Combating digital exclusion of international students in Sweden with SBS
Verification
Digital Identity
As society becomes increasingly digital, the need to navigate the digital world effectively also gro...
IDV for SBS Student Housing
SBS Studentbostäder i Norden is a leading provider of student housing in the Nordic region, dedicated to offering comfortable and affordable living spaces for students. With a commitment to supporting students' academic journeys, SBS ensures a seamless housing application process, catering to both local and international students.
The Challenge
Every year, SBS Studentbostäder i Norden (SBS) processes applications from approximately 2000 exchange students seeking remote housing arrangements. Verifying the identities of these students, who come from diverse backgrounds and locations, posed a significant challenge.
Students’ identities need to be verified to ensure their entitlement to student housing, and to ensure SBS know who they are signing contracts with. This also needs to be done remotely, as applicants usually apply before coming to Sweden.
Remote identity verification for foreigners is a challenge in Sweden, since they cannot access the Swedish BankID solution. Samira Mchaiter, Head of asset management at SBS explains the challenge:
"It can be experienced as challenging for foreign students to access digital services in Sweden, especially because of BankID."
A variety of nationalities and identity documents, thus caused a lot of manual work for SBS. It was hard to provide a secure and efficient verification process, which was crucial to maintaining the integrity of the application process and providing a smooth experience for the students. Samira continues:
“Before we started using TruID, we had several challenges with ID verification. We had to request passport copies via email or ask applicants to upload these to our queue page. This was both time-consuming and not compliant from a GDPR perspective.”
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The Solution: Truid's identity verification system
To address this challenge, SBS Studentbostäder i Norden partnered with Truid. Our integration into Hogias property management platform Din Hyresvärd offers a robust and user-friendly solution tailored to the needs of exchange students applying for housing remotely.
Key features of Truid's solution
Secure Verification
Truid employs cutting-edge technology to authenticate students' identities, ensuring that only legitimate applicants are approved.
User-Friendly Interface
The platform is designed to be intuitive, allowing students to complete the verification process quickly and easily from anywhere in the world.
Compliance and Privacy
Truid adheres to the highest standards of data protection and privacy, ensuring that students' personal information is handled securely.
Scalability
With the ability to handle high transaction volumes, Truid's solution seamlessly supports the annual influx of 2000 student applications.
Implementation and results
The integration of Truid's identity verification system into SBS’ application process was smooth and increased efficiency. Added to that, SBS can now handle documents with full GDPR compliance. Samira concludes on the effects of the implementation:
“Since implementing Truid, we have seen a marked improvement in the efficiency of our student housing application process. Truid's solution has simplified and secured the ID verification, which means that we no longer have to deal with passport copies directly, which is beneficial in view of GDPR.”
The implementation team ensured that the system was fully operational in time for the new academic year. According to Samira, the applicants, i.e. the foreign exchange students who use the Truid app to verify their identity overall seem very satisfied:
“Since the implementation of Truid, we have not received any complaints from our housing applicants. On the contrary, they seem to appreciate the flexibility that Truid brings to our application process.”
Benefits achieved
Increased Efficiency
The automated verification process significantly reduced the time and effort required to authenticate applicants, allowing the SBS team to focus on other critical tasks.
Improved User Experience
Students experienced a hassle-free application process, with clear instructions and swift verification, enhancing their overall satisfaction.
Scalable Solution
Truid's platform effortlessly managed the annual volume of 2000 transactions, demonstrating its capability to scale as needed.
Enhanced Security
By leveraging Truid's advanced verification techniques, SBS significantly minimized the risk of fraudulent applications.
Conclusion
The collaboration between SBS Studentbostäder i Norden and Truid has resulted in a streamlined and secure identity verification process for exchange students applying for housing remotely. This partnership underscores SBS's commitment to providing a reliable and efficient service to its student residents, ensuring they can focus on their studies while enjoying a comfortable living environment.
For more information about Truid's identity verification solutions, read more at:
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