APSAA Annual Report 2022

Marion Bayley, President, APSAA

From the President

What a difference a year makes!

In 2022 we saw a strong and nimble bounce back from our industry to serve the increasing number of residents returning to our facilities but also the long-awaited return of our in-person networking and professional development offerings as well as the launch of our new 5-year strategic plan ‘Foundations for the Future’.

Following our AGM in May 2022, the board got underway with producing the strategic plan. At a meeting in Brisbane the Foundations for the Future Strategic plan was born. There was a clear desire to ensure that APSAA elevated its existing reputation as the peak industry body for delivering quality professional development and offering our members the best in networking opportunities as well as promoting the value of student accommodation via research and developing affiliations with key partners. As a result, the board felt it was time to redefine our vision and mission and also articulate the values that underpin our association, these values guide the discussions at the board level in ensuring that we deliver for our membership and were well received at our conference in Brisbane.

• Leadership

• Integrity

• Inclusion

• Excellence

Inadditiontothishugebodyofwork,2022sawthe returnofourannualconferenceinSydney.Asplanning hadcommencedunderacloudofuncertaintyitwas intentionallyasmallerconferencethanpreCOVIDtimes butnolesssuccessful.FromJanaPittmantoDrRichard HarrisOAMthekeynotespeakersreallydidhitthemarkas didthearrayofmemberpresentations.Asalways,noneof thiswouldbepossiblewithoutourbusinesspartnersand sponsorswhoreturnedtosupportourindustrywithout missingabeat,Ipersonallywanttothankthemfortheir commitmentandsupportduringsuchadifficulttime.

We continued with some lessons learnt and regular webinars were held at no cost to members, something that has been elevated even further with our speaker series already underway in 2023.

Having just returned from the delivery of the Global Housing Training Institute (GHTI), I have never been more sure that our industry is in capable hands. Whether from the USA, UK, Singapore, New Zealand or Australia the energy in the room was palpable and the sharing of knowledge, experiences and tangible takeaways delivered above my expectations. A special thanks to ACUHO-I for their collaboration on this outstanding immersive learning experience and to all the faculty and participants I had the pleasure to not only meet but to learn from throughout the 5 days, thank you for being such an integral part of our industry.

With so much professional development already underway in 2023, our focus moves to the annual conference in Brisbane in September 2023, which is shaping up to be a fantastic event, as well as the inaugural Bootcamp for new professionals and so much more.

Finally, thank you to all of the APSAA Directors who have served our industry over the year as well as all of our volunteer subcommittee members, journal contributors, partners and sponsors. A special thank you goes to my fellow executive, Jacob Waitere (Vice President) and Paterson Boyd (Chair of Finance) as well as our home office team, in particular Mel Caspersz (Company Secretary) and Karen Fox (Association Manager), they truly are the engine of our association and we could not deliver as much as we do without their commitment and passion for everything that APSAA is.

Marion Bayley President, APSAA

Our Vision

APSAA is the peak industry body for accommodation which is provided for the exclusive use of students in the Asia-Pacific region.

Setting Industry Guidelines, APSAA also advocates on relevant issues to government and key stakeholders on behalf of the industry. We do this through our annual conference, networking and education events held throughout the year, our training institute and collaborative partnerships. We publish a quarterly Student Accommodation journal for all members and industry professionals, a monthly newsletter, and we regularly update members via social media campaigns. We provide a range of resources for our members to access and are sought out by the media to provide statements to the press on behalf of the industry.

About APSAA

APSAA is the peak industry body representing individuals, staff and providers of accommodation designed for students, providing a safe living and learning environment managed by professionals to support educational outcomes in the Asia-Pacific region.

Our large and diverse membership includes universities, private residential colleges, commercial providers and individuals.

There are more than 150,000 students living in Colleges, Halls and Residences across the Asia-Pacific which are either owned or affiliated with Universities or privately run. A large professional student accommodation workforce exists to support these students – APSAA supports this workforce through its strategic plan: Leadership-Learning-Leverage.

Setting Industry Guidelines, APSAA also advocates on relevant issues to government and key stakeholders on behalf of the industry. We do this through our annual conference, networking and education events held throughout the year, and collaborative partnerships.

APSAA Board

Board members have a broad range of skills and expertise and provide their time and knowledge to APSAA on a voluntary basis. It is the intent of APSAA that the Board comprise of minimum of two representatives from each sector – University, College, and Corporate, as well as representation from each Australian State and Territory, New Zealand, and other countries within the membership. All Board members are proactive in initiating new activities and identifying new strategic opportunities for the benefit of APSAA members.

