Every summer you read the same news articles about student housing: in many cities there is far too little student accommodation. And student numbers are still expected to rise in the coming ten years. Furthermore, universities are targeting an expanding group of students with their internationalisation policy. More and more students are coming to European universities from all over the world.
This summer EM joined up with Yournalism, a platform for investigative journalism, and ten other higher education media to conduct a survey into the student lodging market. The whole dossier is available here.
General housing market in decline; student housing booming
The student housing market has become more attractive for commercial organisations in recent years. Over the past five years, large investors, property developers and private equity funds have discovered the Dutch student housing market.
While the general housing market was in crisis, another sector was expanding: the student sector. Between 2003 and 2010, 19,000 student rooms were created and according to current statistics, there will be an additional 16,302 rooms for the period 2011-2016.
Rotterdam is growing
Despite the worrying reports of a housing crisis among Rotterdam students, the situation is generally not a cause for concern. Nevertheless, a rise in the number of students is expected here too. According to the National Student Housing Monitor, in the coming eight years over 6,000 more students will come to Rotterdam, over 2,000 of whom will also live in the city.
Here too, commercial organisations are competing in the student housing market. Take the Carlyle Group, for example, an American private equity fund which has invested in Student Hotels in several cities and which expanded its office in Rotterdam last year.
New projects
Two more big commercial projects are being developed for students. In 2015, property developer Stebru expects to start work on the new Bright apartment block, which will mainly contain private studios for students. And Bouwfonds, the property investor which is part of the Rabo group, recently bought an office building in Kralingen, which is currently being transformed into a student complex. The Nieuwe Admiraliteit will provide 600 student rooms.
