Graduation May 2026: meeting our online and distance learning graduates

At graduation in May 2026, as well as our on-campus students, we were pleased to welcome a number of students who had not visited the Oxford Brookes campus before. These students were graduating from the MSc Real Estate that we offer in partnership with the Knight Frank Saudi Arabia Graduate Academy and the online MSc Real Estate Investment Finance which has students and alumni working in a variety of property related sectors all over the world.

The student speaker at the ceremony was Yosra Meskinyar, one of the first graduates from the MSc Real Estate that we offer in partnership with the Knight Frank Saudi Arabia Graduate Academy. This is a two-and-a-half-year graduate program designed to nurture top talent in real estate and allows ambitious graduates to work while earning an MSc Real Estate and pursuing an RICS qualification.

The MSc Real Estate Investment Finance is an online course which attracts students from across the globe. This entirely online distance learning course is all about putting practical skills into action and our students have lots of opportunities to connect and share experiences with each other and professionals on a global basis. It was great to welcome two of the REIF students to the campus for graduation...the first time meeting in person!

Ye Xu (REIF Course Leader) with Jamie Fairholm (left) and Ruba Khoury (right)

 

Oxford Brookes/OBREMS Mentoring Scheme 2026: the Launch

The Mentoring Scheme is managed jointly by OBREMS (our alumni association) and the School of the Built Environment and is open to second year students on the BSc Real Estate and the BSc Property Development and Planning as well as students on the MSc Real Estate. The Mentoring Scheme offers students a unique opportunity for students to be mentored by one of our alumni. 

The Mentoring Scheme has been running for 14 years now and this year (19 March) we headed back to the offices of Montagu Evans in the Can of Ham Building at 70 St Mary Axe in the City of London. It was great to be joined by Nick Maclean OBE RD FRICS, the new (and 144th) President of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) who kindly opened the evening with some words of encouragement for the students. Thanks also to Josh Myerson (mentor) and Emma Buxton (a student mentee and now a mentor) for their words of advice on how to make the most of the Mentoring Scheme.

Nick Maclean, Josh Myerson and Emma Buxton (l-r)

Thanks to Montagu Evans once again for hosting and thanks to the presenters and all the students, staff and mentors who came.  This year we matched 75 students with mentors. Anyone who is interested in becoming a mentor should contact: rdixon@brookes.ac.uk

And now for the photos...

The OBU/OBREMS Mentoring Scheme 2026

 

The Mentoring Scheme Launch at Montagu Evans, March 2025

The Mentoring Scheme has been running since 2013, successfully matching more than 1000 students from the BSc Real Estate and the BSc Property Development and Planning with one of our alumni. That's a lot of networking. The Mentoring Scheme is managed jointly by OBREMS (our alumni association) and the School of the Built Environment and is open to second year students as well as students on the MSc Real Estate. On 16 February we will open applications to the OBREMS/OBU Mentoring Scheme 2026 for second year undergraduate students. So why should you take part? Some quotes from students, alumni and mentors...

• The Mentoring Scheme was certainly useful and the networking launch event was a great illustration of how important networking is within Real Estate. Thank you. 
• Brilliant, and we will keep in touch after the scheme ends. 
• Helpful - as it improved my CV massively, which helped secure a job.
• Amazing, my Mentor was extremely helpful and the scheme provided fantastic contacts.
• I think the mentoring scheme was a brilliant way to get us in touch with industry professionals. For me it has opened many doors and built my CV by getting work experience through the scheme. I think its a brilliant initiative, in which I hope I'll be able to take part in when I am working. 
• Speaking to 3rd year students at the Real Estate society socials, and other sports activities, the Mentoring Scheme has helped people in many different ways, that might not seem like the obvious choices. For example, just putting people in touch to help find a room in London, where they secured a summer internship. I also think that a lot of the property industry is about building connections, which the Mentoring Scheme can also assist with.
• Having benefited positively from the Mentoring Scheme myself as a student it has made me realise how important continuing that contact is and the benefit of maintaining the alumni community as it's great for meeting new people and being able to help students out.

This year, the mentoring period for undergraduate students will start at the end of March 2026, with a launch event kindly hosted by Montagu Evans at 70 St Mary's Axe (the Can of Ham Building) on the evening of 19 March (6pm to 8pm). The launch event will include guest speakers and a chance for networking and meetings between students and mentors. 

