Future of student housing: meeting emerging student needs

Abstract

Purpose

The paper aims to examine the current state of on-campus student housing, emerging student needs and forecast possible scenarios for the student housing market by the year 2030.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper describes Houston Framework Foresight Method.

Findings

The percentage of students that are traditional college-age, those most interested in living on campus, is becoming smaller. Increasingly, the markets of growth for colleges and universities is found by engaging students at a distance. Additionally, even students that live within commuting distance to campus often attend classes by virtual means and improved delivery technologies will only make this option more attractive. Many on-campus housing strategic plans contain buildings that meet the needs of the students of today not the students of tomorrow. By assessing the impact of the key trends, administrators can make better choices for their campus.

Research limitations/implications

Recommendations are based on a combination of the best available research and analysis and is not intended to act as a predictor of the future. This paper presents only one of many possible futures that were developed based on recognized forecasting methods.

Originality/value

This paper presents a recommended response for administrators to consider when approaching student housing projects over the next decade.

Citation

McBride, Y. (2017), "Future of student housing: meeting emerging student needs", On the Horizon, Vol. 25 No. 3, pp. 190-196. https://doi.org/10.1108/OTH-05-2017-0026