Lang LaSalle says in its new report that student housing sector is worth $200 billion globally. Jones Lang LaSalle’s Inc (JLL) is one of the world’s largest real estate service companies.

The report, released on November 8 attributed the figure to an increase in the number of students from Asia choosing to study outside of their home country.
The report said Asia has increased its market share as a source market for international students from 48 per cent in 2004 to 52 per cent in 2009.

In fact, the top-five source markets globally are China, India and South Korea, followed by Germany and France. Philip Hillman, lead director, Student Housing and Higher Education, JLL, said in a media release, that strong economic growth in the key Asian markets has fuelled higher education enrolments globally.

Over the past decade, countries like China, India and Vietnam have experienced rapid growth in the wealthier middle class, which has spurred demand for higher education and better housing options in destination countries.

According to the report, globally, study-abroad student numbers are expected to increase from around 165 million today to 263 million by 2025. Market transaction volumes worldwide for the year ending June 2012 were $4.7 billion, with more assets trading above $50 million, showing healthy investor appetite for this asset class.

While ownership of student housing has traditionally been dominated by developer-operators, increasingly, equity funds, sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, investment managers and REITs are entering the market.

Student housing is one of the most vibrant Indian real estate markets in the foreseeable future, said Anuj Puri, Chairman and Country Head, JLL India.