There are a wide range of mentors who volunteer to take part, from recent graduates to CEOs - and a lot of our younger mentors took part in the Mentoring Scheme themselves when they were students. All our mentors are alumni of Oxford Brookes (Real Estate or Planning and Property Development) and are also volunteers. Students - please remember that if you sign up to the Mentoring Scheme you must be prepared to make use of your Mentor and initiate contact. Our Mentors sign up to the scheme as volunteers because they want to help and they enjoy being part of the scheme - when students sign up and then drop out, we end up with disappointed Mentors and a wasted opportunity for the student. There is a lot of help on offer and it's up to you to make good use of it. 

2nd year students...apply here.

BSc Real Estate: field trip to Bristol

The first-year BSc Real Estate field trip to Bristol took place on 18 November. Presentations on the property market in Bristol (from Savills and Cushman & Wakefield) were followed by a walking tour of the city’s office and retail cores. Thanks to Chris Berry for organising a great trip...

Presentations on the property market in Bristol (from Savills and Cushman & Wakefield)

Starting at Cabot Circus, the largest shopping centre in Bristol’s retail core and then walking through the Broadmead retail area. Broadmead is the central shopping street in Bristol extending east-west about half a mile away from Cabot Circus. Together with the streets around it, it forms the heart of the traditional retail area and is home to The Galleries.

The Galleries is (or was) a shopping centre which opened in 1991 and currently has planning permission for demolition and redevelopment into 450 homes, student accommodation, offices, restaurants, and shops.

Passing by St Peter’s Church (ruins) at the historic heart of the city, devastated during the Blitz, leaving only its outer walls and tower surviving, the tour moved onto Queen’s Square. 

Queen’s Square is one of Bristol’s most elegant public spaces and is a large Georgian garden square combining residential and commercial properties. Next up, the Harbourside office cluster at Canon’s Marsh - this waterfront area is the second largest office area of Bristol and home to about twenty office buildings.

And finally a visit to Temple Quay office core and residential district. Temple Quay is Bristol’s largest office district, developed on former railway sidings from the early 1990s to the present, with buildings dating from across that period. The final destination was BLOK,  1 Castle Park for a guided tour of the new A Grade office development hosted by Alice Short of Boultbee Brooks.

Vacant office space inside BLOK

The lounge area inside BLOK, adjacent to the cafe

The view from the roof garden at BLOK and finally, down to the basement to see the bike and scooter park and the gym...

Great field trip. To find out more about the BSc Real Estate, click here.

Celebrating 10 Years of REIF: catching up with Freda Rutere

Freda Rutere: MSc REIF 2016-18.
Currently working as an Investment Manager at IHS,
a Green Affordable Housing Fund based in Kenya.

MSc Real Estate Investment Finance (REIF)

A Decade Later - From Student to Impact Investment Professional

Ten years ago, I was featured in this blog as one of the first students pursuing the MSc Real Estate Investment Finance at Oxford Brookes University. At the time, I was working in commercial Real Estate Development Management in Kenya. I spoke about the disconnect I observed between investor decision-drivers and engineering fundamentals, hoping the REIF course would equip me with tools to better steer commercial real estate development decisions at a strategic level.

A decade later, as I reflect on my journey since graduation, I’m amazed at how prescient those words were – and how the MSc REIF became the bridge that transformed my career in ways I couldn’t have imagined - Specifically, I found myself increasingly drawn to projects that addressed housing affordability challenges – a critical issue across many African markets.

Today, I work as an Investment Manager at an affordable housing impact fund, where I focus on investments that generate both financial returns and measurable social impact. My role involves evaluating investment opportunities, conducting due diligence, managing a growing property portfolio, and measuring impact outcomes – all while ensuring strong financial fundamentals are preserved for investors.

The foundation laid by the MSc REIF program, combined with my engineering background, created a unique skill set that proved invaluable to better serving investors in African markets.

Looking back, the MSc REIF program delivered on everything I had hoped for and more: The analytical frameworks I learned during the MSc REIF program proved essential as I began evaluating projects not just on traditional financial metrics, but also on their potential for social impact. The course’s emphasis on understanding real estate as an asset class across various jurisdictions globally (as I had hoped) became particularly relevant as I worked on cross-border affordable housing initiatives.

