Conference Agenda

• Delegates arrive from 8:30am when an informal breakfast is provided, and a chance to network with other attendees, before the conference starts at 9:30am

Speaker: Philip Hillman, Strategic Board Advisor, Abodus & Consultant, Living Real Estate Sectors, QX

• Where does Student Housing fit with the wider spectrum of rented residential and other property asset classes and how is it performing?
• Where is the money coming from?
• How has the sector been affected by Global politics and economic uncertainty?
• Where is the future growth coming from when looking across Europe?
• Is the student housing sector becoming part of a ‘blended living’ or ‘flex living’ market?

Speaker: Katie O'Neill, Global Living Sectors Research, Knight Frank

• What were the key transactions in the UK Market over the past 12 months and what do these tell us about where the market is heading?
• What is happening with UK Rents, Values, & Opportunity areas?
• What do interest rates cuts mean for student housing?
• Which UK Cities now represent real value and why is there so much demand for UK stock in the current market?
• Which universities are going to see the highest demand and which towns and cities will require more supply?
• How is fire safety affect valuation of UK PBSA?

Speakers: Kirsten Dyer, Director, CBRE,
Tim Pankhurst, Executive Director, CBRE

• Where do operators and investors see the market evolving?
• How is planning affecting the UK Student Housing market and, with rising costs, how viable is current development of new PBSA in the UK?
• What is the impact of building and fire regulations on the current market?
• What is likely impact of Rental Reform on the market and how are operators preparing?
• What kind of stock will the UK market demand in coming years in terms of build, design and amenities?
• How far are operators looking towards a ‘blended living’ or ‘flex living’ product?
• Where are the key opportunity areas moving forward, looking both at location and also at the product?
• Where are the opportunities in PBSA to partner with Universities?
• How does price match up with the expectations of students with regards to the product and facilities?
• How are utilities and other rising costs dragging returns?

Speakers: Ashling Fox, Managing Director, Student Roost,
Matt Burton, Executive Director of Partnerships, UPP,
Duncan Garrood, Chief Executive, Empiric Student Property,
Laura Kurt, Commercial Director, Fusion Students,
James Pullan, Joint Founding Partner, Beachrock (Panel Chair)

• Understanding what is happening with Student application numbers in the UK and what it means
• What will affordability mean for future student numbers?
• What is the impact of studying at home, degree apprenticeships and other changes to the University experience?

Speaker: Nick Hillman, Director, Higher Education Policy Institute

• What is the best strategy to work with the new legislation?
• What is the makeup of the current Student Housing market in the UK?
• What is happening with HMOs, PBSA and those living in Build to Rent?
• How is each share of the market evolving and where are the opportunities?

Speaker: Richard Ward, StuRents

• How has evolving legislation changed the movement of international students into the UK?
• How much competition is there now with English speaking universities in other countries?
• What is happening with student numbers from India, China and other key overseas markets and what are the needs of these students?
• What are overseas students looking for in general and how can providers deliver it?

Speaker: Bernadette Cochonat, Head of International Sales & Partnerships, The Unite Group

• How can we make existing processes more efficient using technology and AI?
• How is the Student Housing sector embracing innovation?
• What kind of technology and systems are available?
• How sophisticated is current technology and where might it go?
• Could AI transform the sector?

Speakers: Sam Scott, Managing Director, Fresh,
Suraiya Comunello, Chief Marketing Officer, Nido Living,
Dan Smith, Managing Director, Student Housing Consultancy,
Johnny Langton, Managing Director – Operations Europe, Greystar

• Opening Questions to each panellist:
• Where are you looking to invest now?
• Which cities and countries you see as the best opportunities?
• Where you see student in relation to other property sectors and other resi living sectors?
• Further questions:
• Why is ESG now so important and how is it affecting investment decisions?
• What are their aspirations in terms of size of portfolios & where do they see the opportunities Geographically?
• Is the student housing sector becoming part of a ‘blended living’ or ‘flex living’ market?
• Where are investors looking for growth with rents plateauing?
• Where do investors stand on operational platforms?
• How do Investors view the Student Housing Market in the long-term sense and where do they see the growth?

Speakers: Louise Archer, Sector Head for PBSA, HSBC,
Peter Manners-Smith, Head of Commercial Real Estate Finance, Royal London Asset Management,
Jasper Gilbey, Head of Housing, Alternatives and Strategic Transactions, Nuveen,
Zejian Yang, Head of Investment & Asset Management, Mapletree Investments,
Philip Hillman, Strategic Board Advisor, Abodus & Consultant, Living Real Estate Sectors, QX (panel chair)

• Should we be designing blended rental living and flex living?
• Can the planning system in the UK cope with such designs?
• Can flex living work and how can you flex the design accordingly? What is required?

Speaker: Nick Riley, Board Director & Head of Student Housing, Whittam Cox Architects

• How can we deliver modern, fit for purpose facilities, that prioritise Student Wellbeing and ESG as a whole?
• 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?
• 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?

Speakers: Stephen Wells, Director of Estates & Facilities, University of East Anglia,
Gillian Almond, Director of Commercial Services, Royal Holloway, University of London,
Sally Mcgill, Chief Financial Officer & Deputy Chief Executive, University of Staffordshire,
James Granger, Chief Operating Officer, University of Chichester,
Robert Kingham, Director, Student First Group (Panel Chair)

• Market Overview Presentation
• A Market Update & investment prospects in the DACH & Benelux Countries, Iberia,
• Italy & France & Emerging Europe
• Product & Operation – what are the key differences and similarities across Europe?
• How far is the European student housing sector part of a ‘blended living’ or ‘flex living’ market?
• Marcus Roberts, Head of Europe – Operational Capital Markets, Savills
• Followed by panel discussion
• Why is Europe continuing to grow in popularity and where are the opportunities?
• Where in particular is proving attractive for Investors and how much of a priority is ESG in Europe?
• 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?

Speakers: Nicholas Castanet, Group CFO, UXCO Group,
Sue-Lin Heng, Managing Director, Eastdil Secured,
Oliver Cummings, Managing Director – Head of PBSA, Cain International,
Matteo Minardi, Head of Real Estate Italy & Managing Director, Ardian,
Marcus Roberts, Head of Europe – Operational Capital Markets, Savills,
Brian Welsh, Founder, OPRE Solutions (Panel Chair)