La Spanish Association of Student Residences (AREDE) has officially begun its activities as the new employers' association for university accommodation in Spain. The organization is being launched at a critical time, marked by a significant imbalance between the supply and demand for accommodation, both from domestic students and international students.
This new sector lobby brings together the main operators of Specifically designed student accommodations (PBSA), with the purpose of giving the sector a single voice, providing transparency and actively participating in the design of public policies that affect university housing and the educational environment.
An employers' association that controls almost half of the student beds
AREDE starts out comprised of eleven founding companies Together, they manage around 48.000-50.000 beds spread across 42 Spanish cities. This figure represents approximately 44% of the entire professionalized supply of university residences in the country, as well as more than 90% of the investment committed for new places in the short term.
The operators that are part of the association include Amro Holdco Spain, Camplus Ibérica, Micampus Living, Nido, Qurzon, Resa, Rockfield, Stephouse, Student Experience, Vita Spain Management and Yugo Students SpainThe entity's technical secretariat is managed by Andersen, which is responsible for legal and organizational support.
The members of AREDE, many of them backed by international funds and large investment managersThey represent approximately half of the beds in professionalized student residences that currently exist in the Spanish market and most of those that will be opened in the coming years.
According to calculations by the companies belonging to the employers' association, the joint forecast involves to develop approximately 25.000 new jobs in the medium term, with measures such as University VIVE PlanEven so, operators acknowledge that, even with this investment effort, the number of beds will still be insufficient to cover a deficit they describe as structural.
A growing sector facing a structural shortage of places
The president of AREDE, Marta Sanchez (also CEO of Resa), insists that accommodation is “a critical part of the university experience” and that residences should be considered essential infrastructure. The context in which the association was founded is marked by a combination of High student demand, shortage of specific places and strong tension in the rental market.
The Spanish university system has more than 160.000 international studentsIn addition, over 20% of national students move outside their region to pursue higher education. This mobility makes the need for specific student accommodation particularly intense when students decide to study abroad. study in a city.
In Spain they currently operate around 115.000 beds in student residencesAccording to industry estimates, however, the employers' association itself puts the figure at structural deficit of approximately 350.000 bedsThis leaves out a very significant portion of the student body from this type of accommodation, who end up resorting to the traditional rental market.
The comparison with Europe is unfavorable for the Spanish market: while the average coverage ratio in the European environment is around 18% of students with a place at PBSAIn Spain, it barely reaches 7%. In more mature markets, coverage even exceeds 30%, highlighting the existing gap and the need to accelerate the pace of development of new residences.
AREDE's objectives: common voice, transparency, and effective public policies
Given this scenario, the Spanish Association of Student Residences has set itself the priority to organize the sector and give it a common voice before universities, public administrations and other entities. The intention is to establish itself as a valid interlocutor when debating housing policies, urban planning and university internationalization strategies.
AREDE argues that the sector has reached a maturity phaseWith the presence of national and international operators, significant investment, and professionalized management models, the time has come, in the words of its president, to "provide transparency with data" and highlight the social, educational, economic, and urban impact of student residences.
One of the messages that the employers' association repeatedly conveys is that university residences are “critical infrastructure”They improve access to housing for young people, make universities more accessible and competitive, and provide an environment specifically designed for academic performance and student life.
Furthermore, AREDE wants to position itself as technical and knowledge reference on the sector. To this end, it plans to produce a White Paper with the main economic and social data related to residences, as well as various thematic reports, including one specifically on mental health in the university setting.
Record investment and the need to multiply the capital allocated to the PBSA
The arrival of the new employers' association coincides with a period of strong investment activity. According to industry data, student residences have attracted around 170 million euros in the first quarter of the year, marking a record high in the volume of capital allocated to this type of asset.
Despite this increase, the president of AREDE warns that the current volume is still insufficient. approach European coverage levelsThe sector would have to multiply investment tenfold, since, although records of invested capital are broken every year, the gap between available beds and demand remains very wide.
Operators point out that student residences have gone from being considered a alternative investment within alternative assets to become one of the favorite destinations for capital specializing in the "living" segment. This change has attracted large pension funds, international asset managers, and real estate platforms focused on medium- and long-term rentals.
Furthermore, the shortage of student accommodation is not limited to Spain. Across Europe, industry estimates point to a shortage of around three million bedsThis is a problem that is exacerbated in the most attractive university destinations, among which Spain is one of the most popular worldwide.
