The student accommodation market is booming with a record number of 18-year-olds in the UK starting full-time higher education in the last year. In addition to UK students, the number of international students is also rising, even in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, students' needs have changed – their demands and expectations are dramatically different than those of a generation ago, especially as more of their educational and social lives move online. Internet solutions for purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) can provide students with a home away from home with all the digital technologies they are accustomed to.
What Is Purpose-built Student Accommodation?
As the name suggests, purpose-built student accommodation is any accommodation that has been specifically built for university students.
Purpose-built student accommodation can be entire halls of residence containing upgraded facilities such as bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, modern dining and living facilities, and a shared kitchen. Other accommodation can take the form of self-contained flats or apartments with private kitchens and communal living areas.
Creating a Home from Home
The popularity of purpose-built student accommodation for international students makes sense. Arriving in an entirely new country to live and study, it’s only natural that they’d want an environment that has been built with their needs in mind. UK students too are increasingly aware of the type and the specifics of where they want to base themselves.
With more online learning comes the need for more space to study and excellent connectivity. From secure entry systems, high-speed internet connections and both private and communal areas, purpose-built student accommodation is designed to offer all the luxuries of a home from home.
A Tech-friendly Way to Live
Students today have grown up with technology and it’s an integral part of their day-to-day lives. From providing charger points for phones and laptops with every desk, to offering super-fast broadband, technology will play a key part in any purpose-built student accommodation.
For developers, it’s important to consider the infrastructure required to support the tech-friendly way that students live their lives. Leisure time spent playing online video games will require low latency, and high demand at peak times of day will require broadband that can withstand the pressure of multiple users. Purpose-built student accommodation that takes a tech-friendly approach to both private and communal living areas will be set for success.
Collaborative Spaces with a Sense of Community
Just as working hubs and co-working spaces are popular with a new set of workers that work from home, collaborative spaces play a key role in purpose-built student accommodation.
Connectivity and communication – whether online or face to face – are essential for the wellbeing and mental health of students. Avoiding potential for students to become isolated or lonely is a key concern for many universities and further education institutions.
By creating collaborative spaces where students can work together or the online management of meeting rooms and community spots, developers of purpose-built student accommodation can help them gain a sense of community.
Glide’s Student Accommodation Internet Solutions
As the only student broadband provider with its own fibre network, Glide is exceptionally well placed to help implement the required technology in purpose-built student accommodation.
Providing the fastest possible speeds, Glide plays a part in giving students the best chance to excel in their studies. From easy downloads and uploads, to minimal glitching on video calls with professors, they can work more efficiently throughout their educational careers.
However, seamless managed wifi connections will not only assist in fulfilling their academic potential. In purpose-built student accommodation, they can expect to enjoy instant communication with fellow students, a positive social experience, and the chance to interact and play a part in their immediate community.
