Unite Students Accommodation Matters

Unite Students

Accommodation Matters brings sector experts together to discuss the Higher Education sector’s key issues through the lens of student accommodation. Join hosts Jenny Shaw and Jen Steadman each month for a lively round table chat with university student accommodation leaders from across the UK, national policy experts and subject specialists. Focusing in on topical issues, we’ll explore student accommodation and the student living experience within its broad context, talk about what’s happening right now and look at what might be coming over the horizon.

  1. 20/08/2025

    S09E06: Wellbeing and the class of 2025

    With a new academic year just weeks away, we’re looking at the class of 2025 – and the factors that influence their wellbeing. Our expert panel discusses how key factors like part-time work, sense of community, loneliness and settling into a new city can impact student wellbeing, and what universities and accommodation providers can do to help new students settle into their new city. Join host Jenny Shaw and this month’s expert panel: Nick Hillman, Director at the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) Rebecca O’Hare, Assistant Director for Residence Life & Accommodation Office at University of Leeds Becca Hayhurst, Head of Resident Experience at Unite Students Accommodation Matters brings together sector experts to discuss the Higher Education sector's key issues through the lens of student accommodation. This episode was recorded on 6th August 2025 and produced by Ed Palmer. If you’d like to share feedback on the 2025 Applicant Index report with Unite Students, please get in touch at hello@unitestudents.com. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are the personal views of individual guest speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Unite Students and/or Unite Group plc.

    40 min

  2. 26/06/2025

    S09E05: Joint venture partnerships

    They’ve made headlines and opened up a whole new opportunity for the future of student accommodation… so, in this very special episode of Accommodation Matters, we’re exploring joint venture (JV) partnerships. This half-hour episode will tell you everything you need to know about JVs – why universities are choosing JVs, the benefits to universities, students and the local community, and the challenges of implementation. Join host Jenny Shaw and this month’s expert panel: Joe Lister, Chief Executive at Unite Students Jane Robinson, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Engagement and Place at Newcastle University Dr Stephen Bloye, Director of Campus Services at Manchester Metropolitan University Accommodation Matters brings together sector experts to discuss the Higher Education sector's key issues through the lens of student accommodation. This episode was recorded on 17th and 19th June 2025 and produced by Ed Palmer. If you’d like to discuss joint venture opportunities with Unite Students, please get in touch with Moray Notman (moray.notman@unitestudents.com). Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are the personal views of individual guest speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Unite Students and/or Unite Group plc.

    31 min

  3. 22/05/2025

    S09E04: Refurbishments: Future-proofing student accommodation

    Every building needs a refresh at some point. Whether it’s adapting amenity spaces to meet changing student needs or refreshing the look of bedrooms, a refurbishment can unlock significant improvements in student and employee satisfaction. But balancing budgets against quality and student expectations is easier said than done. So, this month’s episode is a deep dive into refurbishments – how to do them right, and their hidden benefits. The conversation covers: When to refurbish a property How to deliver in-occupancy refurbishments How refurbishments drive value for money Making your refurbished buildings more sustainable How to future-proof a refurbishment Hosted as ever by the inimitable Jenny Shaw, this month’s expert panel includes: Nikki Todd, Managing Director at Fortis Vision Karan Khanna, Chief Operating Officer at Unite Students Roscoe Chubb, Head of Asset & Fund Management at Unite Students Accommodation Matters brings together sector experts to discuss the Higher Education sector’s key issues through the lens of student accommodation. This episode was recorded on 13th and 14th May 2025 and produced by Ed Palmer. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are the personal views of individual guest speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Unite Students and/or Unite Group plc.   Resources Want to see what the refurbished properties mentioned in the episode look like? Check them out on our student website: Sherren House, London Cedar House, Liverpool Station Court, London Stapleton House, London Follow Unite Students on LinkedIn to hear about all the latest refurbishment and development updates: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unite-group-plc/

    40 min

  4. 23/04/2025

    S09E03: What does student satisfaction look like in 2025?

    In an increasingly competitive student market, understanding the drivers of student satisfaction has never been more important. This month, we’re getting into what student satisfaction looks like in 2025. Hosted by Jenny Shaw, our panel covers what satisfaction surveys tell us about student needs, the role of quality, wellbeing and value for money, and what might drive satisfaction for Generation Alpha when they arrive at university in a few years. This month’s expert panel includes: Sarah Ead, Head of Insight at Global Student Living James Greenwood, Head of Residential Life at London School of Economics and Political Science Paul Watson, Group Operations Director at Unite Students Accommodation Matters brings together sector experts to discuss the Higher Education sector’s key issues through the lens of student accommodation. This episode was recorded on 10th April 2024 and produced by Ed Palmer. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are the personal views of individual guest speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Unite Students and/or Unite Group plc.

