Conference Programme

Wednesday 6th May

5pm – Welcome Networking Drinks in Battersea for those in London the day before the main conference agenda.

7.30pm – Speaker, Sponsors & VIP Dinner in Battersea, London (by invitation only)

Thursday 7th May

8.30am – Breakfast, Networking and Registration at the Oval Cricket Ground, London

9.30am – Start of the main conference programme

1.00pm – Networking Lunch Session for speakers & attendees

2.00pm – Conference programme continues

4.20pm – Conference programme close

4.30pm – Student Housing Networking Drinks Reception on pitch side terraces at the Oval.

7pm – Event closes at the Oval to allow delegates to organise their own dinner plans & fringe events

7th May Conference Agenda

9.30am
Chairman’s Welcome & Introduction – where are we with Student Housing Property Investment?
Martin Hadland, Founder & Managing Director, Student First Group (Conference Chair)

9.40am
Student Housing in the UK & Europe: A Global & Sector Perspective
Where does Student Housing sit within the wider spectrum of rented residential and other property asset classes — and how is it performing globally?
Where do the UK & Europe sit in relation to the US and other Global markets for Student Housing?
How has the sector been affected by political & economic events, fluctuating interest rates, and how have valuations and deal structures responded?
How does the sector compare and compete with other living sectors for institutional capital?
What are the key deals in the last 12 months across the UK & Europe, and what do they tell us about market direction?
Where is the money coming from — which investor profiles and geographies are most active?
Where is the future growth coming from when looking across Europe — which markets are emerging and why?
Katie O’Neill, Associate, Knight Frank

10.00am
The UK Student Housing Market in 2026: Opportunity, Evolution & Outlook
Where are the key opportunity areas in the UK over the next five years, and how is the market evolving?
What has happened in the last 12 months and what do we expect over the next year, and the next 5 years?
What is happening with student application numbers in the UK — and what does this mean for accommodation markets?
How is the demographic of international students changing, and what does this mean for demand, unit mix and location strategy?
What will affordability pressures mean for future student numbers and effective demand?
Occupancy and trends in the UK Market – what are the key points?
What is happening with UK rents, values and yields — and where do the real opportunities lie?
Which universities are going to see the highest demand, and which towns and cities will require more new supply?
Who is investing and who is still delivering — understanding the key players active in the UK market today?
Sarah Turner-Jones, Partner Higher Education, Cushman & Wakefield
James Dunne, Head of UK Living, Cushman & Wakefield

10.20am
Questions for Katie, Sarah and James

10.30am
Panel Session – the Future of the UK Student Housing Investment Market
Where do we see the UK market evolving over the next five years — and what are the biggest structural shifts underway?
With planning challenges, rising build costs and an increasing cost of borrowing, are there now real concerns about the viability of new UK development — and how can these be solved?
The Building Safety Act — how is the industry adapting, and what does this mean for the pipeline?
How is the broader planning environment affecting the delivery of new PBSA stock, and what needs to change to unlock supply?
Why is PBSA still a strong sector for investors and what fuels this interest? Do we expect more consolidation of portfolios?
Is repurposing and retrofit the next major growth theme?
What kind of stock will the UK market demand in the coming years — in terms of build quality, design, room mix and amenities?
Where are the opportunities to partner with universities, and are these relationships now more important than ever given the financial pressures facing the higher education sector?
Where are the key opportunity areas moving forward — both in terms of location and product type?
HMOs and the private rented sector: how do they complement PBSA, and how is this relationship evolving as the Renters’ Rights Act takes effect?
Matt Merrick, CEO, IQ Student
Lizzie Beagley, Director, Head of UK PBSA, Savills
Rachel Miller, Investment Strategy Director, UPP
Tom Rix, COO, Student Castle & Capitol Students
Victoria Campbell, CEO, Tribell
Martin Hadland, Founder & Managing Director, Student First Group (Chair)

11.10am
Coffee & Networking Session

11.40pm
Mind the Gap: Where Demand and Supply Diverge in UK Student Housing
Which UK cities have the most significant mismatch between what students need and what the market is currently delivering?
Where new-build viability is challenged, how compelling is the case for refurbishment and repositioning of existing stock?
Where are the markets that the big players have overlooked — and what does the opportunity look like for challengers prepared to take a longer-term view?
How do you identify where demand and supply are most misaligned — and how do you build a conviction case for a longer-term play?
Emily Aduah, Director of Analysis, StudentCrowd & John Wilkinson, Chief Revenue Officer, StudentCrowd

12.00pm
How can existing student housing stock be repurposed and modernised?
With the importance of ESG and sustainability within portfolios today, how can existing stock be repurposed to meet modern environmental targets rather than simply delivering new build?
Is repurposing, redesigning and upgrading now the next major growth theme?
Nick Riley, Board Director & Head of Student Housing, Whittam Cox Architects

12.20pm
Questions for Nick, John & Emily

12.25pm
Operations, Management, Student Welfare and Technology Session

Operations & Cost Pressures
How are rising utilities and operational costs dragging on returns — and what are operators doing about it?
Where are the genuine efficiency gains — through process improvement, energy management and smarter use of technology — and which European markets are leading the way?
How far are operators moving towards blended or flex living models, and does continental Europe offer a template for the UK?