APSAA Sub-Committees

Aotearoa Advisory Group

Jacob Waitere (Chair)

Tara Baker

Melissa Leaupepe

Abigail Spencer

Martin Thomas

Communications & Engagement Committee

Jacob Waitere (Chair)

Simone Gallo

Sam Johnstone

Areti Metuamate

Rachel Overton

Kate Stock

Conference Committee

Jacob Waitere (Chair)

Marion Bayley

Areti Metuamate

Finance & Risk Committee

Paterson Boyd (Chair)

Marion Bayley

Richard Kendall

Rachel Overton

Company Secretary Melinda Caspersz, Association Professionals

Industry Advancement Committee

Rachel Overton (Co-chair)

Kate Stock (Co-chair)

Bradley Brown

Simone Gallo

Alasdair Murrie-West

Laura Roberts

Professional Development Committee

Sue Fergusson (Chair)

Tony Andres

Shana Kerlander

Carolyn Mee

Chelsae Moore

Abigail Spencer

Vice President Jacob Waitere, UniLodge NZ, Canterbury, NZ

Simone Gallo, Australian Catholic University, NSW

Richard Kendall, Curtin University, WA

Paterson Boyd. Emmanuel College, QLD

Sue Fergusson, Scape Australia, Qld

President Marion Bayley, Deakin Residential Services, VIC

Rachel Overton, University of Canberra, ACT

Kate Stock, UniLodge Australia, Qld

Daniel Lee, The Purple House, Malaysia

Carolyn Mee, Aquinas College, SA

Strategic Plan 2017-2022

Leadership, Learning, Leverage.

Implementation of APSAA’s 2017-2022 Strategic Plan continued throughout 2022.

APSAA continued to maintain strong membership numbers despite the financial impacts of the pandemic on the industry. This has been achieved through the Association continuing to provide strong advocacy and representation on behalf of members, as well as rapidly increasing our digital professional development offering via our webinar series.

Driving strategy, promoting best practice, and celebrating excellence.

Industry Guidelines

Networking Events

Quarterly Journal

Board and Sub-Committees

Research Projects

Annual Awards

APSAA Member beds

Total: 134,416

Facilitating high quality learning, access to resources, and development opportunities.

Annual Conference

Professional Development

Training Institute

Online Courses

Member Resources Study Tours

Building our profile, enhancing our reputation, and creating a unified voice.

Member Representation

Industry Advocacy

Policy Guidance

Affiliate Associations

Benchmarking and Statistics

Corporate Partnerships

Jacob Waitere, APSAA

Vice Predisent, Chair, Aotearoa Advisory Group, Communications and Engagement Committee

APSAA Aotearoa Advisory Group Report

Ehara taku toa I te toa takitahi engari he toa takitini – My strength is not that of a single person, but that of the many.

The APSAA Aotearoa Advisory has continued to go from strength to strength. 2022 was the year where a whole lot of mahi |work was able to come to fruition. The committee had a goal to increase visibility, connect with members and ensure a strong Aotearoa voice throughout all APSAA’s activities. This was certainly achieved. We grew our membership welcoming Arcady Hall and Otago Polytechnic to the association, with strong membership renewals for our existing members.

In an exciting year of partnerships, APSAA was able to sign an affiliation agreement for three years with Te Pōkai Tara | Universities New Zealand. We also renewed our agreement with ISANA NZ for three years, and this is all in addition to agreements APSAA has with ACUHO-I. Meaning that our Aotearoa members are well connected and supported for our industry.

The most exciting activity for the Aotearoa Advisory Group was the 2022 Summit held in Ōtautahi | Christchurch. This day was well attended by members from across the motu | country. Sponsored by Vendella, there were presentations from Universities NZ on the 2023 Code audit, members on topics such as Pasifika student support, academic programmes and tips for how you can assess your residential life programme. We also had representation from our APSAA board with Board Director, Rachel, coming from Canberra.

Other additional successes across the 2022 calendar year include:

• Awarded the Fred Johnson award

• Grew the committee membership

• Represented New Zealand on the mainstage of the ACUHO-I Conference in Pittsburgh, USA.

