Affordable housing as part of Europe’s talent infrastructure

On 6 May, at the HOME² Final European Conference “Building the Future of Student Housing in Europe”, hosted by Politecnico di Milano in Milan, CESAER Advisor Touko Närhi emphasised why affordable housing is increasingly becoming a strategic issue for universities of science and technology across Europe.

Speaking from the perspective of CESAER and its new sub-group on affordable housing for students, researchers and academics, Touko underlined that housing is not only a local welfare concern. It is directly connected to universities’ ability to educate, attract, retain and develop talent. This challenge is not limited to large capitals, as universities in medium sized and smaller university cities across Europe are also facing growing pressures around the affordability and availability of housing.

This was the background to CESAER’s position ‘European Affordable Housing Plan – housing Europe’s talent’ (October 2025). Its starting point was simple: affordable housing is not only a social necessity. It is an essential enabler of excellence in education, research and innovation, and therefore of Europe’s talent strategies and the Union of Skills.

While student housing remains central, Touko emphasised that housing also affects the wider university community, including doctoral candidates, researchers at different career stages, academic and professional staff, visiting researchers and international talent. These groups may have different needs, but they are often affected by the same local housing pressures.

This is why affordable housing should be understood as part of Europe’s talent infrastructure. It is a foundation layer for Europe’s ambitions on mobility, research careers, the Fifth Freedom, the European Research Area, the European Education Area, European University Alliances and the Union of Skills.

CESAER’s new sub-group on affordable housing for students, researchers and academics, established under CESAER Task Force European Higher Education for 2026 to 2027, will support this work by exchanging institutional practices, collecting evidence and connecting Members’ experiences with European level policy discussions. The collaboration with HOME² brings together complementary strengths: HOME²’s extensive work on student housing, quality and monitoring, and CESAER’s perspective from universities of science and technology across Europe.

Touko concluded that universities should not be expected to solve Europe’s housing crisis alone, but they should be at the table as they bring important insights and contributions. They can help reframe housing as part of Europe’s talent agenda, bring evidence from the ground on how shortages affect the university community, and work with local authorities, housing providers, student organisations, public-private partners and communities to develop practical solutions. Universities of science and technology can also contribute through research and innovation, from modular and 3D printed housing, renovation and reuse of existing buildings, and circular materials to digital housing management tools and better use of data on mobility flows, housing demand and local shortages.

The message is simple: affordable housing is not a side issue. It is part of the enabling infrastructure for Europe’s education, research and innovation systems. If Europe wants to attract, retain and develop talent, strengthen research careers and remain competitive, then housing must be integrated into Europe’s talent strategy - and universities must be part of the conversation from the beginning to leverage their unique contributions and partnership to ensure Europe has an ambitious housing strategy that delivers.

For more information, please contact Touko Närhi at touko.naerhi@cesaer.org.