As states and territories move to opening their borders to international students the quality of their education experience has never been so important as it will be in a post-COVID world.

The Student Accommodation Association (SAA) National Property Accreditation Scheme supports post-COVID recovery for Student Accommodation.

The NPAS stamp of quality helps identify student accommodation (i.e. accommodation for the exclusive use of students) that meet a set of minimum industry standards which have been developed in consultation with Student Accommodation Providers nationally. 

SAA is currently rolling out the NPAS program, with two properties already accredited and an impressive pipeline of applications for accreditation currently under assessment.

Not only will NPAS serve to distinguish student accommodation over other accommodation options in Australia, but the robust set of minimum standards will also provide Australian education stakeholders with the protection and confidence required to actively promote and endorse the NPAS accommodation message as part of a post-COVID recovery strategy.

International students will no longer be left to their own devices in sourcing accommodation which in the past has led to mixed results with some students finding themselves the victim of exploitation or in some instances feeling unsafe, which ultimately detracts from their education experience.

In a post-COVID world NPAS accredited student accommodation will play an important role in providing “home quarantine” style solutions as well as keeping students safe, secure, and most importantly healthy.

We would welcome the opportunity to invite Australian Education Providers to partner with SAA to support and promote NPAS to potential international students.  Please visit npas.org.au/support for more details or feel free to contact SAA President Geoff Denison at president@studentaccassoc.com.au.  

SAA is proud to announce that Varsity Apartments (Queensland) is the first property in Australia to achieve NPAS accreditation, confirming that the property meets the full set of industry led minimum standards and operates accommodation for the exclusive use of students.

“We are extremely proud to be a NPAS accredited property and look forward to the continuing success of this scheme” said Karen Netherwood, Director, Varsity Apartments.

“The application process for the NPAS was easy to follow and the administration support from the SAA was excellent. Collating the submission criteria highlighted the areas of strength in our business framework and also, areas that could be improved - a highly useful exercise indeed."

"We run Varsity Apartments, the largest student accommodation complex on the Sunshine Coast, Qld. We are heading into our 10th year in this complex and are constantly looking for ways to improve our service and business brand. As a member of the Student Accommodation Association (SAA), our application for the National Property Accreditation Scheme (NPAS) was a key step towards strengthening our reputation within the student accommodation industry. Being part of this industry standard that provides clarity for national education stakeholders, students and agents made perfect sense. We feel that the NPAS provides a cohesive platform for the growth and reputation of the student accommodation industry as a whole and also on an individual level.” Karen concluded.

The AIEC 2021 will be run on the Gold Coast or online from 5 to 8 October 2021 to explore new horizons for international education. The event will be run virtually and will be an opportunity to learn, share, network and be part of the conversation.

The Student Accommodation Association will be introducing the National Property Accreditation Scheme to the conference participants. 

REGISTER FOR THE AIEC

The Student Accommodation Association has lodged a submission on behalf of members for the Australian Strategy for International Education Consultation Paper.

The submission included key priorities and measures to improve the international student experience, changes to make Australia more globally competitive and working together with different stakeholders to create a unique Australian education experience.

• Key priorities: 

Reset the accommodation message by promoting NPAS accredited properties as a clear and consistent message to future international student intakes.

• Improve international student experience: 

Education providers could look to increase their level of commitment to delivering the overall international education experience for students, including non–core business elements such as student accommodation.

Align themselves with quality student accommodation providers with the protection of NPAS.

• Changes to make Australia more globally competitive: 

Consideration be given by education providers to packaging student accommodation as part of the education offering, enabling students to immerse themselves in a diverse multi-cultural student residential community and by doing so develop the personal skills and cultural comfort required to prosper later in life.

Expanding the obligations of an education provider through changes to the ESOS Act requiring them to provide secure access to quality student accommodation controlled or provided in partnership with an NPAS accredited provider. Required capacity could be based on a percentage of the number of enrolled international students with the education provider.

• Education providers, governments and other stakeholders working together:

• Skills for the future: 

• Improve employability outcomes:

• Creating a unique Australian education experience: 

Design and promote the Australian education experience around both the learning and living experience.

• Improving community support for international education:

A commitment by Australian international education stakeholders to provide a clear pathway by which international students can set themselves up to get the most out of their international education experience to reduce the risk of exploitation, or isolating themselves (impacting on their language ability and personal skills set development) will improve their capacity and confidence in engaging with members of the wider community.

• Other suggestions:

DOWNLOAD THE FULL SUBMISSION

We're delighted to welcome Western Union Business Solutions as an SAA Corporate Sponsor in 2021/22.
 
Western Union Business Solutions is excited to partner with the Student Accommodation Association (SAA) and support its members through our expertise in managing international payments.
 
