up with Blackbullion, a financial wellbeing platform with financial education and funding for students, to offer help and support for anyone who’s struggling to cope financially.
Student expectations are evolving and they want to see improved social space and amenities catering for their interests, as well as the latest technology. Universities also have higher expectations for students’ welfare.
We have trialled a number of new initiatives to respond to the changing needs of students. This included providing more information prior to arrival about accommodation, new features on the MyUnite app and increasing our welfare provision. We have also increased the event activity in properties, building communities for like-minded students who can connect through common interests. These events are run by our Resident Ambassadors who provide peer-to-peer support and host a calendar of activities, enabling students to connect.
Student welfare support
We were the first in the sector to offer a student welfare service. Our in-house emergency contact centre is available 24/7 and students can find additional support via our partnership with Nightline. Almost half of the students who have used our welfare services say they would have left university without this support.
Rent rebates
The pandemic has been a uniquely challenging time for our business, but we took a lead in the sector as the first student accommodation provider to take decisive action on rent rebates. We supported students financially at a total cost of circa £100 million because we understood how important this was for their health, safety and wellbeing.
Digital platforms
Our services are developed using in-depth research into the requirements of today’s students. We have invested in digital platforms, including our student website and the MyUnite app, so we can respond quickly to issues related to routine aspects of our services. This helps our staff focus most of their time on areas that matter most to students.
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