Globally, in 2021, roughly 220 million students were enrolled in formal post-secondary education, more than doubling the enrolment figure from 2000. It is estimated that there will be 380 million higher education students by 2030.

Europe remains a key destination for students and over 50% of the top 1000 universities in the world are located throughout Europe.

Italy welcomed nearly 50 million travellers and tourists in 2022 and was listed as the 5th most popular country in the world to visit. However, despite its global popularity, the number of international students as a proportion of its total student population sits below 3%. In comparison to Italy’s European neighbours that proportion sits lower than Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, and Iceland amongst many others.

Alongside this, Italy has the lowest number of purpose-built student accommodation beds, providing enough for only 4% of the student population. On a positive note, Italy is starting to emerge as one of the three most searched destinations in Europe for international students in the period 2019 to 2023 and there is also great scope for significant growth.

‍

About the Event

Name: Student Living Italy
Start: 2024-06-13
Location: Politecnico Di Milano, Leonardo Campus

Key Insights on Italy:

Italy boasts esteemed universities and a vibrant cultural environment for students, yet its international student enrollment hovers below 3% of the total student population.

‍

Italy has among the lowest number of purpose-built student accommodation beds available, providing for just 4% of the population. This means there is substantial room for expansion and improvement.

‍

From 2019 to 2023, Italy emerged as one of the top three most searched destinations in Europe for international students, signaling a burgeoning interest and vast growth potential.

‍

Points for discussion:

The Class Foundation recognises the untapped potential and the immense value international students bring and presents "Student Living Italy," an in-person forum in Milan dedicated to unraveling barriers and fostering growth in Italy's higher education and student housing landscape

International students bring so much more than their inward financial contribution. They help breathe life into our cities and communities and give so much in terms of talent, skills and their mere arrival helps the host counties invest in infrastructure to help provide for our growing population and helps revitalise it.

Italy has not entirely seized on the opportunity to grow its international student numbers yet. It is a competitive market and as such, Italy is uniquely placed to increase the number of students exponentially.

The Class Foundation’s Student Living Italy event aims to unpack the issues that are inhibiting the growth with a deep dive into the barriers and opportunities in order to develop a roadmap for success and move towards developing a national action plan similar to the work The Class Foundation helped orchestrate in the Netherlands involving key public and private stakeholders.

Our forum will not follow the traditional format, we will encourage attendees to come together with our array of speakers from government, municipalities, city, public and private universities, investors, and operators, to commit to changing the current impasse. We want this to resemble a mixture between a Town Hall event and a workshop to really bring out the value of our community.

‍

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.

How do the community awards work and why should you apply?

What sets these awards apart from others is their live presentation and voting format. Shortlisted nominees will present their initiatives directly to an audience of leading investors and operators from across the European PBSA sector.

Live Presentation & Real-Time Voting: Finalists pitch on stage, with attending investors and operators voting live for the initiatives that demonstrate the strongest sector impact.

Transparent Evaluation: Attendees of the event will have access to detailed information about each shortlisted initiative, ensuring credibility and recognition based on measurable impact.

Sector Visibility: Shortlisted initiatives will be featured in article format on the Smart Student Living webpage and promoted across social media prior to the Summit.

Award Categories

‍

Smart Cross-Sector Collaboration
Recognising partnerships across public, private, academic, or civic sectors using smart technology or data to deliver outstanding impact.

‍
Smart Sustainability Initiatives
Honouring measurable progress toward sustainability through smart technologies.

‍
Smart Social Impact Initiatives
Celebrating initiatives improving inclusivity, accessibility, education, or community wellbeing.

‍
Smart Leader of the Year
Recognising visionary leadership driving a smarter, more sustainable future.

‍
Important Dates:
‍

‍Applications open: 19 January
Application close: 6 March
Finalists announced: 10 March

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

Apply for the Awards

Community Awards : Finalists

Smart Leader of The Year

No items found.

Smart Sustainability Initiative

No items found.

Smart Cross-Sector Collaboration

No items found.

Smart Social Impact Initiative

GoBritanya

GoBritanya is nominated for the Smart Social Impact Initiative award for launching The Digital Common Room, a platform designed to reduce loneliness and support student wellbeing. By enabling students to connect before arrival based on shared interests and backgrounds, the initiative eases transition challenges, particularly for international students. Blending digital and physical engagement, it strengthens community participation and peer connections. The long-term vision is to scale this “belonging-as-a-service” model globally, redefining student accommodation as a supportive and inclusive community ecosystem.

‍

Frank Uffen - Co-Founder, The Class Foundation

‍

Part 1: Vision for the Higher Education sector in Italy

Professor Emilio Faroldi - Vice Rector Politecnico di Milano

Frank Uffen - Co-Founder, The Class Foundation

Part 2: Higher Education supply and demand characteristics & the evolution of the student population in Italy

Paolo Reyneri di Lagnasco - Student Housing Specialist, Living Capital Markets, JLL

Maria Teresa Gullace - Architect, Politecnico di Milano

‍

14.45 - 15.45

The Here and Now

‍

Part 1: Government Perspective

Professor Adolfo Baratta - Member of the National Committee for Student Housing development

Part 2: Regional Perspective

Professor Giuseppe, P. R. Catalano - Head of the Cabinet, Apulia Region

Part 3: City Perspective

Dr Giancarlo Tancredi - Councillor for Urban Regenaration, Municipality of Milan

Part 4: Funding Perspective

Paola Reali - Head of the National Fund for Social Living, CDP

Part 5: Operator Perspective

Maurizio Carvelli - Founder and CEO, Camplus

Joe Persechino - Chief Operating Officer, Yugo

Part 6: Sector Stories

Alan Blackmore - COO Europe, Collegiate AC Group Limited

‍

15.45 - 16.45

Networking Coffee Break

‍

16.45 - 17.45

An eye to the future: shaping the art of the possible

Professor Chiara Fumagalli - Full Professor of Economics and Dean of the Undergraduate School Bocconi University (Private University – North Italy)