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 Real Estate Investment Finance Programme at Oxford Brookes

It is now 5 years since the MSc/PGD Real Estate Investment Finance (REIF) was launched by Oxford Brookes. We offer three routes through the REIF programme. The MSc (which is fully accredited by the RICS) and PG Diploma offer students the opportunity to study Real Estate Investment Finance in more depth and we also continue to offer the REIF programme as a CPD certificate. 

So, what is the REIF programme? 

An online, distance-learning programme tailored to students who are also working full-time

The REIF 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 students 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. Following student feedback, we have also developed our use of video - something that we feel is very important and contributes to the sense of community and belonging to the programme. We have developed a series of podcasts for each module, based around the learning packages and some modules also contain longer video lectures. A series of induction videos has also been developed for students on more general topics such as how to use the online Library.

A practically based programme which makes extensive use of real-life examples

This continues to be the focus of the programme and each module within it. Students appreciate the applicability of the programme to their work and also to their development within the workplace. 

Networking: opportunities to share knowledge, work practice and experience across the world 

We offer students the opportunity to come together online to share experiences and work practices which enrich the student experience. We hold at least two webinars during each module as well as Q&A sessions in the online chatroom. We also facilitate student networking through a series of (very active) WhatsApp groups as well as a REIF group for students and alumni on LinkedIn. 

Since it started in 2015, the REIF programme has widened its intake and we now have students all over the world. Locations include: Australia, Botswana, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Ireland, Kenya, Latvia, Malaysia, St Lucia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Myanmar, Philippines, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, UAE, Uganda, UK, Uruguay, Vietnam and Zimbabwe. 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.

Input from industry experts 

As well as input to the programme from our external examiners (one of whom is an expert from industry), we hold an annual REIF Seminar Day for students, alumni and staff which is made up of a series of lectures from industry experts and staff on the REIF team. This seminar day is live-streamed and also involves interaction via webinars. And of course there is the input from our students and alumni who are working in industry. 

What our students and alumni are saying...

• The online delivery was particularly appealing as it allowed me to achieve my Master’s degree during my free time and offered real flexibility as I balanced a busy work and family life. The REIF team are extremely helpful and I highly recommend the course. 
• The course has given me a valuable insight and understanding of finance and capital markets. I particularly enjoyed the Legal and Regulatory module, which was very new to me but a very important aspect of investment and fund management.
• I heard the School of the Built Environment at Oxford Brookes was one of the best in the country and I was keen to study with a globally recognized institution. Distance learning is clearly very different from a residential course, but it provided the flexibility to study around work.
• The fact the university was located in the United Kingdom only added to the appeal because it would give me an international perspective on the real estate investment market. Lastly, I was attracted to the idea of studying with a cohort of students from different real estate markets around the world.
• The course was very practical and applicable every way through my job. It opened my mind to global perspectives as well. All of these came in handy in my day to day property fund management role.

If you would like to find out more about the REIF programme you can:

• Visit the REIF programme page on the Oxford Brookes website
• Look at our REIF student profiles on this blog
• Join one of our online information sessions - anyone can join the sessions and they are an ideal way to find out more about the REIF programme, to meet the REIF Team and to ask any questions you might have. You can sign up for the sessions via the REIF page on the main university website or email us on rec-creif@brookes.ac.uk

China, Vietnam and the RICS APC

The School of the Built Environment (Real Estate) has partnered with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) to develop a short training programme (now known as Oxford Adapt) for property professionals who wish to become members of the RICS. The programme was initially created (in 2009) specifically for senior professionals working in the property industry in China. The rapidly growing real estate market in Asia has created demand for this type of training in other countries and so the School took Oxford Adapt to Vietnam.

We are delighted to report that the fourth group of students from Vietnam have now passed the RICS Assessment of Professional Competence (APC).

These Oxford Adapt students from Vietnam have now all qualified as MRICS

I caught up with two of our graduates from Oxford Adapt to find out how the programme has helped them in their work and what they're doing now. The first, An Hoai Nguyen (An) took Oxford Adapt in 2015 in Vietnam where she works as an Associate Director at CBRE Asia Pacific and the second, Luis Keats (Luis) took Oxford Adapt in China in 2010, and works at Jones Lang LaSalle as a Director and Head of Tenant Representation in Shanghai.

An Hoai Nguyen (left) and Luis Keats (right)

Here's how they answered my questions:

What subject did you study at University/College?
An: I graduated from the Hanoi Foreign Trade University, majoring in International Economics. After that, I obtained an MBA from the University of Wisconsin—Madison, with a concentration in Corporate Finance & Investment Banking.

Luis: Industrial Economics.

