The Forthcoming Year - This Year's Focus: Incremental Improvement
Introduction and New Training Services
The next year will see accommodation services pressed ever harder to deliver a quality product within tight budget lines. Efficiency, revenue performance and high quality management will be at the forefront of student housing this coming year.
As part of Unipol's commitment to working within existing resources, this year our training prices have been kept to last year's levels and the Unipol Friends Scheme has been broadened out to offer bigger discounts from regular users. The new scheme also recognises that institutions often wish to send more than one delegate to an event as part of a team building exercise and we now offer a three delegates for the price of two that makes this more possible.
We have also revamped and launched a new Discussion Board that enables delegates to keep in contact with each other throughout the year and raise issues of common interest and solutions and delegates will now be able to download papers after the event if they want copies. A new Subscription Scheme will also give institutions access to all of Unipol's training papers presented during the year.
Theme of the Year
Unipol's main theme this year, after a period of unprecedented growth and change, will be how can incremental improvement be achieved within existing resources.
Many student accommodation providers have raised their game over the years and there are few poor providers - but this does not mean improvements cannot be made. For many managers and providers there are no "quick wins" any more and improvement means hard work gradually lifting service levels and making them more appropriate to fast changing needs from consumers and educational institutions.
As both higher and further education becomes more competitive, the quality of the student experience and the important part accommodation has to play in that will also become more important.
Property management, student needs and techniques are at the forefront of this year's programme and a number of training courses, seminars and conferences deal with changes that are needed and events will seek out best practice that can feed creativity throughout the sector.
This year will also focus on the requirements of different user groups in different types of accommodation. 18 year old first year students have different demands from returning students. postgraduate as international students. Larger complexes have different management requirements and techniques compared to smaller building and of-street houses. This year a number of special events will concentrate on service requirements and delivery for different niche groups.
Within these main themes, Unipol is committed to maintaining its lead in the whole raft of information, advice and development of student accommodation services and these fit into the following themes (links are given to relevant events under each heading):
Emerging Trends and Issues
The demand and supply of student accommodation now varies between high levels of surplus and areas where there is still a shortage. Many institutions have, or continue, to expand their first year direct allocations so that all those who want a place in hall can have one. This is being undertaken at a time of increasing fluctuation in the higher education market and risk of voids caused by unpredictability is increasing. A number of events deal with these issues:
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The Nottingham Research and its Application to Larger Universities
Unipol is also running a major one day conference with the Charted Institute of Environmental Health and the National Union of Students looking at how recent regulation has affected students throughout England and Wales. What effect has licensing had? Is increased regulation creating better housing conditions or a mound of paperwork from the good landlords with the bad landlords untouched?
Sustainability is another important upcoming issue. Unipol will undertake a one day event to examine how sustainability can be incorporated into both new and existing student accommodation and how tenant behaviour can be changed to appreciate, co-operate and promote sustainable initiatives.
Practical Housing Management
This area has never been more important, linking together managing both the tenants and the property. Housing management and good customer care and management skills rely on good information, the right motivation and excellent interpersonal skills. Several events pick up these themes:
- An Introduction to Student Housing Management Welcoming and Arrivals Collecting Rent
- Student Wardens and On Site Services
- End of Tenancy
- Managing Complexes
After a number of requests, a new two day seminar Student Housing Management: Achieving Incremental Improvement will pick up the main theme of the year. Designed to act as a pool of best practice and a refresher course for those already involved and experienced in student housing the seminar will explore a number of key areas where the right approach can bring improvements within the existing resource base.
Special Needs Groups in Student Accommodation
The diversity and special needs of certain groups are fully recognised within the training profile and a number of new events will be held dealing with specific needs of specific groups:
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Homestay
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Disability
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Managing Difficult Tenants
Unipol’s commitment to looking at the law as it applies specifically to student tenants and property providers continues. Much recent regulation and legislation continues to be reinterpreted as it beds down.
Unipol’s Essential and Advanced Housing Rights courses provide two three day rigorous, but enjoyable, courses that are designed to give participants in-depth knowledge and understanding of the housing rights field.
Other events include:
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Managing Difficult Tenants
Accreditation, the Government Approved Codes of Practice and ANUK
Accreditation in student accommodation is once again being seen as an important part of maintaining quality in student housing, particularly for returning students. A one day course will look at why accreditation is important and how it can be developed
A one day conferences will look at the Approved Codes of Practice and look at how those Codes can, and are, being used to improve management and standards. Self assessment, verification and audit will all be examined as will the concept of continual improvement. Those involved in the writing and development of both Codes will be actively involved in leading delegates.
Unipol is pleased to maintain its association with the Accreditation Network UK and will organise their next annual conference in London. This is the premier event of the year for all of those involved in accreditation and provides an excellent networking opportunity. ANUK always needs more members and membership details can be found on their website www.anuk.org.uk which gives access to specialist information and the informative, and substantial, regular newsletters (as well as a big discount on the conference cost).
Health and Safety
The Housing Health and Safety Ratings system is the bedrock of risk assessment for housing stock today. In the last year there have been significant developments in what constitutes fire safety standards with the new LACORS guidance and the Regulatory Reform Order (RRO). There is also a raft of health and safety regulation that affects student housing. A number of events dealing with these issues are being held:
Student Care
Student care has never been more important and many events include important sessions of the student care aspects of providing a high quality accommodation service.
This year there are a number of one day courses on anti social behaviour, the best use of on site services (residential staff, wardens, reception and security staff and using students), the uses ands abuses of student disciplinary procedures and using mediation to intervene in tenant support.
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Disability in Student Accommodation
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Managing Difficult Tenants
A new one day conference, towards the end of the year, will be held on the uses of social networking through the fast developing high tech world of Face book and no Twitter. What uses are these systems and how can they improve communication to students in the area of housing services?
Unipol and In House Training
A rapidly growing area of Unipol's training is the provision of dedicated events to inform, motivate and involve those involved in the area of student housing. Unipol has a wide range of trainers and can respond to specific requests for in house training to be held in our training suite in Leeds (link) or at your own premises or a chosen dedicated venue. Training can involve group work, team building exercises and case work examples highlighting issues. Last year, modules about student care, the training of student wardens and on site staff, under 18's and Health and Safety were all particularly popular.
Unipol also undertakes a popular one day training course for smaller private landlords either renting to students or planning to.
For further information contact conferences@unipol.leeds.org.uk
Friends of Unipol Training Discount Scheme
The Friends of Unipol Training Discount Scheme rewards regular delegates with a 15% discount, 3 delegates for the price of 2, and a priority booking system. Last year 38 organisations joined as Friends. For further information, please see the Friends of Unipol Training Discount Scheme pages.
Conclusion
Unipol appreciates the diversity that exists within the higher education system and in student accommodation: there is no "one size fits all" set of solutions or procedures within this diverse sector.
Unipol aims to set out options, give clear and understandable examples of good practice and aims to help you in deciding what is best within your system.
No one doubts our commitment to promoting the best in student housing and no one doubts our delegates' commitment to continual and incremental improvement.
We are all in a people business: customer care, management techniques, when to intervene and how to manage itself all rely upon complex and expert personal judgements. Unipol training is designed to respect both needs and skills whilst providing essential information to do the job properly. It aims to built both teams and confidence whilst improving motivation. Investment in human resources, difficult thought it can sometimes be, will always be repaid by greater commitment and better services.
Thank you for your continuing support of our programme and we look forward to seeing you this year at an event. If you feel there are issues we should be covering, or you need further information about, please do not hesitate to contact us on conferences@unipol.leeds.ac.uk
Have a good academic year.
