27 February 2026 
Martin Higgs, Communications and Campaigns Manager
We are pleased today to be able to share the report of the recent roundtable discussion, co-hosted with Sheppard Robson, on PBSAs. You can find the report at the links below.
The event, on 10 February, brought together AUDE members and a range of architects, designers and other interested parties to discuss the current state of Purpose Built Student Accommodation. It was a fascinating discussion and we can now share the report of the event. We know this is a tough subject and that member universities are in a wide range of positions. Some have voids. Some feel tied into long term contracts that are currently not delivering. Some are badly hit by the shift towards ‘the commuter student’, travelling distances not seen before and perhaps couch-surfing their way through the week. Some are looking to refresh or refurb their PBSA offer, including a ‘back to the future’ reassessment of accommodation that has perhaps gradually shifted to an unaffordable over-specification. Amidst conflicting ideas of what we should do, how to we build in a way that will last? Thankyou to all involved in the discussion as well as those that have created the report – a great read on a very interesting theme.
