Student housing on the EU political agenda: educational housing model recognised for the first time

For the first time, student housing formally enters the European political agenda and the educational housing model is explicitly recognised by the EU. These are some of the results - of great relevance also for Italy - obtained by the work of interlocution with the European institutions carried out in these months by the Conference of the Colleges of Merit (CCUM), together with EucA. The activity has seen the CCUM as the only player in the country engaged in the European debate on student housing, where it has introduced hitherto unpublished elements, such as the formative value of residency and the role of accredited operators and integrated models.

Through this action, the conference has thus obtained a strategic position to influence the main European decision-making processes of the coming months, which are decisive for the European Commission's definition of the architecture of the European Housing Plan, starting with the contribution to the construction of the European Housing Action Plan, to be published this month.

Within the scope of this work, the Strategic Forum of University Colleges of Merit, a key element of the CCUM and EucA advocacy strategy, took place in Brussels between 2 and 4 December.
The delegation in charge met with stakeholders and political decision-makers - MEPs Antonella Sberna, Stefano Cavedagna, Marco Falcone - to put forward its proposals on four aspects: university housing, skills development, - including the definition of specific European indicators and the possibility of envisaging mechanisms for one-way programme modification - European Democracy Shield and cohesion policies. In this framework, the CCUM stresses the importance of innovative models of co-living and the simplification of access to funds for student residences. The visit reinforced, among many others, a key message: housing and skills, factors traditionally considered separate, are instead a single strategic lever. Indeed, the experience of the Colleges of Merit shows that housing can become an educational environment capable of developing life skills, civic sense, interpersonal skills and mental well-being. With this in mind, the CCUM intends to highlight how cohesion funds can and should also support innovative models of housing integrated with training and skills development, with the hope that in the future the introduction of a formally eligible direct funding line can also be considered.

According to data, about 7.7 million European students live away from their families, but only 2.9 reside in student accommodation managed by universities, public bodies or accredited operators, thus leaving a gap of 4.8 million beds in the European Union. A turning point in the debate was the recent cross-party political support obtained by the amendments tabled by the CCUM and EucA to the Giménez Larraz Report, the European Parliament's first policy document devoted organically to the EU housing crisis, presented on 15 September.

The amendments introduce for the first time in an official European Parliament document a clear and coherent vision of student housing as a strategic educational infrastructure, structured around four key messages:
- Acknowledgement of the student housing crisis as a structural European problem, with a shortage of 4.8 million beds;- Enhancement of the integrated housing and education model, inspired by the Colleges of Merit, which offers educational, community and welfare services;- Introduction of specialised public-private partnerships, distinguishing accredited operators from mere builders and recognising the need to also support the management of community services;- Creation of funding lines, including future opportunities in EU programmes and within the EIB platform for accessible housing.In February 2026, the HOUS Commission will vote on the amendments and the following month there will be a final vote in the plenary of the European Parliament, which will adopt the official position of the Eurochamber on the housing crisis.