Western Union Business Solution’s WU® GlobalPay for Students platform enables student accommodation providers to improve their international student experience by offering fast, easy and affordable ways for international residents to pay their application fees, security deposits and rent while also delivering efficiency and reconciliation gains for your business. Your international residents will experience a modern e-commerce feel, with competitive exchange rates, flexible payment options and real time updates.
 
For more information or to arrange a demonstration contact 

Mark Woolf, Sales Manager Education Australia at mark.woolf@wu.com or on 0448 442 323.

The Student Accommodation Association was invited to participate in the Capital City Committee Adelaide - Post COVID City: Driving Economic Recovery and Growth forum at the Adelaide Town Hall on Friday 21 May 2021.

The forum was addressed by both The Honourable Steven Marshall MP, Premier of South Australia and The Right Honourable The Lord Mayor of Adelaide, Sandy Verschoor.

The centre piece for the morning's session was the delivery and subsequent conversation pertaining to the Deloitte Access Economics Post - COVID City: Driving Economic Recovery and Growth (Foundation research report).

Student Accommodation is briefly referred to under Education (Page 28). A copy of the report is attached for your reference.

View Report here

SAA members and industry peers gathered together at our NPAS Launch Networking Event in Sydney on 30 April 2021.

After the virtual NPAS presentation delivered by SAA President Geoff Denison, participants had an opportunity to hear from the panel, facilitated by Ron De Haan GAICD, about the industry post-pandemic recovery. We'd like to thank Peter Mackey, Anouk Darling, Thomson Ch'ng and David Riordan for the engaging discussion.

We would also like to thank all the attendees and stakeholders for their participation.

The Hon Alan Tudge MP Minister for Education and Youth recently spoke at the RMIT campus and shared his views on international education, also marking the formal launch of the consultation process to develop the new International Education Strategy for 2021 to 2030.

He emphasized on the contribution of international education sector on the economic growth of Australia and the impact due to COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021. Touching upon the roadmap for the next 6-12 months, he mentioned that while the situation is unpredictable, there is an optimistic view that international students might be allowed back into Australia for the first semester of 2022. 

He applauded the pivot by major universities to digital learning but also highlighted the key objectives of international education and the contribution of diversity through international students towards fulfilment of these objectives.

The Australian Government’s commitment to expanding the role of international education in the post COVID-19 world will boost economic growth, foster foreign diplomacy and contribute to Australia’s national security.

"The impact of COVID-19 has forced universities to rethink business models and with large numbers of international student arrivals not anticipated until Semester 1 2022, it is critical that the government and higher education sector work together to develop a model that maintains our competitive advantage in international education and research, while ensuring Australia has the skills and expertise required to meet our national priorities,” said The Group of Eight Chief Executive Vicki Thomson.

View The Hon Alan Tudge MP's address here.

View the Media Release from The Group of Eight here.

SAA members, industry participants and state government representatives came together to have all their questions answered about the National Property Accreditation Scheme at the NPAS Launch Networking Event in Adelaide on 08 April 2021.

Thank you to our presenter and facilitator Geoff Denison and Dr Paul Tosch, to the panel members Mary Ann Seow,  Andrew Houey, Melissa Tracey and Anmol Saini for their valuable insights on the sector post-pandemic recovery and to all the attendees for their participation.

SAA Member panelists had an opportunity to speak at the International Education Association of Australia (IEAA) Student Life Forum during the Student Accommodation in a Post-COVID-19 World discussion on the 26th of February 2021.

Facilitated by SAA President Geoff Denison, representatives from University Managed, Purpose Built Student Accommodation and Residential Colleges shared their valuable insights into their COVID-19 journey to date from a student accommodation perspective and the important part the National Property Accreditation Scheme (NPAS) will play in supporting the post COVID-19 recovery.

SAA Member Panellists included: 

• Geoff Denison, President, Student Accommodation Association; Associate Director, Accommodation Services, The University of Adelaide
• Steve Diack, National Relationships Manager, Scape
• Amit Mitra, Manager, Housing Services, University of Technology Sydney
• Dr Paul Tosch (MAICD), Chief Executive Officer, Lincoln College Inc

Event participants also had an opportunity to hear from Bassina Farbenblum, Associate Professor, UNSW Faculty of Law; Director, UNSW Human Rights Clinic; Founding Co-Director, Global Migrant Worker Justice Initiative who presented findings of her research into international student exploration in accommodation. You can access the research papers following the links below:

• Laurie Berg and Bassina Farbenblum, As If We Weren’t Humans: The Abandonment of Temporary Migrants in Australia During COVID-19 (2020) 
• Laurie Berg and Bassina Farbenblum, Living Precariously: Understanding International Students’ Housing Experiences in Australia (2019)
• UNSW Human Rights Clinic, No Place Like Home: Addressing Exploitation of International Students in Sydney's Housing Market (2019)