Public-private partnerships and changes of use: levers for growth
AREDE considers the following key public-private partnership to promote orderly and sufficient growth in the supply of residences, with examples such as the residences for university students from public centersThe employers' association views positively the concession model implemented by various public universities, as well as the plans of some administrations to activate land designated for educational and residential facilities.
Companies in the sector are also requesting, greater administrative agility In the processing of new projects, the aim is to reduce timelines, facilitate investment, and adjust room prices. Local councils are being asked to facilitate changes in land use for certain plots or buildings to incorporate more student accommodation in areas with particularly high demand.
Traditionally, many university residences have been developed on public facilities landThis is precisely due to the high cost of other types of urban land. The employers' association is open to exploring new formats and locations, provided that regulations allow for compatible uses and that the economic viability of the projects is guaranteed.
The association also emphasizes that student residences They do not compete with conventional housingSince they are usually located on land designated for public facilities rather than residential use, their presence can contribute to improving the quality of life in the neighborhoods where they are located, by concentrating student accommodation in buildings specifically designed for this purpose.
Impact on the rental market and coexistence with neighbors
One of the central arguments that AREDE puts on the table is the role of care homes when it comes to relieve pressure on the rental marketThe employers' association argues that, by increasing the supply of places specifically for students, numerous homes currently used as shared apartments by university students would be freed up.
Some operators cite the case of Madrid as an example. In the capital, it is estimated that there are approximately 320.000-330.000 university studentsOf these, around 150.000-160.000 need accommodation because they come from outside the city. However, the city's university residences only have about 20.000 beds, forcing tens of thousands of young people to resort to traditional rentals.
The sector argues that, if a significant increase in availability of places in residencesThis could free up to 100.000 homes in a city like Madrid, which would help reduce some of the current tension in the rental market, especially in the most sought-after neighborhoods.
The operators also point out that living together in residential blocks is not always easy when there is a high number of apartments occupied by studentsTherefore, they argue that concentrating this demand in buildings specifically designed for university use helps both students, who find services adapted to their needs, and neighbors, who see a reduced impact on their communities.
Manifesto of good practices and focus on student well-being
Along with the announcement of its creation, AREDE has presented the First Manifesto of good practices in student residencesThis is a common framework for action to which the eleven founding operators have voluntarily adhered. The document aims to raise the sector's standards and establish clear commitments, especially regarding resident students.
The Manifesto places special emphasis on the comprehensive well-being of young peopleWith a strong focus on mental health, conflict prevention and management, and the creation of spaces that foster community, the residences are conceived not only as places to sleep and study, but as environments for shared living and mutual support.
In addition to the social aspect, the text incorporates commitments regarding sustainability, business ethics, good governance and quality employmentThe employers' association thus aims to reinforce the image of care homes as purpose-driven businesses that seek to combine economic profitability with a positive impact on their environment.
On an operational level, the sector aims to consolidate a model of professional management and 360 servicesThis ranges from academic support and personal guidance to a variety of cultural and sporting activities. Regarding prices, the companies cite a wide range, approximately between 500 and 1.500 euros per month, depending on the location, room type, and included services.
Next steps: White Paper, sector data and specific studies
AREDE's roadmap for the coming months includes the development of a White Paper on the student accommodation sectorThis project aims to compile key economic, social, and educational data related to these accommodations. The objective is to establish a solid statistical foundation upon which to base public policy proposals and investment decisions.
At the same time, the association is working on different specialized reportsAmong these documents is a study on mental health in the university environment. With these types of reports, the employers' association aims to contribute to the debate on what student residences of the future should be like and what role they should play in providing emotional and academic support to students.
The organization also aspires to consolidate itself as permanent channel of dialogue with universities and administrations, to coordinate the creation of new places, adapt the regulations to the reality of the sector and ensure that the expansion of the supply is accompanied by homogeneous quality standards throughout the territory.
AREDE insists that the university residence sector is in a phase of accelerated maturationDriven by the arrival of new investors and a more diverse, international, and demanding student profile, the employers' association presents itself as a tool to guide growth and ensure that the expansion of offerings goes hand in hand with best practices and collaboration with other stakeholders.
With the establishment of the Spanish Association of Student Residences, the university accommodation market in Spain takes another step towards professionalization, articulating a a single voice calling for more investment, clear rules, and public-private cooperation to meet rising student demand. At the same time, the new employers' association emphasizes the well-being of young people, the social impact, and the need for student residences to help alleviate pressure on the rental market, consolidating their role as an essential part of the educational and urban ecosystem.
