The 5th Annual Africa Affordable, Purpose-Built Student Accommodation Summit to be hosted in Johannesburg

Johannesburg: November 22, 2023. The ?5th Annual Africa Affordable Student accommodation Summit and Expo 2023-Johannesburg Forum will be hosted on the 29th and 30th November 2023 at the Southern Sun Hotel, Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa. The summit and Expo which ?is the largest student housing event in Africa is premised on the acknowledgement of the critical role affordable, safe and secure student accommodation plays in the success of students and their overall welfare.

As the most diverse and representative summit on the continent, ?the summit seeks to address the critical shortage of affordable purpose-built student accommodation in South Africa through a multi stakeholder approach and brings together all key stakeholders in the Student Housing and Accommodation sector, Universities, TVET Colleges, Private Student Housing Operators, Developers, Industry Associations, Industry Regulators, Building and Construction, Financial Services, Development Finance Institutions, Proptech and Building Technology Firms, Asset Owners and Managers, Higher Education Departments, Municipalities, Property and Real Estate Industry and Student Housing Suppliers. The summit follows the successful hosting of the Cape Town summit in March 2023 which brought together over 160 physical and over 100 online delegates drawn from over 25 countries and more than 50 local and international expert speakers.

This years summit has additional? features which include premium and non-premium sections; Summit and Conference, ?Expo and Exhibition Area, Dragons Den (Pitch and Deal Rooms, and the Investment Opportunity section

Speaking during the announcement, the convener and programme director of the summit Mr. Stephen Munyao nyao highlighted the need to accelerate the development of affordable student housing in the country saying, “ with an annual enrolment of over 1 milion students at institutions of higher learning, South Africa currently has a shortage of over 500?000 beds which impacts students negatively”. He added that “ financing remains a key challenge and we need to pool together both private and public capital to bridge the financing gap” he says.

“ with an annual enrolment of over 1 milion students at institutions of higher learning, South Africa currently has a shortage of over 500?000 beds which impacts students negatively”. He added that “ financing remains a key challenge and we need to pool together both private and public capital to bridge the financing gap”

Over 50 local, continental speakers are lined up to speak at the two day event and delegates are expected to learn everything pertaining to the financing, development, management of student housing, new building and technological solutions in the industry as well as innovative financing models for the sector. In addition to the summit will be the expo zone which is open to the public which has various stakeholders exhibiting. Mr Munyao says? “ this is the largest number of exhibitors we have attracted since the launch of the summit over six years ago” and hopes to grow the number at the next summit in Durban in 2024.

A key highlight f the summit will be the “ Dragons Den” where participants will have a chance to make an “elevator pitch” to a group? of investors. The most innovative and sustainable pitches will then be considered for further discussions and potential funding.

To register to attend, speak or exhibit Register here

#studentacommodation #studenthousing #studentlife

Notes to editors

About the summit.

The summit which has been hosted successfully for the last five years is part of the Africa series of summits hosted in Southern, East and West/North Africa to address and find solutions to the affordable student housing supply gaps across the continent. The summits also endeavour to engage key stakeholders in the higher education, building and construction and financial sector to come up with strategies to improve the welfare, safety, quality and to enhance security of students as well as to provide students with affordable and enabling environments conducive for learning, academic excellence and personal development.

Background and opportunities for key stakeholders

As a student housing stakeholder, you would be keen to learn all the latest trends, developments, insights and best practices (local and international) in the student housing and accommodation sector. This is an official invitation to attend, present, speak, exhibit, launch or showcase your products and services, meet universities and TVET colleges and private student housing procurement representatives, explore business and investment opportunities, or find out how to secure funding for expansion. Further find out all the requirements for supplying and servicing student housing from universities, financiers, and government -and even meet potential partners for your business. If these are part of your business objectives then we would like to invite you and your colleagues to attend, speak, exhibit, sponsor or partner in one way or another at Africa’s largest student housing summit during 5th Annual Africa Affordable Student accommodation Summit 2023-Johannesburg Forum to be hosted on the 29th and 30th November 2023 at the Southern Sun Hotel, Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa. ?

The summit in its 5th year and hosted in Southern, East and West Africa is the single largest event on the African continent focusing on affordable purpose-built student housing and accommodation . Hosted previously in South Africa for the last five years, the 5th continental showpiece will be hosted in Cape Town and also in Kenya and Nigeria for the East and West Africa regions respectively. Following the successes of the Inaugural Affordable Student Housing Summit in 2019 (Johannesburg),? 2nd Annual Summit in 2020 (Johannesburg)? and the 3rd Annual summit 2021 hosted at the Sun city Resort in the Northwest province, South Africa and the 4th Annual Summit hosted at the Hilton Hotel, Sandton, South Africa- together with key stakeholders, developers, contractors, Investors, Financiers and Universities, Africa Insights?and its industry partners will stage yet another successful Africa Affordable Purpose Built Student Accommodation Summit 2023 in Sandton, Jophannesburg, ?South Africa.

Estimated Current Shortages

Universities across South Africa and the region do not have sufficient and purpose-built student accommodation with almost half of the enrolled students unable to secure on-campus accommodation. The current estimated shortages in South Africa alone is exceed 500 000 beds at Universities, TVETs and other colleges across the country with demand expected to increase to around 750?000 by 2025 according to some published reports. This worrisome state of affairs given the significance of appropriate accommodation to the overall welfare and wellbeing of students; as well as the impact it has on overall performance of students has forced students to live in deplorable conditions. Studies conducted in several countries have shown how lack of proper accommodation negatively impacts students’ performances and overall access to opportunities in future . And although purpose-built Student Accommodation is one of the fastest growing asset classes in the broader real estate sector; and in addition to good returns on investment fuelled by the ever-increasing demand for student housing across the continent, supply shortages are still eminent. ?

The Covid19 Pandemic

Covid19 has had a negative impact across sectors, and despite the student housing sector showing great resilience and many pundits indicating the sector to be poised to rebound positively in the coming months, there is need for concerted efforts from both public and private sector to accelerate the development and provision of affordable student housing. There is need to incorporate affordable student housing and even social housing in municipal / city/ town planning? which in return calls for increased demand for bulk infrastructure to support these demographic realities. This is also a? great investment opportunity for Private sector, impact investors, DFIs alongside government to develop collaborative approaches to mitigate the crisis. ?

The Summit will bring together Universities, Financiers, Contractors, Architects and Property development firms and other built-environment and financial services intermediaries to explore solutions to financing and developing affordable purpose-built student accommodation in East Africa

Business Case- Student Accommodation

Student Housing is one of the fastest growing and resilient sub-sectors in the larger real estate Industry globally and on the continent with good and stable returns buoyed by the ever increasing student enrolments at institution of higher learning. The sector offers an attractive investment opportunity for investors with both financial and social impact returns.

?For more media enquiries and interviews regarding the summit, kindly email [email protected]? +27 828349490

Imani

Organising Committee

Africa Affordable Student Housing Summits 2023.

?Phone: +27 607139199

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