• Represented New Zealand at the online ACUHO-I Multicultural symposium

• New Zealand based attendance and presentations at the APSAA conference in Sydney

• Input into the APSAA Strategic plan for 2023 onwards

• APSAA met with the Accommodation application managers and offered secretariate support

This tino mahi isn’t possible without our committee members. In 2022 we welcomed Sonia Mazey onboard as a residential colleges representative and farewelled George Connolly. To existing members, Martin Thomas, Melissa Leaupepe, Abigail Spencer and Tara Baker, thank you for continuing to be part of the journey. APSAA has a very strong presence and foundation for NZ specific success in 2023.

APSAA Communications and Engagement Committee Report

2022 saw a continuation of excellent work for the Communications and Engagement committee. We entered our second year of highlighting important topics in our September journal. Continued to highlight international content alongside our Asia-Pacific region and developed our social media followings.

The primary role of the Communications and Engagement Committee is to provide the Board with advice and guidance on member engagement, best use of communication channels and content for APSAA communication channels. It has been fantastic being able to now cover content from in person APSAA events, meaning we have really been able to hit the engagement side of the committee.

Throughout 2022 we worked on several initiatives to review and then enhance our communications.

• September was a focus on Sustainability in our student accommodation

• We continued to feature student voice throughout our publications

• We had an increased focus on LinkedIn, growing our reach and brand online

• Supported the development of the new APSAA strategy

• Planned for succession in the committee with new Chair and Vice-Chair coming in

As I depart the Convenor chair of the committee, I would like to reflect on the stronger position APSAA’s communications are in. Following the pandemic, we have put knowledge, excellence students and professional members at the heart of the stories we share. This work isn’t able to be achieved alone. I wish to acknowledge fellow outgoing committee members Areti Metuamate and Jack Thomson and wish Simone Gallo and Sam Johnstone all the best as they take the committee forward, with the amazing support from Karen our association manager.

Regards, Jacob Waitere | 2022 Committee Chair

2022 Professional Development Committee Report

The primary role of the Professional Development (PD) Committee is to provide the Board with advice and guidance on issues involving the strategy of the association’s Professional Development Program (APSAA Learning).

With the first half of 2022 still experiencing the effects of COVID, the PD committee was limited to webinars, and it wasn’t until the metaphorical ‘fog’ started to lift in Semester 2, that we had the amazing opportunity to get together face to face for the APSAA conference in Sydney in September. This was an exciting time as old friends and new came together at the conference after being absent for a couple of years.

The APSAA board executive has tasked the PD Committee with reviewing the CPD recognition program to align the awarding of points and the practising professional credential to a calendar year in line with APSAA membership. The committee is working on recommendations currently to be submitted to the APSAA Board for approval.

The strategy of the PD committee for 2023 is to launch and deliver the new Speaker Series with topics to be aligned with the 4 pillars outlined in the APSAA strategic plan. To date, the first Speaker series was delivered in February that was well received with 81 people registered to attend. The second speaker series to be delivered in May. In addition, 2023 will herald the return of networking events in each state and regions across the year. Global Housing Training Institute scheduled for May in Melbourne, after being absent for a couple of years, and the introduction of the new ‘Bootcamp’ in December.

Last and, certainly by no means least, I would like to acknowledge the PD Committee members for their time and contribution this past year: Carolyn, Abigail, Rachel, Shana, Jamie-Lee, Chelsae, Tony and, Karen from the Association Professionals.

Sue Fergusson.

Sue Fergusson, APSAA Board member, Professional Development Committee Chair.

APSAA Journal - Student Accommodation

In its sixth year in 2022, Student Accommodation is the official journal of APSAA. It is the professional journal for the student accommodation industry in Australia, New Zealand, and the wider Asia Pacific region.

The journal is produced quarterly and features news, insights, and resources relevant to members working in all areas of the sector. The journal is created collaboratively by APSAA’s Communications and Engagement Committee.

We encourage contributions from members –opinion pieces, research articles, industry updates, team and member profiles, resources, photos, and news of planned and upcoming developments.

We offer a range of advertising opportunities for our journal, and welcome enquiries from organisations and suppliers relevant to the Student Accommodation Industry.

STUDENT

2022 APSAA Conference Wrap Up

Did we Reconnect, Refocus, and Renew? You bet your last dollar we did.

Feedback is overwhelmingly positive that you thought the conference really hit the mark in 2022, especially after the drought of face-to-face events over the past two years. It was wonderful to bring focus to the world of student accommodation and hear from such wonderful guest speakers through the three-day jam-packed program in Sydney.

After a warm opening from our regular MC-extraordinaire, Tim Cox, and a Welcome from the local Aboriginal people, we were treated to a keynote address by 2019 Australian of the Year, Dr Richard Harris, who shared insights and lessons from the Thai cave dive rescue of 2018. Needless to say, Dr Harris had us thinking about the importance of resilience, thinking ‘outside the box’, and never giving up.

