The University of Cambridge is to launch a ground-breaking education programme for property finance in the UK and Europe.
The universitys Department of Land Economy will begin a Masters of Philosophy in Real Estate Finance, which will comprise modules such as securitisation, investment and risk analysis, urban economics, and mortgage securities and property law.
The course, which is backed by property industry leaders, aims to bridge the gap between the growing requirements of the industry for more finance-focused post-graduates and the more traditional property education in the UK, which has its roots in valuation.
Professor Malcolm Grant, head of the land economy department, said it would have a business school-style approach. “It is not a valuation-based course. It will revolve around finance. We want to establish this as the premier European programme in real estate finance. It will be extremely rigorous and is aimed at top achievers.”
The course has had strong backing and advice from influential property professionals in Europe. Its external advisory board includes: Jeremy Newsum, chief executive of Grosvenor; Jon Zehner, managing director and global head of real estate at JP Morgan; Christophe Tanghe, managing director, private equity at Lehman Brothers; Michael Topham, managing director of Hines Europe; Alec Emmot, managing director at Société Foncière Lyonnaise; Chris Bartram, chairman of Haslemere; and Paul Orchard-Lisle, chairman of Healey & Baker Investment Advisors.
The Masters will be led by Professor Jim Shilling, formerly of the University of Wisconsin in the US. Shilling will be the first Grosvenor professor of real Estate finance following a £2m endowment for the professorship from the Duke of Westminster, founder of the property company Grosvenor.
EGi News 01/03/01
