Campus, University and City Housing. The Challenges of Valencia’s Public Universities

Abstract

Housing has been a part of traditional university settings for centuries. The oldest
universities incorporated it as part of the group of spaces that rounded out the basic functions of
the university, and not just as a vital necessity for the displaced population of students, but as one
more enticement to educate and promote relationships and exchanges in a setting focused on
knowledge. Today’s reality is not the same, and not all universities offer the same solution. Some
private institutions, either directly related or external to the universities, have once again taken up
the initiative of offering housing for students. In any case, the extent and qualities of the housing
offered cannot be separate from the university’s stewardship model or from the commitment to the
physical environment of the city and its activities, not if we think in terms of outlook and
improvement.