Join us in London for a collaborative forum that will bring together leaders from government, higher education institutions, investors, and operators. Our mission at this event is to build robust public-private partnerships to address the student housing crisis, setting a visionary agenda and developing actionable plans to ensure student communities in the UK are resilient and future-ready.

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Ticket information:

The General Admission price for this event is €495.
The Partner Admission price is €320.

For inquiries about alternative admission options or to check if your organisation qualifies for a special rate, please contact us at info@theclassfoundation.com.

About the Event

The United Kingdom remains one of the world’s top destinations for higher education, attracting over 2.9 million students annually, including more than half of all postgraduate enrolments from abroad. But beneath this global strength lies a deepening student housing crisis.

Demand is accelerating by 2030, the number of UK university applicants is projected to surpass 900,000 annually. Yet new Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) delivery has slowed to under 10,000 beds per year, down from over 30,000 pre-pandemic. JLL forecasts a national core unmet demand of 190,000 student beds by 2030.

Affordability is a common challenge across the UK. 70% report anxiety over rent, and 59% say they struggle to pay. At the same time, regulatory complexity, difficulty in acquiring prime or strategically positioned sites, and rising construction (to name a few hurdles) have pushed rents, investment and operational costs to record highs. Without systemic coordination, the sector risks falling short — both in meeting student needs and in sustaining the UK’s competitive edge in global education.

The Student Living Forum UK is a strategic convening of the sector’s public and private leaders — to shape the National Action Framework (NAF): a roadmap to unlock delivery, support ESG-aligned investment, and ensure long-term sector viability. The NAF is grounded in four strategic pillars: Availability, Accessibility, Student Experience, and Collaboration — each essential for market growth and impact.

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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.

Apply for the Awards