University accommodation. State of the art

Abstract

Objective

The objective of this article is to assess the situation of accommodation in the Spanish University System compared to other European countries, and consider the objectives and strategies to be followed by Spanish universities that have opted for excellence and internationalization.

Methodology

From a methodological point of view, the study is based on a survey promoted by the Spanish Secretary of Universities in 2010, and on a comparative study of housing policies developed by the fifteen best European universities in the two-years period 2010-2011.

Conclusions

A first conclusion concerns the individuation of a serious quantitative deficit dorms-users, which seems unsolvable for a number of reasons: a nineteenth-century conception of colleges, which is unsustainable for the current needs; an important territorial expansion of the Spanish university system, which has placed a “branch” in each city; or, simply, for the existence of an uncontrolled informal market of student flats that are cheaper than the official accommodation. Currently in Europe, the public universities accommodation system covers the 10% of students enrolled, while in Spain only addresses the needs of 4% students. So, the first challenge for Spain is to reach the average of the other European countries.

A second finding is about grants, proposing the substitution of cash grants in kind, as most European countries do. This allows to directly finance the college dorms in order to guarantee the fulfillment of the scholarship objectives, and also to encourage the participation of the private sector in the promotion and maintenance of these services.

The last conclusion is regarding participation, promoting a greater involvement of all members of the university community in the management of accommodation, as it is done by German university unions or some British associations. Those, in fact, aim to insure the quality of these services through specific agreements, associations and unions which involve the whole society.

Originality

The originality of this study lies in the approach adopted for addressing the issue of university accommodation. In fact, it considers critically the students’ longing for the college, an unlimited demand which appears completely inappropriate and the objectives to meet, which are a dorm-offer that addresses at least the 10% students and the involvement of the entire community.