Dr Harris was followed by a panel on Indigenous student support and engagement, led by QUT academic Dr Jessa Rogers, where the panel shared their experience working with Indigenous students as well as tips for how to meaningfully engage with local Indigenous communities.

Well-known author and international speaker Sonya Karras wrapped our first day up with a colourful and interesting presentation around orientation week, and the night ended with networking drinks and long overdue catch ups between colleagues.

On day two, our second keynote Nadine Champion gave everyone a sense that all barriers could be broken like the wooden board that one of our delegates was able to put her bare hand through. The emotion in the room was evident as people shed a tear or two, she really pulled at the heart strings with her account of where you can get if you can muster up “10 seconds of courage”.

The conference was brought to life by other invited speakers such as Isabel Fox of Consent Education Australia, Torie Brown of the new Student Accommodation Council within the Property Council and Pete Galloway of ACUHO-I. In addition, were the presentations, forums and concurrent sessions delivered by industry professionals which gave delegates great insights into industry best practice and new ways to think about old problems.

What a treat to end the program with our final keynote speaker, Dr Jana Pittman, who spoke about her life and what it has taken for her to achieve her goals on the world’s sporting stage. What a pivotal role adversity has played in her development and the journey it has taken her on through summer and winter Olympics and onto becoming a mother of six and a medical doctor, specialising in women’s health.

The conference took time to recognise some really great performance from teams and individuals from within our membership during the Awards Dinner – Celebrating Excellence in the Industry. Thanks to our judges Dr Areti Metuamate, Carolyn Mee, and Jacob Waitere. It was such a fun night which ended in some dance floor action. I am sure that waking up the next day there were some sore heads and feet but all worth it. The APSAA Conference gives us the opportunity to spend quality time with people who understand the weight of the roles we play in the lives of young people at a pivotal time in their life. I look forward to seeing you all at next year’s conference in Brisbane – we are hoping to build on this year’s one with a bigger and bolder conference agenda, so please keep a look out for more details. In the meantime, we hope those who made it enjoyed Sydney and the conference program and thank you to Jacob and his team for organising it so well. Reconnect, Refocus, and Renew. Tick, tick and tick.

Simone Gallo | APSAA Board Member, Communications and Engagement Committee Member

Dr Richard Harris OAM

Dr Jessa Rogers & panel

Nadine Champion

APSAA Gala Awards dinner Pre-dinner drinks

APSAA Awards 2022

Each year, APSAA offers a range of scholarships and awards that recognise outstanding performance and innovative ideas from our members. These awards were presented at our annual APSAA Conference, held in Sydney in September.

• Fran O’Brien Award for New Professionals - Rachel Overton, University of Canberra

• ACUHO-I New Professional Award - Jess Rokobaro, University of Newcastle

• Fred Johnson Award for Best Practice/Professional Achievement in Aotearoa - Melissa Leaupepe, University of Auckland

APSAA Excellence Awards

• Excellence in Facility Development or Management – Scape Franklin

• Excellence in Marketing and Communications: Corporate – Scape Australia

• Excellence in Marketing and Communications: University –University of Newcastle

• Excellence in Student Experience - Deakin Residential Services

• Excellence in Sustainable Development Goals - University of Newcastle

APSA A AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE 2022

The team from University of Newcastle with our the APSAA President and Vice President l-r: Jacob Waitere, Gemma Edgar, Charity-Rose Kelly, Jess Rokobaro, Djoeke Van Loon, Marion Bayley.

Scape Franklin, winner of the Award for Excellence in Facility Development or Management.

Member Benefits

Working in the student accommodation industry is a unique and rewarding experience. Industry professionals typically specialise in a wide range of areas that include leadership, business management, residential life, administration, event management and counselling.

The importance of the role and the contribution that student accommodation professionals make to a student’s life and their overall university experience can never be underestimated. Many students will remember their days at “college,” as some of their most cherished, ever!

APSAA recognises the broad skill set that student accommodation professionals need and the importance of industry support. Through our regular networking events, professional development opportunities and services and affiliations with other Australian and International professional associations, APSAA can provide members with a valuable range of benefits not available anywhere else in the Asia-Pacific region.

A major benefit of being an APSAA member is the opportunity to come together and meet with other members employed in the student accommodation industry at various conferences, workshops and other forums.

