Housing situation of students during the COVID-19 pandemic – a case study from Poland and Portugal

Abstract

The occurrence of the first illnesses of the inhabitants of Poland and Portugal caused decision-makers to introduce many changes in the functioning of economic units in various areas. This document aims to answer the questions of whether the changes related to the occurrence of COVID-19 had a significant impact on the housing situation of students by answering two questions: (1) How has the pandemic affected the change in the form of residence? (2) What changes in the provisions of the contract do students expect after returning to the full-time form? The empirical study was conducted based on data obtained from a survey. The research was conducted in May and June 2021 on a sample of 599 students at the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn and the School of Technology and Management of Porto Polytechnic in Portugal. The analysis related to the determination of statistically significant interdependencies of socio-demographic characteristics of respondents with their attitudes, and a multidimensional method of comparative analysis was used, known as correspondence analysis. As a method of recording data in the analysis of correspondence, the Burt matrix was used. The result of the statistical analysis was the identification of structural relationships between variables and objects (respondents). The results showed different behaviours related to housing conditions in Poland and Portugal. Polish students, due to the epidemiological situation, were mostly forced to change their place of residence, which was usually associated with returning to their family home. This trend was not observed for students in Portugal (median response: Housing had not been affected in any way by the pandemic).