For those currently in the program or considering it, my advice is to embrace the interdisciplinary nature of real estate investment finance. Don’t see it just as a property or finance course – view it as a foundation for understanding how built environments can be leveraged to create positive change and make meaningful contributions.

To the current faculty and students of the MSc REIF program: thank you for continuing to push the boundaries of how we think about real estate investment globally. 

The decade since graduation has been an incredible journey of growth and impact. I’m proud to be part of the Oxford Brookes REIF alumni community and excited to see how the next generation of graduates will shape the future of real estate investment.

Thanks Freda. Find out more about the course here.

Celebrating 10 Years! MSc REIF: Stephen Hipkins

Ye Xu (REIF Programme Leader) and Stephen Hipkins at graduation in May 2025

The Real Estate Investment Finance (REIF) programme (MSc, PG Diploma and OBU Certificate) at Oxford Brookes is celebrating 10 years this year!  The programme started in 2015 and now attracts students from across the world. This is great news as students (and staff) from many different backgrounds and locations can come together online to share experiences and work practices. The programme has been designed for real estate professionals across all sectors, as well as fund managers and investment bankers who would like to gain a better understanding of real estate as a financial asset in an investment portfolio. The programme is delivered online and offers our students (many of whom are also working full-time) a flexible and innovative way to study. We have developed our use of digital media to bring together students from many different backgrounds and locations using our virtual learning platform as well as social media and webinars. 

I caught up with one of our most recent graduates, Stephen Hipkins who completed the MSc REIF in May 2025 to find out what he thought about the REIF programme:

What is your background?

I am a qualified architect with over 25 years of experience across architecture, construction and project delivery. My career has spanned both the UK and international markets, including significant work in the Middle East. I have delivered complex capital investment projects across a broad range of sectors; residential, commercial, education, healthcare and cultural institutions, both as an architect and in senior client-side project and design management roles. My leadership has consistently centred on coordinating multidisciplinary teams to deliver high-value, technically sophisticated developments. I have worked with globally renowned practices and led award-winning masterplans such as the Qasr Al Hosn in Abu Dhabi. In recent years, I have taken a strategic leadership role in future-focused developments, including mass modular housing and sustainable EV-integrated urban planning.

Why did you decide to do a course in Real Estate Investment Finance?

Having spent much of my career focused on the design and delivery aspects of the built environment, I recognised a growing need to strengthen my commercial and financial understanding of real estate. My experience taught me that long-term project success hinges not just on design excellence or construction efficiency, but also on financial viability, market alignment and strategic investment.  

The MSc in Real Estate Investment and Finance provided the perfect opportunity to formally broaden my perspective, to view projects not only as physical assets but as vehicles of economic and social value. I wanted to be better equipped to engage with investors, developers and financial institutions and to lead with a more integrated understanding of project lifecycle economics, risk and return.

Why did you choose the MSc/PGD REIF at Oxford Brookes?

Oxford Brookes stood out for its strong reputation in real estate education and its practitioner-focused, flexible learning model. The course is tailored for experienced professionals who want to deepen their expertise while continuing to work and it focuses on real-world application. What particularly appealed to me was the course’s emphasis on combining theory with critical, practice-based analysis. The modules, ranging from valuation and investment appraisal to legal frameworks aligned closely with the challenges I encountered in my leadership roles. The university’s commitment to academic excellence, coupled with its support for distance learners, made it an ideal choice.

What did you gain from the course and how has it helped you in your career?

The MSc has significantly enhanced my ability to appraise projects from a financial and strategic standpoint. I have gained a much deeper understanding of market dynamics, investment structures, development finance and valuation techniques. I’m now far more confident in navigating complex financial models, engaging with investors and aligning project design with long-term investment goals.

Importantly, the course sharpened my decision-making in areas like portfolio planning, risk assessment and regulatory compliance. This has expanded my leadership capacity, enabling me to move seamlessly between architectural, managerial and financial domains. It’s already influencing the way I lead projects, structure deals and advocate for sustainable, commercially resilient developments. I have now set up a property business that leverages the BRRR (Buy, Refurbish, Rent, Refinance, Repeat) strategy to acquire and improve residential properties to a high standard. If you would like to know more or become involved, email us at: architectmoveorimprove@gmail.com

What did you choose for your dissertation topic and why?

