2002-2003 General Overview

This year Unipol is building on its previous success as the main trainer looking specifically at policy, practice and innovation in the niche market of student accommodation. We are running 25 events in five locations throughout England. We are centring the majority of our training in York and London but we are holding some events in Leeds, Birmingham and Loughborough in order to try and share travelling times between attendees.

Unipol Training was established in 1991 and has established itself as the main trainer in the niche market of student accommodation. Unipol runs all of its training on a not for profit basis.

Additionally to training Unipol runs an email discussion group for those involved in various aspects of student accommodation www.unipol.leeds.ac.uk/conferences/mailing.html and a mailing list both by post and E-mail to keep people up to date with Unipol training events.

New for 2002-2003

The growing investment in student accommodation, the reshaping of institutional accommodation portfolios, the increasing number and diversity of students and their widening demands as consumers, are reflected in most events being held this year.

Of particular interest will be some new information on contractual obligations and liabilities with the Consumer Contracts Regulations and the Distance Selling Regulations, as well as the increasing clarity being brought through case law to the Human Rights Act.

The increasing outsourcing of student accommodation continues as a significant theme, in some specialist training intended for students' unions, in a revised seminar on the process of privatisation itself (building on our earlier successful events) and a new seminar looking at how the bidding processes actually work and what preferred bidder status means.

Two new modules also concentrate on selling and marketing accommodation, including dealing with parents.

Policy Conferences

Unipol is delighted to be administering the National Accreditation Network and there are a number of events looking at how voluntary accreditation can be used, in tandem with student accommodation provision, to set benchmark standards for students in the private sector.

Our commitment to exploring Universities and the Community is also reflected in a significant one day event to be held in Loughborough. In June 2003 Unipol are holding a major two day conference for senior staff, pulling together the best speakers and themes from within the sector to look at strategic issues 2002-2005.

Housing Management and Housing Rights

Unipol retains its commitment to providing practicaltraining for housing professionals working in the specialist and demanding area of student accommodation. Residential courses deal with housing management for new staff and our popular essential and advanced housing rights courses. Additional one day modules look at managing small houses and the changing role of residential staff managing university accommodation. A half day seminar will also look at efficient rent collection and debt collection procedures, increasingly necessary as HEIs become unsure of their rights to withhold degrees for non academic debt.

Training Resources and Unipol's Training Team

Once again, we are fortunate to have secured the services of Hilary Crook from Denison Till, solicitors and John Martin the barrister. Other core speakers are Elizabeth Beattie from Edinburgh and Dr Ray Buss, from Liverpool. Unipol speakers include Martin Blakey and Matthew Guy, both with wide training experience. Specialist speakers from the sector will continue to supplement this core training team.

Friends of Unipol Training

This year, for the first time, Unipol is able to reward institutions that have made us an important part of their own training requirements. Those institutions will receive a 15% discount on all events booked with us throughout the year and will be designated "Friends of Unipol Training". For those institutions who do not have that status automatically, it is possible to become a Friend of Unipol Training by paying an initial fee of £45 and then claiming the loyalty bonus of all subsequent courses. A separate leaflet in enclosed outlining how this system will work.

The Unipol Training Web Site

The schedule of Unipol Training events is kept fully up to date on the web and details are displayed there first before mailings are undertaken. You can also use the website to check availability of places, conference agendas, speaker details and location of each event. If one of the events mentioned in this brochure does not appear yet on the web, it means that details are still being finalised. New on the web is a follow-up information page with requests from delegates at conferences, this service is available to all Unipol training delegates.

Training Mission

Unipol training aims to interface specialist skills within the sector, provide information and an overview of core policy and operational issues and spread best practice. It encourages active participation from its many knowledgeable delegates. Reflecting the importance of those who work in a demanding and difficult sector, each event is held in a pleasant venue designed to maintain an atmosphere of professional informality. Ideas for future events are always welcomed from delegates and those attending are encouraged to be demanding to ensure their requirements are met, within the ever present constraints of available time.

Jarvis UPP

This year Unipol is delighted to announce that the training programme is being sponsored by Jarvis UPP as part of their commitment to promote best practice in student accommodation and Unipol's commitment to run an innovative, but affordable programme. Jarvis UPP are making a "without strings" single cash payment each year to Unipol for the next three years, which will enable Unipol to undertake more new events and keep prices down. Jarvis UPP have given Unipol full control over the programme and its content, reflecting their own commitment to honesty, transparency and getting the best deal.

We are looking forward to seeing you in our next training year and I hope you keep in touch with Unipol and our web site.