Institutional investor attitudes to technology-enhanced university vertical campuses in the digital era

Universities internationally have recently increased their campuses to attract a broader coverage of students in a very competitive university education market (e.g. international students). This has seen many universities establish a Central Business District (CBD) office presence via vertical campuses in addition to their traditional campuses. To take advantage of the digital era, a key ingredient in this university space is smaller technology-enhanced teaching spaces in these vertical campuses rather than traditional large lecture theatres. Universities have considered a range of options to access this vertical campus office space, with the attractiveness of universities as major office space tenants and university education assets now being critically assessed as a potential real estate sector for investors; for example, included in a real estate fund. Using an extensive stakeholder survey of Australian universities, pension funds, real estate funds and appraisers, critical issues in the successful operation and management of vertical campus office assets are assessed for these various stakeholders in the vertical campus office asset management process in the digital age. Specific strategic and practical management issues for these vertical campus office assets as a real estate sector in this fourth Industrial Revolution and universities as major office space tenants are highlighted.