For my dissertation, I explored the topic: “Decline in Town Centres: Adapting to Changing Consumer Habits.” This subject resonated strongly with me, both professionally and personally, as I’ve witnessed first-hand the shifting dynamics in urban centres across the UK, exacerbated by changes in retail behaviour, technological disruption and more recently, the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. My aim was to critically examine the structural decline of traditional high streets and town centres, investigating the economic, social and spatial drivers behind reduced footfall, rising vacancies and evolving consumer expectations. I was particularly interested in how real estate stakeholders, investors, developers, local authorities and designers can reposition and repurpose underperforming assets to create vibrant, resilient urban environments.

This research allowed me to bridge my architectural and project delivery background with the commercial and strategic themes covered in the MSc. I evaluated innovative redevelopment strategies, such as mixed-use repurposing, experiential retail and community-focused place-making, alongside policy and investment models that can support long-term regeneration. Ultimately, the dissertation reinforced my belief that town centres can be revitalised through integrated, multi-disciplinary approaches, where design quality, financial viability and social value go hand-in-hand.

Thanks Stephen. If you want to find out more, then book onto one of our online information sessions via the website.

REIF Online Information Sessions

MSc Real Estate Investment Finance: Alexander Karioth

 

Alexander Karioth: MSc REIF 2024

The Real Estate Investment Finance (REIF) programme at Oxford Brookes has been designed for real estate professionals across all sectors, as well as fund managers and investment bankers who would like to gain a better understanding of real estate as a financial asset in an investment portfolio. The programme is delivered online and offers our students (many of whom are also working full-time) a flexible and innovative way to study. We have developed our use of digital media to bring together students from many different backgrounds and locations using our virtual learning platform as well as social media and webinars. The programme started in 2015 and now attracts students from across the world. This is great news for the REIF programme as students (and staff) from many different backgrounds and locations can come together online to share experiences and work practices.

I caught up with one of our alumni, Alexander Karioth who completed the MSc REIF in March 2024 to find out what he thought about the REIF programme:

What is your background?

Both my academic background and work experience were exclusively in hospitality. I began my journey with a three-year management trainee programme in hotel operations with “Kempinski”, a renowned luxury hotel brand. Recognising the need to complement my operational expertise with advanced managerial and leadership skills, I pursued a Bachelor of Business Administration in Hotel Management. As my interest shifted towards the real estate side of the hospitality industry, I transitioned into hotel consulting, joining PKF hospitality group in Vienna. This marked the beginning of my career in hotel advisory, which continued through subsequent positions at CBRE in London, Ernst & Young in Munich, and JLL.

Why did you decide to do a course in REIF?

Given that my background was exclusively related to hotels, primarily focusing on valuation and advisory work, I sought to broaden my exposure to general real estate, encompassing all asset classes. Specifically, I wanted to deepen my understanding of the investment side of the industry. 

Why did you choose the MSc REIF at Oxford Brookes?

I chose to pursue the MSc in Real Estate Investment Finance at Oxford Brookes University (OBU) for several compelling reasons. The programme's flexible structure, allowing for part-time and remote study, perfectly suited my professional commitments. The 16-month timeframe was the ideal balance between a comprehensive learning experience and timely completion of the course. Colleagues at CBRE London had highly recommended OBU as one of the most acclaimed institutions for real estate education in the UK, reinforcing my decision. Lastly, the programme's accreditation by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) enabled a clear pathway to become a RICS-registered professional.

What did you gain from the course and how has it helped you in your career?

Although fully remote, I expanded my network within the industry. Consequently, both the hard and soft skills I acquired proved beneficial. Upon successfully passing my dissertation in June 2024 and officially graduating from Oxford Brookes University in September 2024, I transitioned into a new role within the Hotel Capital Markets/Investment Sales Team at JLL. This move marked a significant shift in my career, facilitating my transition from valuation and advisory services to investment brokerage. The knowledge and network I gained through my MSc programme proved instrumental in supporting this career progression.

What did you choose for your dissertation topic and why?

The key lesson from my Bachelor's thesis was to choose a topic that is both interesting and familiar. Following this advice, I focused on hotels, the asset class I know best, selecting a relevant and intriguing subject: "An investigation into environmental sustainability factors impacting hotel real estate investment in Europe". My research addressed a significant gap in the industry – the limited adoption of environmental sustainability in hotel real estate and the lack of standardised assessment criteria for existing investments and new acquisitions. Ultimately, the study identified the most relevant environmental sustainability factors relating to the regulatory and built environment, as well as hotel operations and developed a framework of standard criteria for assessment, including recommendations on how to evaluate these criteria in current investments and new acquisitions.