Members attending these events share ideas and discuss the latest industry developments and innovations. Many of our members return to our annual conferences and events each year which has resulted in a valuable culture of camaraderie amongst APSAA members. The networks formed are lasting and there are opportunities to meet major equipment and service suppliers and to broaden your knowledge of the whole accommodation industry.

Members obtain access through both individual and group/ network development activities and access to a wide network of industry experts that can assist with industry guidelines and any issues on which they may need advice.

Member Benefits

Benefits of APSAA Membership include:

Communication:

• Student Accommodation Journal – the official journal of the student accommodation industry – produced quarterly, and

available as an e-book for all members as well as hard copies posted to Institutions.

• Monthly e-newsletter – with latest news and events relevant to the student accommodation industry – emailed to all members.

• Social Media – APSAA is active on 3 social platforms providing direct updates on events, opportunities and news.

APSAA Events:

• Annual Conference – held in Sydney in September 2022, membership included one free registration to this event.

• APSAA Aotearoa Summit – held in Canterbury in December 2022. Discounted registration for members.

Professional Development – resources, opportunities and recognition:

• APSAA Streaming – recordings of over 50 hours of educational content – from past webinars and online symposium – offering valuable industry knowledge across a range of topics – available free to all members.

• APSAA Resources – include best-practice Industry Guidelines and an online resource centre including past conference papers.

• Webinars, covering a range of topics, available free to members.

• Networking opportunities with 1300+ industry professionals.

• Awards and Scholarships – presented annually, to recognise outstanding performance and innovative ideas from members.

• CPD Program designed to acknowledge and recognise the contribution and involvement of members in activities and programs across the broad spectrum of work within the student accommodation industry.

APSAA Jobs Board – access to job listing opportunities and the ability to post job listings.

Committee involvement – APSAA invites members to contribute to its success – members can get involved by joining a committee –Professional Development, Industry Advancement, Communications & Engagement, Aotearoa Advisory Group, Conference Committee.

Connection to National and International – Organisations

– APSAA maintains an affiliation agreement with ACUHO-I and maintains affiliation agreements with multiple organisations relevant to student accommodation including CUBO, ISANA and Universities New Zealand.

APSAA 2022 Annual Conference

APSAA 2022 Aotearoa Summit

Membership types

Voting membership types

Institution Membership

Any tertiary education institution in Australia, New Zealand or South East Asia that provides Student Accommodation facilities may apply to become an Institution Member. Membership includes one complimentary* conference registration, for the following year’s conference. Institution membership provides membership for all staff working within student housing in the Institution.

Corporate Membership

Any organisation that is a Student Accommodation provider with multiple facilities across Australia, New Zealand or South East Asia and does not have affiliation to any one tertiary education institution, may apply to become a Corporate Member. Membership includes one complimentary* conference registration, for every 3,000 beds, for the following year’s conference. Corporate membership provides membership for all staff working within student accommodation in the Corporate’s operations.

Individual Membership

Any individual working in the field of Student Accommodation who does not already receive benefits via an Institution or Corporate membership may apply to become an Individual Member. Where an individual is working at an Institution or Corporate in student accommodation, they may apply for individual membership for a maximum of 1 year during a 5-year period.

APSAA Life Members

Life membership may be awarded to members who have given outstanding service to the Association.

The following members have been recognised with this honour:

2000 Joe Massingham, Wright College

2011 Gary McLaughlin, Flinders University

2015 Colin Marshall, Federation University

2015 Simon Scott, University of Queensland

2015 Sean Brito-Babapulle, Mannix College

Non-Voting Membership types

Industry Affiliate (Individual)

Any individual with no commercial interest in the Student Accommodation industry, nor an employee of an organisation with a commercial interest in the Student Accommodation industry.

Industry Affiliate (Individual) members receive member rates to APSAA events, receive e-newsletters, and a copy of our quarterly journal – Student Accommodation.

Industry Affiliate (Corporate)

An organisation with a commercial interest in the Student Accommodation industry. Industry Affiliate (Corporate) members receive member rates to APSAA events, receive e-newsletters, and up to five (5) copies of our quarterly journal – Student Accommodation.

* Conference attendee to be nominated prior to early-bird registration; Institution/Corporate member must have paid full year membership fee

Edwina Ellicott, University of Wollongong

Cate Macnamara

Vincent Wilson, Deakin Residential Services

Phone: +61 3 9586 6055

Email: admin@apsaa.org.au

apsaa.org.au

Chinese Association of Real Estate Management in Higher Education