Professor Veronica Campbell:

The 12-month accommodation is important for many cohorts. In particular, research and PhD students, which the Deputy alluded to, are all year round so it is important for that. Over the summer months, we may have students, researchers, PhD students or postdoctoral researchers coming from university partners around the world. Having activity there in the summer months is important. It might not be necessary for the full accommodation block but there will certainly be a proportion of requirement there.

Students who are commuting, working and missing out on university life within our technological university is a critical issue for us. We have mechanisms and activities around student sports and societies. We encourage our students to learn outside of the classroom, for example, thinking about volunteering. Many of our students are actively engaged on that. It is very hard for students who are commuting long distances, and maybe working part time as well, to engage fully in that environment. If we can alleviate the accommodation pressures and have that life on campus for them, that may really help with their broader development.