Smart Student Living 2026

When?

23

April

Smart Student Living was created to answer a simple but increasingly urgent question: how do we make innovation in the built environment actually work for people, and create long-term value?

Over the last 3 years, Smart Student Living has been a dynamic, non-sales platform where housing operators, investors, and technology leaders come together to elevate student living through shared learning, real-world case studies, and collaborative problem-solving.

About the Event

Now in its fourth edition, the Summit has evolved alongside the sector itself. What began as a forum to explore digital transformation in student living has grown into a broader platform for operators, investors, tech leaders to engage in honest, practical conversations about what smart really means in practice, how it should be applied and where it genuinely delivers value. This evolution is what makes this year’s focus on Artificial Intelligence both timely and necessary.

AI is no longer entirely experimental. AI is already influencing how student housing is operated: from energy optimisation and predictive maintenance (how assets are operated, how buildings are monitored), to behavioural insights and wellbeing monitoring (how residents interact with services).

Yet despite its growing presence, its impact remains uneven; separating tools that look promising from solutions that actually improve outcomes for students, operators, and investors remains a challenge.  

The AI Edition of the Smart Student Living is therefore not about showcasing the most advanced tools; it is about asking the right questions:

  • Where is AI genuinely solving real operational, environmental, or social challenges?
  • Where has it failed to deliver?
  • And what do operators and investors actually need next?

By bringing together cross-sector stakeholders this edition is designed to move the conversation from capability to application. From data collection to decision-making.  From isolated use cases to shared learning.

Smart Living Community Awards

This year, we are introducing the Smart Living Community Awards for the first time, recognising collaboration, leadership, and demonstrable ESG impact across the student living ecosystem.

The awards span four categories: Smart Cross-Sector Collaboration, Smart Sustainability Initiatives, Smart Social Impact Initiatives, and Smart Leader of the Year.

The programme will conclude with the Smart Living Celebration, featuring live presentations from shortlisted nominees and a real-time voting process with participation from investors and operators, who will select the initiatives that best demonstrate meaningful impact and sector leadership.

Interested in taking part and being recognised by industry leaders at the event? Apply via the link below.

Apply for the Awards

Speakers.

No items found.
PLATINUM SPONSOR

Website
No items found.

Platinum Sponsor

Gold Sponsors

No items found.

Silver Sponsors

No items found.
Attending organisations
"We get to meet a lot of our existing clients and prospective ones as well."

Laura Wollard

,

Lavanda

"Internationalization is the key word for this event."

Jaime Caruncho

,

Micampus Residencias

"It is a great place to meet industry leaders and really get market insights."

Emily Sims

,

Yugo

"The diversity of the people who come to conference is amazing, I don’t think we get to see a crowd like this in any other conference."

Henri Vuong

,

INREV

"We really respect the work that The Class is doing across Europe in expanding the footprint of student accommodation sector."

Brian Welsh

,

Nido

"This is hands down the coolest conference I have been to."

Jacob Chai

,

Common

Interested in sponsoring this event?

  • On-site branding opportunities

  • Feature in online marketing promoting this event

  • Boost your brand's equity through speaking opportunities

  • Complimentary and discounted tickets for our events

Events

The Class Conference 2020

November 19, 2020
Details
Amsterdam

The Class Conference 2019

November 6, 2019
Details
Berlin

The Class Conference 2021

November 17, 2021
Details
Amsterdam

The Class Conference 2022

November 16, 2022
Details
Madrid

The Class Conference 2025

November 5, 2025
Details
Lisbon

The Class Conference 2024

November 13, 2024
Details
Manchester

The Class Conference 2023

November 8, 2023
Details
Barcelona

Join us on our journey.

Subscribe to our newsletter