Thanks Alexander. To find out more about the MSc/PGD REIF take a look at our webpage:

MSc/PGD REIF at Oxford Brookes

OBU/OBREMS Mentoring Scheme Launch 2025

The Mentoring Scheme is managed jointly by OBREMS (our alumni association) and the School of the Built Environment and is open to second year students on the BSc Real Estate and the BSc Property Development and Planning as well as students on the MSc Real Estate.

The Can of Ham Building at 70 St Mary Axe

It's been running for 13 years now and the OBREMS/OBU Mentoring Scheme offers students a unique opportunity to be mentored by one of our alumni. This year, the launch took place on 26 March at the offices of Montagu Evans in the Can of Ham Building at 70 St Mary Axe in the City of London. Thanks to Montagu Evans for hosting and thanks to the presenters and all the students, staff and mentors who came. It was the biggest ever launch event with 120 students and alumni and a lot of networking. It was especially good to see those who took part in the Mentoring Scheme as students return as mentors and we had some laughs looking at the OBU Real Estate and Construction My Social Book from 2015. This year we matched 73 students with mentors. Anyone who is interested in becoming a mentor should contact: rdixon@brookes.ac.uk

Thanks to Josh Myerson (mentor), Alexandra Williams and Emma Buxton (both student mentees and now mentors) for their words of advice on how to make the most of the Mentoring Scheme and James Stacey (Chair of OBREMS), Rebecca Gee (OBU) and Dan Sames (OBU) for their words of encouragement. 

And now for the photos...

Emma Buxton talking about her experiences

Memories from My Social Book...

Time for more networking in the local bar...

The Oxford Brookes/OBREMS Mentoring Scheme 2025

The Mentoring Scheme Launch - March 2024

The Mentoring Scheme has been running since 2013, successfully matching more than 1000 students from the BSc Real Estate and the BSc Property Development and Planning with one of our alumni. That's a lot of networking. The Mentoring Scheme is managed jointly by OBREMS (our alumni association) and the School of the Built Environment and is open to second year students as well as students on the MSc Real Estate. In early February we will open applications to the OBREMS/OBU Mentoring Scheme 2025 for second year undergraduate students. So why should you take part? Some quotes from students, alumni and mentors...

• The Mentoring Scheme was certainly useful and the networking launch event was a great illustration of how important networking is within Real Estate. Thank you. 
• Brilliant, and we will keep in touch after the scheme ends. 
• Helpful - as it improved my CV massively, which helped secure a job.
• Amazing, my Mentor was extremely helpful and the scheme provided fantastic contacts.
• I think the mentoring scheme was a brilliant way to get us in touch with industry professionals. For me it has opened many doors and built my CV by getting work experience through the scheme. I think its a brilliant initiative, in which I hope I'll be able to take part in when I am working. 
• Speaking to 3rd year students at the Real Estate society socials, and other sports activities, the Mentoring Scheme has helped people in many different ways, that might not seem like the obvious choices. For example, just putting people in touch to help find a room in London, where they secured a summer internship. I also think that a lot of the property industry is about building connections, which the Mentoring Scheme can also assist with.
• Having benefited positively from the Mentoring Scheme myself as a student it has made me realise how important continuing that contact is and the benefit of maintaining the alumni community as it's great for meeting new people and being able to help students out.

This year, the mentoring period for undergraduate students will start at the end of March 2024, with a launch event kindly hosted by Montagu Evans at 70 St Mary's Axe (the Can of Ham Building) on the evening of 27 March (6pm to 8pm). The launch event will include guest speakers and a chance for networking and meetings between students and mentors. 

There are a wide range of mentors who volunteer to take part, from recent graduates to CEOs - and a lot of our younger mentors took part in the Mentoring Scheme themselves when they were students. All our mentors are alumni of Oxford Brookes (Real Estate or Planning and Property Development) and are also volunteers. Students - please remember that if you sign up to the Mentoring Scheme you must be prepared to make use of your Mentor and initiate contact. Our Mentors sign up to the scheme as volunteers because they want to help and they enjoy being part of the scheme - when students sign up and then drop out, we end up with disappointed Mentors and a wasted opportunity for the student. There is a lot of help on offer and it's up to you to make good use of it.