Q. What does excellence in student accommodation look like today?

I see that leading providers in universities or in the private sector are those which actively understand and support student success, wellbeing, belonging, sustainability and affordability. They understand that student lifestyles and learning patterns have changed and design spaces accordingly and see that psychological safety is just as important as physical safety. The strongest accommodation providers view themselves as community builders rather than landlords and demonstrate excellence not only by the facilities provided by in the day-to-day experience and service provided to students.

Q. What examples of exceptional resident experience are you hoping to see this year?

I'm hoping to see an intersectional approach within many of the entries and a recognition that students are not a homogenous group. While it's important to create services and programmes which provide for the masses, equally as important is understanding the experience of marginalised groups and working to improve their experience no matter how small the cohort.

Q. What advice would you give to someone looking to build a successful career in student accommodation?

Be curious, ask questions, try as many roles as you can even if that means shadowing others for a period of time. Expand your network, reach out to others in the field and learn from them. To truly succeed in student accommodation, having a clear understanding of the labour and passion required to deliver an exceptional operation is fundamental to understanding the impact that student facing teams have on a student's experience in halls. Regardless of your role, a career in student accommodation is one which can be very fulfilling.