• Student accommodation market worth US$200 billion globally (JLL)
• New European Student Living Fund to support accommodation development in
  European centres of academic excellence
• Best in class UK accommodation model to be rolled out across Europe (Collegiate)

Within just a few short years, the student accommodation market has gone from a niche investment opportunity to a mainstream asset class worth around US$200 billion globally, according to estimates by JLL.

In Europe, the UK has been leading the way in terms of how to approach this market, with pioneers such as  Collegiate AC rapidly raising standards and expectations when it comes to best in class student housing.

Now, Collegiate AC has joined forces with Shuman Capital in order to launch the €300 million European Student Living Fund, which will support countries across Europe with strong academic credentials to be at the forefront of developing state of the art student accommodation.

Shuman Capital, a division of Stam Europe, will work in partnership with specialist operator Collegiate to exploit the under-supply of appropriate student accommodation in Europe on a sophisticated basis. Stam Europe is a Paris based investment manager operating both funds and separate accounts with Assets under Management of €1, 5 billion.

The €300 million professional investor fund will be invested in procuring assets developed to Collegiate’s product and brand specification, leveraging on Collegiate’s international marketing reach.

Collegiate CEO Heriberto Cuanalo comments,

“Collegiate’s partnership with Shuman Capital marks the dawning of a new era for student accommodation in Europe. The European Student Living Fund will focus on cities known for their academic excellence, working to introduce a step-change to the student accommodation on offer.”

The accommodation assets will typically be a minimum of 350 beds, which will benefit from the full service offering of the Collegiate Prestige five star plus product and service specification. That specification includes a host of luxury features, from on-site cinema rooms and gyms to VIP bars, club rooms and gaming centres, as well as outstanding facilities for studying and superb individual apartments. Hotel-style concierge arrangements will ensure that the quality of the facilities is matched by that of the service available.

Shuman Capital Chairman Michiel Olland comments,

“We are thrilled by the strategic partnership with Collegiate. Their excellent operating skills are matching with our views on managing student accommodation and in line with our investment strategy. This collaboration will clearly add value for the partner investors in the fund.”

As a long-established provider of sophisticated student accommodation, Collegiate is well positioned to take forward the new partnership with Shuman Capital. Collegiate is already a strategic operating partner to a select number of investors and developers on a long term basis, including Fusion Students and other UK, USA and European clients.

Collegiate is also an operating partner of Empiric Student Property plc for part of its portfolio and supported Empiric through its IPO. Collegiate is a long way from the traditional operating companies in the student accommodation sector thanks to its development management support function and strong brand, marketing and product standards.

It is a name already recognised by students internationally and the new European Student Living Fund will support the expansion of the company’s unique brand of excellence to many more cities across Europe over the coming years.

Collegiate CEO Heriberto Cuanalo and Managing Partners Michiel Olland, Knut Riesmeier and Guy Remans of Shuman Capital Shuman Capital will be attending the Expo Real International Trade Fair for Property & Investment held in Munich, Germany on 4-6 October 2016 and are available to meet with the media and / or other interested parties.