The term studentification was coined and defined by Professor Darren Smith as ‘contradictory social, cultural, economic and physical changes resulting from an influx of students within privately- rented accommodation in particular neighbourhoods’. Since then, it has been used in both the media and academic papers across the UK.
Adopting the term studentification has provided a valuable framework for policy makers, universities and other stakeholders across the globe to find more effective ways of integrating students into the physical and social fabric of university towns and cities.
Professor Smith is fascinated by the formation of new social and economic geographies that are giving rise to more exclusive, segregated, and transient societies. The term studentification conceptualises the processes of change within university towns and cities tied to the growth of student populations and the expansion of higher education. To date, Professor Smith has researched studentification in UK, Ireland, North America, Australia and China.
The Studentification Guide for North America has been a pivotal publication in addressing the key issues surrounding the impact of students living in University towns and cities.