TPMS LAUNCHES RESEARCH INVESTIGATING WHAT INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS WANT FROM ACCOMMODATION
Due to demand from the PBSA and university accommodation sector, The Property Marketing Strategists (TPMS) is building on its 2022 paper ‘Living & Learning, The Future of Home According to Gen Z’ by creating a new report focusing on international students.
In 2020, there were over 6.3 million international students studying globally, up from 2 million in 2000 (UIS, 2022) with the top destinations being USA, UK, Australia, Germany, Canada, France and China. With such a huge market of students who need suitable accommodation, TPMS identified that research into their needs, demands and behaviours was needed.
University Living, a global student accommodation marketplace has joined as the data partner and will be surveying their database with a key set of questions covering affordability, community, sustainability, wellbeing, and the accommodation product.
Saurabh Arora, Founder and CEO of University Living comments “University Living is committed to fostering growth within the international education ecosystem. We are supporting this as a data partner as we believe in anything that propels this ecosystem forward, benefiting our partners, accommodation providers, and most importantly, students. Our dedication extends to providing valuable insights into international student education and housing, particularly in regions like the Indian subcontinent. We recognize that by doing so, we play a pivotal role in helping universities tailor their accommodation solutions and align their narratives with the overarching vision of delivering quality education, especially in the context of the UK.”
Yugo, the first global student living operator and brand, is supporting this research as the Strategic Partner. This enables Yugo to focus on evolving its student experience and brand in line with student feedback. Rui Barros, CEO at Yugo said: “The partnership with The Property Marketing Strategists resonates deeply with Yugo's ongoing commitment to the student community. Each year, we engage in extensive research involving thousands of students to understand their preferences and aspirations. As the pioneering global student living operator and brand, it's paramount for us to evolve based on authentic student feedback. Collaborating on this research will further amplify our efforts, ensuring that we're at the forefront of offering optimized and innovative experiences for students across the globe.”
Sarah Canning, co-founder of The Property Marketing Strategists comments, “We are delighted that two organisations with such a strong track-record in supporting international students have identified the need for more research into what students want. By collaborating, we will be able to share key insight and research with the industry with the aim of providing the evidence needed to evolve the student accommodation product.”
Deenie Lee, co-founder of The Property Marketing Strategists added: “Whilst our research in 2022 compiled 2500 responses, most of them had a UK focus. Whilst sharing this insight with the industry, it became clear they wanted more research into international students specifically. Having two partners who can collaborate with us to give the PBSA and university accommodation sectors real insight from students is incredibly exciting.”
The full report is due to be released in early 2024 and will be available free.