Recently, our offices at the International Union of Property Owners (UIPI) received an unexpected email. It was from Rodrigo, a young Portuguese student eagerly anticipating his upcoming adventure in Rome. Rodrigo was reaching out to us with a pressing concern, seeking our guidance and legitimacy for a housing provider he had discovered online.

In his email, Rodrigo attached a draft lease contract from this company, one that bore the UIPI logo alongside the logos of the Erasmus Programme, the Housing + EU project, and even some United Nations affiliations. It was clear to us that Rodrigo had stumbled upon a fraudulent operation, a deceitful entity masquerading as a legitimate housing provider.

This was for us a stark reminder of the challenges that countless international and Erasmus students face when seeking accommodation abroad. These students, like Rodrigo, often find themselves in unfamiliar territories, navigating a maze of foreign customs and unknown housing regulations with the threat of fraudulent or badly intentioned housing providers.

Rodrigo’s email was not just an isolated incident; it symbolised a broader issue that UIPI had been addressing with its partners through the Erasmus project HOME. The HOME (Home of Mobile Europeans) project, funded by the Erasmus+ program and active from 2019 to 2022, had been our response to the growing need for accessible and high-quality housing options for mobile European students. It aimed to enhance transparency and information sharing about student accommodations at the European level.

The success of the HOME project had paved the way for the introduction of HOME², a 30-month initiative that started in December 2023. Coordinated by Politecnico di Milano and together with the Erasmus Student Network, the European University Foundation, the University of Oviedo, and Housing Anywhere, HOME² takes our commitment to international student accommodation to the next level.

HOME² is dedicated to improving the student housing experience across Europe. It will deliver impactful outcomes, including updated student housing quality labels, policy recommendations, and a user-friendly housing solution accessible through the Erasmus+ App. This platform aims to simplify the process of finding secure and quality accommodation for mobile students.

And so, Rodrigo’s initial email, which began as a plea for guidance, has now become a testament to the importance of HOME² and our ongoing dedication to ensuring that international students can embark on their educational journeys abroad with confidence, knowing that reliable and safe accommodation awaits them.

At UIPI, we are thrilled to be part of HOME² and continue our journey towards facilitating international student mobility. Student accommodation, particularly international student accommodation, is a dynamic and rapidly evolving market. It possesses its own unique set of demand and presents a distinct challenge.

When UIPI initially embraced the HOME project, alongside key stakeholders in the sector, it was not only an opportunity to delve into the realm of student housing accommodation, but also a chance to contribute to the development of a common language that caters to the needs of our members who provide housing, as well as students and young professionals.

Through initiatives like HOME², we remain dedicated to addressing these unique demands and challenges. Our mission is to demonstrate our members’ commitment to delivering high-quality accommodations, adapting it to the diverse needs of various population segments, and to support their work to ensure that reliable and secure housing becomes a reality, including for those embarking on their educational journeys far from home.