As the situation of the Covid-19 pandemic evolves, Q Investment Partners (QIP) hosted a webinar to discuss the future of UK higher education and its impact on purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) investment.
With a commitment to optimising QIP’s investment strategy for a post Covid-19 reality, the webinar featured insights and updates from partners across the PBSA real estate life cycle – including StuRents and Cushman & Wakefield. The webinar discussed the UK PBSA Covid-19 journey over the past six months – which showed the resilience of this sector.
Highlights
- Universities are open for business – 96% of UK universities have confirmed they will re-open campuses for this academic year.
- Student demand is very robust – with an increase in acceptances locally – 3% according to the latest UCAS data. There is also confirmation of a healthy return in international student numbers – with a continued preference for in-person teaching.
- We will see a flight to quality from both a student and investor standpoint where capital previously set aside for sectors now seen as troubled – retail, hospitality and commercial – remains to be deployed and it’s expected that there will be an accelerated institutional appetite for the real estate living sectors, which includes PBSA.
The below infographic reveals three aspects: the journey of the PBSA sector over the last six months; how, as a business, QIP have vigorously managed risks; and how they’re looking to take advantage of the opportunities that Covid-19 now presents.
The UK student accommodation market
Where are we now?
Where is marketing heading?
Edinburgh case study
