By signing the letter of intent, TU/e commits to working with other parties to get student housing projects off the ground. The university itself is not allowed to build residential units, but it can make land available, as is the case with De Hondsheuvels, where at least 750 temporary student housing units will be realized by 2028.

For now, there are no plans for additional student housing towers on campus, but the university can certainly contribute to the construction of more student housing in Eindhoven, says Patrick Groothuis, Vice President of the Executive Board.

Student housing

For example, the university has allocated three fte staff members who focus specifically on realizing student housing. Among other things, they identify potential locations, hold discussions with project developers, connect involved parties with each other, and help assess the financial and structural feasibility of projects.

VB building

To illustrate what TU/e can contribute to reducing the shortage of student housing, Groothuis cites an example from the past: the VB building. “We transformed it from a vacant building into student housing in nine months.”

That would not have happened without TU/e, he says. When the university first spoke with the owner of the building, the owner was reluctant to convert it into student housing because the financial calculations did not add up, Groothuis explains.

“One of our people—someone with a great deal of expertise in using materials and space efficiently in construction—took a look and said: ‘If you do it this way, it can work.’” The university also said it could guarantee there would be students to fill the rooms, as long as it was a pleasant and affordable place for them to live. “That ultimately leads a project developer to open up to the possibility, revise their calculations, and then say: let’s do it.”

According to Groothuis, an important role for the university is also to draw political attention to the urgency of new student housing. “We try to convince them that investing in this is a good idea—that it’s truly necessary for students, for young people, and for the region.”

That urgency appears to have reached the municipality of Eindhoven. At the moment, around fifteen projects are being worked on in Eindhoven, such as those on Dorgelolaan, De Hondsheuvels, and the Máximaterrein. There are also plans for new student housing in the former VGZ building near the station, on the Fontys campus Rachelsmolen, at Sectie C, and at De Caai.

Stichting Studenten Huisvesting

To help make the construction of all this new housing possible, Stichting Studenten Huisvesting (SSH) is involved as a partner. This housing provider is a well-established name and already rents out more than 19,000 student housing units in the Netherlands. “The intention is for them to build a portfolio of around 2,000 student units in Eindhoven within a short period of time,” the press release about the letter of intent states. After that, SSH would like to continue expanding in Eindhoven if possible.

To help get projects off the ground more quickly, resources of Project Beethoven are also being used. That project is a multimillion-euro government initiative aimed at supplying the region with more chip talent. The additional 1,903 master’s students the university aims to attract by 2030 will further increase pressure on the housing market.

Recruit or slow down

Two weeks ago, during the presentation of the construction plans for De Hondsheuvels, slowing down recruitment for that growth did not appear to be an option. Groothuis stands by that position. “It is the ambition of the region that calls for this growth. We are willing to provide for that growth.”

The university is deliberately setting the bar high, he says. “If we say in advance that we would be satisfied with half, we all know what will happen: then you won’t even achieve half. We have to challenge ourselves. That also fits who we are as a region and as a university.”

Master’s students are given priority in student housing over which the university has influence, because those are the students the region needs most. Groothuis calls it a “soft control” steering mechanism. At the same time, the university hopes to limit growth in its bachelor’s programs somewhat.

An intake restriction already applies to three bachelor’s programs. While it is not ruled out that more programs could follow, Groothuis does not want to anticipate that yet. “We are closely monitoring how bachelor’s programs are developing within the departments. If we see growth that appears likely to continue, then we will have to actively steer things.” A few programs seem to be reaching that point.

Shortage

Currently, Eindhoven faces a shortage of about 1,500 student housing units. Groothuis expects that the planned construction of 5,400 additional units will reduce that shortage.

However, according to him, pressure on the market does not need to disappear entirely. “You need some pressure, because if supply becomes greater than demand, you end up with vacancies. We think the tension should fall below 1,000, and these new housing units should help us reach that point.”

This article was translated using AI-assisted tools and reviewed by an editor.