Third Term Programme

This term's programme reflects the considerable changes taking place within the fast moving student accommodation sector.

Practical Training

The term opens with The Special Aspects of Managing Small Houses with Student Occupants on Friday 8th April 2005, here in Leeds.

On Wednesday 18th to Friday 20th May 2005 in York is the Advanced Housing Advice Skills three day module. The event is designed to give delegates an advanced understanding of the law of tenancy, nuisance and disrepair and includes hands on group work that enables in depth operational knowledge to be both acquired and honed. This popular module has a few places left on it but is close to being booked up.

The Student Care Agenda

On 11th April 2005, in London, we are holding a new one day seminar looking at The Growth of Residential Student Wardens in Student Accommodation. The day explores the growing need and response for pastoral care and provides three case examples of where new arrangements have recently been put in place. London Metropolitan University, Leicester DeMontfort and the University of Bradford. There is also an update on employment law as it affects those living within student accommodation developments. The event is already full, but may be re-run next year if there is sufficient interest.

On Wednesday 1st June in central London another new seminar picks up the same theme with Dealing with Anti Social Behaviour in Student Accommodation. This one day event picks up on a number of new tenancy support systems being developed around the country and looks at the role of increased information and intervention to combat anti social behaviour. This seminar is also taking place on Wednesday 3rd June in York.

Promoting Good Practice

On Monday 23rd May in a one day seminar held in Edinburgh we are looking at Successful Student Schemes. This considers new developments in Edinburgh, St Andrews, Leeds and London and looks at why they happened in the way they did, what worked and what did not and what lessons have been learnt: both positive and negative. The day should be both participatory and stimulating

Policy and Practice

On Thursday 23rd June and Friday 24th June 2005 we are holding our two yearly two day seminar in Central London, Student Accommodation: Contributing to the Challenge of the Student Experience which takes a "big picture" look at trends and future developments in the student accommodation arena. The event is designed for senior staff (both within HEIs and in the private sector) with responsibility for developing and running large student accommodation portfolios.

Aside from the general theme looking at intake trends, the onset of top-up fees and summarising recent and likely developments in the sector, three other main themes will be covered:

Added Value and Customer Care; Using the Private Sector Effectively: Private Sector Partnerships and the Growth of Accountability. Further details can be found on the main section of the Website from 15th April 2005.

As ever, the event will take the format of a "round table" extended discussion, allowing time for intervention, change, reflection and networking in a pleasant central London hotel. Those presenting will be key leaders in their own fields with extensive experience of the sector.

Finally on Friday 8th July 2005, Unipol Training will be running a one day conference looking at the impact the Housing Act 2004 will have on the sector. By that time details of the full implementation process, due to begin on September 2005, will be available. This will be a "hands on" analysis of how the Act will affect providers, looking at:

• the Housing Health and Safety Ratings System (HHSRS)
• licensing HMOs
• the Role of Additional Licensing
• local authority responses to implementation in HEI areas
• the deposit protection schemes
• training
• the role of accreditation and Codes of Practice

The event will be held at the Law Society in London

This will bring to a close our programme for the 2004-2005 year which will have run 23 dedicated events, 4 of them residential 2 and 3 day courses, 3 large one day conferences and the remainder being participatory events designed to identify issues, promote best practice and improve networking.

In the current year over 1,600 delegates have attended Unipol events and we have had over 45 speakers, many of them active not only as speakers but participants in Unipol training: a bit thank you to all those who have made their knowledge, expertise and information available and to those who have supported the programme by attending - we hope to see you either later this year or next year.

In House Training

Unipol undertakes a considerable amount of in house training and has a programme of some 25 modules that can be tailored to meet specific in house needs. Please contact Sally Dodds if you need any further information about this service. Soon a separate section of the training Web site will provide this information directly to you.

New Ideas

In the spirit of its own training philosopy, Unipol Training is always keen to take on new ideas for any events, and if you than an important and developing area is being overlooked, please let us have your thoughts and ideas: they will be greatly appreciated.

Martin J Blakey

Chief Executive

The programme for 2005-2006 will be available by the end of July 2005