Student Welfare & The Resident Experience
What responsibility do PBSA operators have for student welfare, and how is this being embedded into the operational model rather than treated as an add-on?
How are operators building community and combating isolation?
How are students approaching affordability, how are their behaviours changing and what does this mean for PBSA? How can the sector innovate?

Technology & Innovation
What technology is available to operators today — from smart building management to AI-driven customer service — and how sophisticated is current deployment in practice?
Could AI genuinely transform operations at scale, in areas such as dynamic pricing, predictive maintenance and welfare monitoring — and what are the barriers to adoption?
The Renters’ Rights Act PBSA exemption takes effect May 2026 — how are operators preparing, and how does the UK’s regulatory landscape compare to what operators are navigating elsewhere in Europe?

Jane Crouch, Chief Operating Officer, Fresh
Joe Persechino, Chief Operating Officer, Yugo
Neil Burton, COO, Arlington Group
Georgie Drewery, Senior Account Executive, Yardi
Brian Welsh, Founder, OPRE Solutions (Chair)

1.05pm
Networking Lunch Session for Speakers & Attendees

2.05pm
The Investor Panel Session – What next for investment in Student Housing?
What are investor aspirations in terms of size of portfolios & where are the opportunities Geographically?
How do investors view the UK and European Markets?
Where does PBSA fit into the wider living investment portfolio and where is it on the priority list?
Where do we see the product and service evolving and is there now a big opportunity to diversify and serve other markets other than students?
How do Investors view the Student Housing Market in the long-term sense and where do they see the growth?
How do they feel the sector can best be supported and what approach are they taking?
Is Rental Living a natural progression for those investing & Operating in Student Property?
Alicia Edgar, Senior Director – Living Investments, Europe, Invesco
Matteo Minardi, Head of Real Estate Italy & Managing Director, Ardian
Oliver Cummings, Managing Director – Head of PBSA, Cain International
Thomas Storgaard, Managing Director, Head of PBSA, Praemia REIM
Martin Hadland, Founder & Managing Director, Student First Group (Chair)

2.40pm
UK University Accommodation — Is the Sector at a Turning Point?
With 200,000 beds below modern standards, how does the sector fund the upgrade?
Can the market deliver the 106,000 additional and replacement beds needed by 2030?
Universities hold £25bn in estate value — is private partnership now the only realistic path forward?
Robert Kingham, Director, Student First Group

2.50pm
Followed by University Panel Session
What do constraints on University budgets mean for delivery of residential estate?
International Students – how important are they to the business model?
How has the operation of Student Accommodation evolved and how is the sector approaching inflation and the increasing costs of living?
How can we deliver modern, fit for purpose facilities, that prioritise Student Wellbeing and ESG as a whole?
What kind of measures can we put in place to improve the Student Experience and take the best care of their wellbeing, both in the short and longer term?
How can technology and innovation help with this and what kind of ideas are we seeing?
What kind of Partnership Opportunities will be prevalent between Universities and Private Sector Operators & Investors to deliver both a best in class product and service?
How is planning now perceived and how should this be approached?
Helen Davis, Head of Accommodation , University of Newcastle
Kieron Broadhead, Deputy Vice-President (Operations), University of Southampton
Vicky Ackerley, Director of Residences and Sport, University of Manchester
Ian Spencer, Director of Residential Services, London School of Economics
Martin Hadland, Founder & Managing Director, Student First Group (Chair)

3.25pm
Mainland Europe – How are markets performing and where are the evolving opportunities?

Firstly, each speaker will present, followed by an open discussion and questions

Hear presentations from market leading investors, operators and agents in Continental Europe are how the sector is performing across the continent. This will then be followed by a panel session.
Panel Themes
Why is Europe continuing to grow in popularity and where are the opportunities?
Where is the growth coming from and how big is the market?
What are the unique features of each market?
Where in particular is proving attractive for Investors?
How do Continental Markets view the link between Student Housing and Build to Rent/Co-Living?
How mature is the market and what are reasonable growth projections?
What has been happening with market activity across Europe?
What the investors are doing and where are they putting their money?
Where are we with mature and emerging markets?

Benelux and emerging Northern & Eastern Europe
Why is institutional capital continuing to flow into Benelux and emerging Northern & Eastern Europe — and where are the standout opportunities?
How do these markets differ in maturity, regulation and investor appetite?
Is the blurring of student housing, co-living and BTR an opportunity or a complication?
Marcus Roberts, Director – Head of Europe, Operational Capital Markets, Savills

Italy & Spain
Why are Italy and Spain among Europe’s fastest-growing PBSA markets right now?
Gateway cities or emerging secondary markets — where is the smart money going?
Rocio Pineda, Director, Stoneshield Capital

Germany
What makes Germany structurally different — and how do Berlin, Munich, Hamburg and Frankfurt compare as investment destinations?
How is the convergence of co-living and student housing playing out — and is it accelerating?
Gawain Smart, CEO, International Campus GmbH

France
What has changed in France to make it a more compelling investment market?
Is this purely a Paris story — or are Lyon, Bordeaux, Toulouse and others becoming genuinely investable?
How are the Government encouraging investment to meet the shortfall in beds?
Pavlos Gennimatas, Managing Director – European Living, Hines

Martin Hadland, Founder & Managing Director, Student First Group (Panel Chair)

4.15pm
Close of conference followed by The 2026 Student Housing Industry Drinks Reception for Speakers and Attendees on the pitchside terraces at The Oval.