uhomes.com and VITA Partner Exclusively to Forge New UK Student Living
Summary: On 25 November 2025, uhomes.com and VITA GROUP signed an exclusive strategic partnership covering VITA STUDENT and HOUSE OF SOCIAL in the UK and Spain. The signing ceremony was hosted by uhomes.com. Government officials, senior education-industry experts, corporate representatives and members of the media were brought together to witness this milestone partnership. The event also held a forum entitled “Building a Better British Study-Abroad Experience”, which examined emerging trends in UK and European student housing and explored new industry collaboration models.
On 25 November 2025, uhomes.com, a leading global student accommodation booking platform, and VITA GROUP, a UK Real Estate development, has officially entered into an exclusive strategic partnership, covering VITA STUDENT and HOUSE OF SOCIAL in the UK. Marking this significant milestone, the two parties hosted a signing ceremony and press conference, accompanied by a themed forum that brought together experts in several sectors to explore new directions for enhancing the UK study-abroad experience.
Partnership to a New Chapter in UK Student Accommodation
The event opened with a welcome from the host, who outlined the agenda and introduced attendees. Mr. Yin Jiankun, CEO of uhomes.com, and Mr. Max Bielby, COO of VITA GROUP, delivered keynote remarks explaining each brand’s development strategy and the vision behind the partnership.
Mr. Yin aid that since its founding in 2015 uhomes.com has pursued a mission to build a comprehensive “Housing Dictionary for Students” through global expansion, digital operations and intelligent services. Today uhomes.com operates in more than 500 cities and around 2,000 universities worldwide. He emphasised that the exclusive partnership is built on deep mutual trust and represents not only a major milestone for both parties but also a strengthened connection within China–UK education services. Looking ahead, he noted that digital innovation will be used to build a transparent and reliable service ecosystem, enhance cross-cultural educational exchange, and create a long-term bridge between institutions, families and the wider sector. This will provide students and parents with safer, more convenient accommodation choices and delivering benefits for all stakeholders.
Mr. Bielby stated that the exclusive partnership with uhomes.com is founded on nearly a decade of close collaboration, shared trust and aligned values. He commended uhomes.com for its strong capabilities in understanding Chinese consumers, supporting international students and advancing digital solutions. Combined with VITA’s high-quality products, design vision and community resources, he noted that the partnership will create a powerful synergy. With a clear and focused strategy, the two parties aim to jointly lead the international student accommodation sector into a new stage of high-quality development and support students as they pursue their aspirations.
Official Signing: A Blueprint for Collaborative Growth
Witnessed by attendees, Mr. Yin and Mr. Bielby formally signed the exclusive strategic partnership agreement. Under this partnership, uhomes.com becomes the exclusive strategic partner for VITA STUDENT and HOUSE OF SOCIAL in the Greater China student market. The two parties will collaborate across inventory expansion, service enhancement and brand alignment to streamline the student accommodation booking process, develop targeted offers and deliver bespoke services. The partnership aims to provide international students headed to the UK and Spain with convenient, secure and high-quality housing solutions.
This collaboration marks the start of a new phase intended to break down information barriers in the student-housing market and to expand services from single-site bookings to integrated “accommodation + living + socialization” service, injecting fresh energy into the UK and European study-abroad experience.
Forum Insights: Shaping the Future of Student Living
Following the signing, the forum “Building a Better British Study-Abroad Experience” took place as scheduled. Mr. Wang Haoyu, Director of Foreign Investment Promotion at the Tianjin Investment Promotion Bureau, Ms. Sun Bo, Assistant General Manager and UK–Ireland Director at EIC Education, Mr. Yang Fan, former North China Director at IDP, Mr. Lin Guoyu, Founder of International Student Daily, Mr. Max Bielby, and Mr. Yin Jiankun, joined the discussion, focusing on 3 key topics.