    38 min

  5. 05/03/2025

    S09E02: Compassion - Student wellbeing’s newest buzzword

    ‘Compassion’ is the word of the moment in the HE sector. But why, and what does that look like in practice? Join host Jenny Shaw and an expert panel for a deep dive into how compassion is shaping new approaches across UK Higher Education, in student support and beyond. This lively discussion covers how compassionate communications can enhance the student experience, how to integrate compassion into your organisation’s policies and procedures, and examples of this in practice across accommodation and university functions. Our expert panel includes: Dr Kathryn Waddington, Emeritus Fellow in Psychology at University of Westminster Julia Hunt, Mental Health Clinical Lead at University of Central Lancashire Katy Lemmon, Accommodation Manager at University of Liverpool Becca Hayhurst, Head of Resident Experience at Unite Students Accommodation Matters brings together sector experts to discuss the Higher Education sector’s key issues through the lens of student accommodation. This episode was recorded on Monday 24th February 2024 and was produced by Ed Palmer. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are the personal views of individual guest speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Unite Students and/or Unite Group plc.   Resources The Higher Education Mental Health Implementation Taskforce (HEMHIT)’s Compassionate Communication Statement is available to download from Nottingham Trent University’s website: https://www.ntu.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0030/2526771/Compassionate-Communication-Statement.pdf Read more about Unite Students’ CARE service philosophy on our website: https://www.unitegroup.com/articles/student-support-resident-experience Find out more about Unite Students’ Support to Stay framework on our website: https://www.unitegroup.com/articles/student-support-to-stay-unite-students Learn more about the Nurture-U and Compassionate Campus initiatives at the Nurture-U website: www.nurtureuniversity.co.uk   Dr Kathryn Waddington is currently writing a book called 'How to be a Compassionate Academic' and would love to hear stories from listeners where compassion has been brought to life through small acts of kindness. These will be used with permission and anonymised in the book, for more details please email Kathryn at: k.waddington@westminster.ac.uk with 'BOOK' in the subject line.

    37 min

  6. 28/10/2024

    S09E01: Designing community in student accommodation

    Season 9 launches with something a little bit different. To celebrate four years of Accommodation Matters, we took the show on the road to GSL Live and recorded a live episode! Join host Jenny Shaw for a lively panel discussion about designing community within student accommodation – including how the physical design can support community-building, the role of accommodation teams, whether themed accommodation works, and how to measure the success of community-building events. Our panel includes: Jo Blair, Head of Specification at Unite Students Paul Mercer, Director at Kaplan Living Vanya Campbell, Engagement Manager at the University of Essex Accommodation Matters brings together sector experts to discuss the Higher Education sector’s key issues through the lens of student accommodation. This episode was recorded on Thursday 17th October 2024 at GSL Live and was produced by Ed Palmer. Thanks to Hannah Colbran and Sarah Ead at Global Student Living for helping to organise the session, to James King for providing technical assistance on the day, and to our GSL Live audience. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are the personal views of individual guest speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Unite Students and/or Unite Group plc.   Resources Read more about the support that Unite Students offers on our website: https://www.unitegroup.com/articles/student-support-resident-experience

    44 min

  7. 26/09/2024

    Bonus episode: What we know about the Class of 2024

    In July, Unite Students launched the 2024 Applicant Index: an in-depth look at the needs and concerns of this year’s university applicants. We recorded an episode about the findings at the time – now, as these applicants take up their places at university, we’re sharing our full interview with Nick Hillman, Director at the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) to give you even more insights into your first-year students. Host Jenny Shaw and Nick get into topics including: Trends we’re seeing across three years of Applicant Index data How this year’s applicants feel about finance The impact of socioeconomic disparity on applicant confidence The future of Higher Education Accommodation Matters brings together sector experts to discuss the Higher Education sector’s key issues through the lens of student accommodation. This episode was recorded on 19th July 2024 and produced by Ed Palmer. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are the personal views of individual guest speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Unite Students and/or Unite Group plc.   Resources You can download the reports mentioned in this episode from Unite Students’ website, including: Applicant Index 2024 [July 2024] Living Black at University [February 2022] You can download the latest HEPI/Advance HE Student Academic Experience Survey from HEPI’s website. [June 2024] You can watch the HEPI/Unite Students launch day webinar on the Applicant Index on YouTube. [July 2024] On 17th October, we’re recording our first ever live episode of Accommodation Matters at the GSL Live conference! If you’d like to join us, you can get tickets from the GSL Live website – we’d love to see you there.

    21 min

  8. 28/08/2024

    S08E07: Innovations and inspiration for 2024/25

    The Higher Education sector is full of ideas for improving student life. Last year, we asked our listeners to get in touch with what ideas and initiatives they’d launched in their accommodation – and our listeners loved it. So we’re doing it all over again. Join host Jen Steadman for this month’s episode of Accommodation Matters, where you’ll hear about initiatives to promote inclusion, safety and sustainability. Among other ideas, we look at a new app that's helping to build student communities, a student safety campaign that's brought together nine universities, and a podcast by and for students to support with belonging. Our contributors include: Pete Collins, Partnership and Engagement Manager at University of Birmingham Ellie Drave, Product Manager at Unite Students James Greenwood, Head of Residential Life at London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) Laura Burge, Senior Manager for Gender Equity, Respect and Inclusion at Deakin University Milana, Social Media Co-ordinator at the Unite Foundation Helen Strachan, Sustainability Manager at Unite Students Chloe Lloyd, Environment Manager at Unite Students Accommodation Matters brings together sector experts to discuss the Higher Education sector’s key issues through the lens of student accommodation. This episode was recorded throughout August 2024 and produced by Ed Palmer. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are the personal views of individual guest speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Unite Students and/or Unite Group plc.   Resources Download the Unite Students Applicant Index from the Unite Students website. Learn more about LSE’s consent education campaign from their Consent video on YouTube. Read more about the Respect at Uni campaign from Deakin University’s website. Find out about the Unite Foundation’s scholarship, and download their podcast, from their website This Is Us At Uni – and the All Of Us community for estranged and care-experienced students at www.allofus.uk.

    33 min
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Accommodation Matters brings sector experts together to discuss the Higher Education sector’s key issues through the lens of student accommodation. Join hosts Jenny Shaw and Jen Steadman each month for a lively round table chat with university student accommodation leaders from across the UK, national policy experts and subject specialists. Focusing in on topical issues, we’ll explore student accommodation and the student living experience within its broad context, talk about what’s happening right now and look at what might be coming over the horizon.

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