Australia’s international education sector is our largest service export outside mining, contributing more than $50 billion annually and employing over 200,000 people. Yet housing shortages and affordability pressures are impacting students’ wellbeing and academic success.

In this episode, host Ryan Banting explores why Australia lags behind global peers in student accommodation, the role private capital plays in supporting the growth and evolution of the sector, and how purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) can transform the student experience.

Key insights include:
Nearly one in three university students in Australia is international.
In 2024, more than one million international students studied here, driving economic value across hospitality, retail and tourism.
Australia has just one PBSA bed for every 15 students, compared to 45% penetration in the United Kingdom.

Joining Ryan are two leading voices in the sector:
Torie Brown, Executive Director, Student Accommodation Council, Property Council of Australia
Bradley Brown, Regional General Manager (Victoria), UniLodge

Links:
CBRE Pacific Student Accommodation Report 2025 -https://www.cbre.com.au/insights/reports/student-accommodation-2025-pacific
Property Council of Australia April 2024 – Myth busting international student’s role in the rental crisis - https://www.propertycouncil.com.au/submissions/myth-busting-international-students-role-in-the-rental-crisis

Australia&rsquo;s international education sector is our largest service export outside mining, contributing more than $50 billion annually and employing over 200,000 people. Yet housing shortages and affordability pressures are impacting students&rsquo; wellbeing and academic success.
In this episode, host Ryan Banting explores why Australia lags behind global peers in student accommodation, the role private capital plays in supporting the growth and evolution of the sector, and how purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) can transform the student experience.
Key insights include:
<ul>
<li>Nearly one in three university students in Australia is international.</li>
<li>In 2024, more than one million international students studied here, driving economic value across hospitality, retail and tourism.</li>
<li>Australia has just one PBSA bed for every 15 students, compared to 45% penetration in the United Kingdom.</li>
</ul>
Joining Ryan are two leading voices in the sector:
<ul>
<li>Torie Brown, Executive Director, Student Accommodation Council, Property Council of Australia</li>
<li>Bradley Brown, Regional General Manager (Victoria), UniLodge</li>
</ul>
Links:
<ul>
<li>CBRE Pacific Student Accommodation Report 2025 - <a href="https://www.cbre.com.au/insights/reports/student-accommodation-2025-pacific">https://www.cbre.com.au/insights/reports/student-accommodation-2025-pacific</a></li>
<li>Property Council of Australia April 2024 &ndash; Myth busting international student&rsquo;s role in the rental crisis - <a href="https://www.propertycouncil.com.au/submissions/myth-busting-international-students-role-in-the-rental-crisis">https://www.propertycouncil.com.au/submissions/myth-busting-international-students-role-in-the-rental-crisis</a></li>
</ul>

Australians are changing. By 2042, the number of Australians over 85 will double to over one million. There’ll be greater rates of chronic disease, more people requiring specialist aged care, more people living with disability. By 2041, there’ll also be six million more people living in this country. Our nation will require more hospital beds, childcare centres, disability housing, student accommodation, seniors living and other housing. For the sake of our future community, it’s time for open conversations about what infrastructure we must deliver and who will deliver it. This podcast is a forum for expert-led conversation on Australia’s growing and changing population and future community requirements, and ideas for building the necessary social infrastructure to meet our needs.

Australians are changing. By 2042, the number of Australians over 85 will double to over one million. There&rsquo;ll be greater rates of chronic disease, more people requiring specialist aged care, more people living with disability. By 2041, there&rsquo;ll also be six million more people living in this country. Our nation will require more hospital beds, childcare centres, disability housing, student accommodation, seniors living and other housing. For the sake of our future community, it&rsquo;s time for open conversations about what infrastructure we must deliver and who will deliver it. This podcast is a forum for expert-led conversation on Australia&rsquo;s growing and changing population and future community requirements, and ideas for building the necessary social infrastructure to meet our needs.

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