1. Redefining Study Abroad: A New Living Standard
Mr. Bielby emphasised that students spend an estimated 60–80% of their overseas time in their accommodation, so living standards should match educational quality. This is the to industry upgrade. Mr. Yin agreed, noting Chinese students require certainty and trust in their housing choices; the partnership will address this core need through digitalised inventory and enhanced service standards. Ms. Sun Bo added that student services must treat accommodation as the entry point for a full-service student-care chain that reduces parents’ and students’ concerns about overseas life.
(From left to right: Mr. Yin Jiankun; Mr. Max Bielby; Mr. Wang Haoyu)
2. Making Study Abroad Becomes Living Abroad: Cross-Cultural Communities
Mr. Lin Guoyu observed that newer generations of students seek belonging through engaging community activities, which accelerate integration. Mr Bielby highlighted that inclusive cross-cultural communities expand students' horizons through everyday interactions and give study-abroad experiences greater emotional resonance.
(From left to right: Ms. Sun Bo, Mr. Lin Guoyu, Mr. Yang Fan)
3. Building International Student Ecosystems: Growth in Education & Economy
Mr. Wang Haoyu argued that deep China–UK industry collaboration can not only enhance the quality of study-abroad services but also promote the flow of educational resources and economic connectivity between cities. Mr. Yang Fan noted that a comprehensive student living ecosystem attracts higher-quality applicants and can, in turn, stimulate improvements in local education services and urban infrastructure.
(From left to right: Mr. Yin Jiankun; Mr. Max Bielby; Mr. Wang Haoyu, Ms. Sun Bo, Mr. Lin Guoyu, Mr. Yang Fan)
Media Focus: Exploring Collaboration and Service for the Future
After the forum, media representatives raised questions on the details of the partnership, service advantages and future plans. When asked, “With the global study-abroad market becoming increasingly diverse, how will deeper China–UK cooperation help both sides navigate new opportunities and challenges, and set a benchmark for the industry?” Mr. Yin responded that Chinese companies, through global expansion, can form deep partnerships with leading international brands. With nearly a decade of mutual trust, the two parties have established a cross-regional, high-trust model for industry collaboration. Mr. Bielby added that the partnership allows both sides to combine their strengths to deliver authoritative guidance and high-quality accommodation, positioning the collaboration as a benchmark in an increasingly complex and diverse market.
About uhomes.com
Founded in January 2015, uhomes.com is a specialist booking platform focused on international student accommodation. The platform curates more than 3 million high-quality housing options around 500+ cities and 2,000+ universities and has served over 2.5 million customers.
uhomes.com’s mission is to build a “housing dictionary for students” by delivering global coverage, digital operations and intelligent services. Together with its partners, uhomes.com delivers a one-stop accommodation solution for international students. Working closely with leading investors, developers and property managers, uhomes.com provides exclusive property listings, special policies and preferential pricing while upholding ethical standards and information accuracy. These make it a preferred booking platform for students worldwide.
About VITA GROUP
Established in 2012 in the UK, VITA GROUP’s vision is to “create future urban living” by focusing on city living environments and deepening connections between people, communities and cities.
VITA STUDENT operates across 20 key cities in the UK and Spain, such as London, Glasgow, and Barcelona etc., and accommodates more than 12,000 students annually. HOUSE OF SOCIAL is a new social student accommodation in Manchester, UK, combining living spaces with community interaction and food culture. Sustainability is also central to the brand’s strategy, with energy-efficient designs supporting carbon-neutral goals, alongside a strong commitment to social responsibility and an inclusive corporate culture.
The exclusive strategic partnership between uhomes.com and VITA GROUP will bring together the core strengths of both organisations to create a more convenient, high-quality and community-driven accommodation ecosystem for students heading to the UK and Spain. Looking ahead, the two sides will continue to deepen their collaboration, placing user needs at the centre and driving innovation in services, jointly shaping a new chapter in student accommodation across the UK and Europe.