Following a series of strategic and successful steps in France, we collaborated with research partners Savills and JLL, alongside PBSA investors, operators and legal advisors, to develop the country’s first National Action Framework for student housing. Contributions from UXCO, Greystar, The Boost Society (KLEY), AXA, EQT, Hines, Gide, Campus France and Study Portals all helped shape a shared evidence base and a practical foundation for a national dialogue to solve the 450,000 (JLL 2025) unmet demand by 2030.
Join us to build on these developments at our Student Living Forum in Paris. This one-day programme includes site tours from the likes of KLEY, workshop sessions, and thought leadership panel conversations, and is set to connect a wide array of key players on housing within higher education -from investors to operators, from universities to policy makers- to shape a common agenda.
About the Event
France stands at the centre of a shifting European higher education landscape. With over 3 million students, including 420,000 international students (up 17% in five years), France now hosts the largest student population in Europe. It ranks 4th in Europe for English-Taught Programmes, and its academic prestige is growing; 55% more universities now rank in the QS Top 600 compared to 2021.
Yet despite world-class institutions, France’s student accommodation infrastructure is lagging. Just 15% of students live in designated student communities, while 28% live alone in private rentals, more than double the European average. The strain is particularly acute in Île-de-France, Lyon, Toulouse, and the PACA region (Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, including cities like Marseille and Nice) where availability, affordability, and accessibility converge as pressing challenges.
France has 200,000 PBSA beds and is set to grow by 30,000 over the next 3 years. However, this expansion will not close the gap. France faces an unmet demand of 640,000 student beds by 2030, one of the highest shortfalls in Europe.
Savills’ 2025 PBSA Investment Barometer shows that even if all private operators across Europe expanded by 72%, the provision rate would only rise from 11% to 18%, highlighting the systemic nature of undersupply. However, France has risen since 2024 on to the list of Top 5 countries with highest private investment interest. While international players like Greystar and Blackstone are active, the market remains dominated by domestic capital (78%). Regulatory ambiguity around affordability continues threatens future inflows.
Smart Living Community Awards
This year, we are introducing the Smart Living Community Awards for the first time, recognising collaboration, leadership, and demonstrable ESG impact across the student living ecosystem.
The awards span four categories: Smart Cross-Sector Collaboration, Smart Sustainability Initiatives, Smart Social Impact Initiatives, and Smart Leader of the Year.
The programme will conclude with the Smart Living Celebration, featuring live presentations from shortlisted nominees and a real-time voting process with participation from investors and operators, who will select the initiatives that best demonstrate meaningful impact and sector leadership.
Interested in taking part and being recognised by industry leaders at the event? Apply via the link below.
Agenda
Registration and Coffee
Welcome and Inspirational Talk
Market Realities: Higher Education and Student Experience
Market Realities: Investment and Legal
Lunch
Workshop
Panel Discussion
Site Tour
Sponsors.
Sponsor this event
Laura Wollard
,
Lavanda
Jaime Caruncho
,
Micampus Residencias
Emily Sims
,
Yugo
Henri Vuong
,
INREV
Brian Welsh
,
Nido
Jacob Chai
,
Common
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