Australia’s purpose-built student accommodation sector will turn its attention to Europe next month, with the Property Council of Australia leading a delegation of developers, operators, universities and investors on its 2026 PBSA International Study Tour.
Scheduled for 8–14 March 2026, the week-long program will see Australia’s leading PBSA figures travel to London and Amsterdam for behind-the-scenes access to some of Europe’s most innovative student living environments. The tour is priced at $11,399 and is supported by principal sponsor Urbis.
The delegation will be hosted by Anouk Darling, Chief Executive Officer of Scape Australia, Property Council National Board Member and President of the Student Accommodation Council, underscoring the strategic importance of the initiative for the sector.
Across the week, delegates will explore global trends, best-in-class design, evolving investment strategies and emerging operational models spanning premium, urban and affordable student accommodation.
London in focus
The London leg of the tour features an extensive series of confirmed site visits hosted by some of the UK’s most prominent operators.
Delegates will tour Canvas Wembley Arthur House with Greystar, Prince Consort Village with Campus Living Villages, and both iQ Shoreditch and iQ City with iQ Student Accommodation. Additional visits include The Curve hosted by Yugo, Dashwood Studios hosted by Collegiate, and Unite Students’ Hayloft Point hosted by Unite Group.
These projects represent a cross section of scale, design innovation and operational sophistication within one of the world’s most mature PBSA markets.
Complementing the site visits, James Lawson, Director of Student Accommodation Capital Markets at CBRE, will deliver a UK and European market overview, providing insight into supply, demand, capital flows and investor appetite across the region.
Amsterdam and emerging models
In Amsterdam, delegates will visit Amsterdam Science Park hosted by DUWO and The Social Hub hosted by The Class Foundation, offering perspectives on integrated precinct development and hybrid living models that blend student housing with broader community and hospitality concepts.
Michael Campbell, Senior Managing Director, Real Estate at Pretium, will brief the group on global capital trends, emerging models and opportunities for Australia, linking European experience with the evolving dynamics of the domestic market.
Insights for a changing Australian market
The PBSA International Study Tour comes at a time of heightened policy scrutiny and structural change across Australia’s international education and housing sectors. With student demand patterns shifting globally and capital markets recalibrating, exposure to established European markets is likely to be closely watched by Australian stakeholders.
By combining expert briefings, curated site visits and international networking, the program is designed to give participants direct access to the projects, precincts and people shaping the next generation of student living.
For Australia’s PBSA leaders, the tour represents not just a study visit, but an opportunity to benchmark the local sector against global best practice and to consider how international models might inform the next phase of development at home.
For more information and to express interest in joining the tour, see here.
Picture: OurDomain Amsterdam South East.
