Accommodation Matters: The highlights

With so many certainties swept away by the events of 2020, and much upheaval across the Higher Education sector, we recognised the need for a space to discuss the implications of Covid-19 for universities and accommodation providers – and how these have impacted, and will continue to impact, on students’ living and residential experience. And so, in September, we launched the Accommodation Matters podcast, hosted by Darren Ellis, our Higher Education Engagement Director.

In doing so, we have followed the path of the new academic year and all its twists and turns from month to month. Starting with the return to campus in September, then moving to topics including the transition from school to university during a pandemic, the impact of Covid-19 on students’ mental health, and what the pandemic means for the future of international students in the UK, we have gathered sector experts on each topic and explored the ever-changing picture of UK Higher Education through an accommodation lens.

Over the course of the four episodes, we’ve been joined by representatives from the Higher Education Policy Institute, UCAS, Universities UK International, Student Minds, the universities of Nottingham, Liverpool John Moores, UWE Bristol, Sheffield, Glasgow, and the University of the Arts – as well as our own in-house specialists at Unite Students – to provide informative, yet informal, insights into these topics.

If you’ve missed our previous episodes, we’ve put together a selection of our highlights so far – so sit back, listen and enjoy! We’ll be back with a new episode in February; you can subscribe to our Podbean channel to get the latest podcast updates, and follow our Twitter and LinkedIn pages for all the latest Higher Education content.