Why did you choose Real Estate as a career?
An: By the time I graduated from my MBA studies, real estate emerged as a favorite investment channel to Vietnamese people, surpassing that of investing in stock, forex, and bank savings. At the same time, the Vietnam’s real estate market started opening up to foreign investors, hence there was increasing demand for real estate professionals with international perspectives. I saw this as an opportunity to develop knowledge in real estate which requires comprehensive knowledge of economics, finance, and business.

Luis: Real Estate chose me actually, I was headhunted by DTZ.

Why did you decide to do Oxford Adapt with Oxford Brookes University?
An: Feedback from my colleagues who had attended the course with Oxford Brookes was very positive. Plus, I found the course well structured while it provides close supervision and helpful guidance alongside.

Luis: The fast track nature to RICS qualification and the professional, highly qualified and respectable team from Oxford Brookes that delivered the course.

What were the best bits of Oxford Adapt?
An: The best bits were that the course provided a comprehensive overview of the real estate profession, helping candidates of different practice areas understand where their practice area falls into the big picture as well as their relevance.  Also, there was a strong emphasis on ethics / code of conduct which is much needed for MRICS practicing in developing/emerging markets such as Vietnam.

Luis: Online platform combined with face to face seminars was the perfect balance for those of us with a full time job. The overall content was very well balanced but for me the best part was the introduction to Valuations, which I was not familiar with up to then. The assistance and preparation for the final RICS interview was perfect and fully comprehensive.

And the most challenging bits?
An: The most challenging bit was to find time to complete the course work and especially the Critical Analysis. Handling pressure was also another challenge although it did effectively provide the motivation to complete the work.

Luis: The most challenging for me was memorising all the RICS definitions!

What was the final RICS interview like?
An: A nerve wracking experience indeed no matter how much you had prepared for it. The multiple mock interviews conducted with Oxford Brookes supervisors had been very helpful, providing a sense of an actual interview and helping to anticipate questions.

Luis: The interview was quite nerve wracking but all the hard work and preparation paid off.

Now that you've qualified as MRICS, how has it helped you in your career?
An: Definitely enhanced my credibility within the company. The knowledge picked up from the course is also very useful, and so is the guidance from RICS on various topics. I also made friends from the course which helps to solidify network in the industry. I look forward to enhancing my network both in Vietnam and on regional level through RICS, as well as continually updating and broadening knowledge of the profession/industry.

Luis: Being MRICS is a badge of honour and it immediately boosted my confidence in front of peers, clients and prospects. As time has passed I feel the most valuable part of being MRICS is the emphasis on Continuous Professional Development (CPD) and the maintenance of the highest professional standards in the industry, particularly for those of us who work in the more 'opaque' markets.


For more information about Oxford Adapt, take a look at our web page here: Oxford Adapt

Congratulations to our APC students in Vietnam

The Department of Real Estate and Construction has partnered with the RICS to develop a short training programme for property professionals who wish to become members of the RICS. The programme was initially created specifically for senior professionals working in the property industry in China. The rapidly growing real estate market in Asia has created demand for this type of training programme in other countries and so the Department took its training programme to Vietnam.

The Department is delighted to report that the second group of students from Vietnam have now passed the RICS Assessment of Professional Competence (APC). They were awarded their certificates and welcomed as the newest members of the RICS in the ASEAN area by the President of the RICS, Louise Brooke-Smith.

 

Our students with Louise Brooke-Smith (in the yellow jacket)

The programme that has been created by Oxford Brookes University in partnership with the RICS is designed to broaden the knowledge and skills of senior professional working in the rapidly growing property industry in Vietnam (and China). Successful completion of the programme gives direct entry to the final interview for membership of the RICS. Teaching is a combination of online delivery and face-to-face weekend sessions with the teaching team from the Department of Real Estate and Construction. For more information on the programme visit our webpage. 

The teaching team from the Department recently spent some time teaching students in Ho Chi Minh City and Mike Patrick took the opportunity to step outside the hotel and take a look at the stark contrasts that the city presents in terms of living conditions, housing and the juxtaposition of building styles.

Ho Chi Minh City (by Mike Patrick)

What could the future hold for the property industry?

Back in March, the students on the MSc Real Estate were invited to a 'Scenario Day' with Angus McIntosh (Visiting Professor in the Department of Real Estate and Construction) and Nick French (Professor in Real Estate and Director of the MSc RE).

The RICS Property Futures Initiative states:

'We live in a volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous and rapidly changing world. On the one hand people around the globe are becoming healthier, wealthier, better educated, more peaceful, increasingly connected and living longer. On the other, the world is more corrupt, congested, warmer, dangerous, divided and unemployed. The pace of change is increasing - as a review of the last two decades demonstrates. All of us have an interest in the world of tomorrow. We want to know where the jobs will be; what skills will be needed; how we will sustain our families and live well.'

