Student - August 25, 2011
Room shortage shoots up countrywide
The shortage of accommodation for students is rising steeply in other university towns, as well as in Wageningen. Kences, the organization for student housing providers, has sounded the alarm: 65 thousand more student units are needed between 2010 and 2015. 'We wouldn't be able to make it.'

This academic year, 4.5 percent more youths than last year are pursuing a university study. This trend will continue in the coming years. As construction plans of student housing providers would not be able to catch up, extra steps need to be taken. To begin with, construction regulations which make it too costly to build student homes have to be relaxed. Municipalities should be more flexible about temporary student housing policies and allow emergency housing to remain for ten years instead of five. Moreover, universities and applied sciences universities should offer their land more cheaply for student housing projects, proposes Kences.