The day consisted of a series of presentations and workshops and was a mirror of many of the events held by Angus McIntosh in work that contributed to the RICS Property Futures Initiative. The students benefited from the same workshop that many of the leading partners and directors of the global real estate consultancies undertook between 2008 and 2013. The idea of the day was not to find definitive answers but to think about, and be prepared for, the plethora of different scenarios that may turn out to be our actual future. Working to the adage....

'The future is a given uncertainty. Imagine tomorrow, decide today'

The students had to think through numerous possible outcomes; some positive, some negative. The idea being to have an idea on how real estate and property (and the profession) will need to adapt to each scenario.

On a slightly different note, envisaging how cities and the built environment will operate in the future is a really hot topic at the moment with many UK cities already constructing plans. Take a look at the following links for more information and inspiration:

RICS - scenarios - why a futures project?

UBM Future Cities - the global community for 21st century city decision makers
The Futures Academy - reports and papers

Future Cities Catapult - a global centre of excellence on urban innovation. A place where cities, businesses and universities come together to develop solutions to the future needs of our cities.

The Oxford Programme for the Future of Cities - rethinking the urban to face future challenges

Future City Glasgow - an ambitious programme which will demonstrate how technology can make life in the city smarter, safer and more sustainable.

RICS South East Awards 2014

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Awards showcase the most inspirational regional initiatives and developments in land, property, construction and the environment. They are open to everyone working in the property profession and celebrate the talents of surveyors, property developers, engineers, planners and architects. There is also an 'outstanding student' category for which institutions can nominate students who are following an RICS accredited degree course. 

This year, the RICS South East Awards ceremony and dinner was held at Epsom race course (on 1 May 2014) and 5 students received the RICS South East Outstanding Student Award. We are very pleased to report that Niall Sloane, a final year student on the BSc Real Estate Management at Oxford Brookes University was the recipient of one of these prestigious awards. Congratulations Niall!

Niall (on the left) being presented with his award - photo by Rebecca Gee

The Department in China

This blog exists to tell the story of the Department. Some of the stories take a bit of digging out. Here's one about a bespoke training programme the Department is delivering to property professionals in China.

Shanghai - photo by Xu Ye

Shanghai at street level - photo by Xu Ye

Over the past few years the real estate market in China has been experiencing rapid growth. As more international investors have moved into the market the need for an internationally recognised standard has been established. And the mark of quality that most people are looking for? Membership of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). The RICS is the world's leading professional body for qualifications and standards in land, property and construction.

The Department of Real Estate and Construction has partnered with the RICS to develop a short training programme for property professionals in China who wish to become members of the RICS. The programme has been created specifically for professionals who are working at a senior level in the industry in China and is designed to broaden their knowledge and skills. Successful completion of the programme gives direct entry to the final interview for membership of the RICS. Teaching is a combination of online delivery and face-to-face weekend sessions with the teaching team from the Department.

Presentation of certificates

The programme has been very successful and is now entering its third round. Who's behind this programme? Peter Dent, Xu Ye and the module leaders: Mike Patrick, Rebecca Gee and Vivienne Spurge.

Take a look at the following video and you can start to see why the real estate market is growing so rapidly!

Mock Mediation

Friday 27 April 2012

Students on the MSc Real Estate Management and the MSc International Real Estate took part in a mock Mediation Session last week.

Mediation is a form of alternative dispute resolution, a way of resolving disputes between two or more parties with concrete effects. Typically, a third party, the mediator, assists the parties to negotiate a settlement. More specifically, mediation has a structure, timetable and dynamics that "ordinary" negotiation lacks. The process is private and confidential, possibly enforced by law. Participation is typically voluntary. The mediator acts as a neutral third party and facilitates rather than directs the process (thanks Wikipedia).

The day started with an introduction to Mediation by Alan Gray from the Dispute Resolution Faculty at RICS. Then the students split into three teams of players and prepared for the role-play. The three teams were: the residents group; the planning authority and the developer.

The Mock Mediation started with the Mediator (played by Alan Gray) setting the scene for all three teams: the parties were trying to mediate a planning dispute instead of going to a planning inquiry.

This was followed by a joint session with the parties and an opening statement from each party. The Mediator then questioned the parties before holding a private session with each. The Mediator had agreed to hold further joint sessions with the parties over lunch. After lunch the private sessions continued. I (that's me, the Editor) came in at this point to take some photos and I hope these convey some of the heated discussions that were taking place, particularly in the Planning Authority's room.

The Planning Authority in full flow

More discussions...

The Developers

Waiting for the Developers to make their entrance

The parties then came together for a joint session before discussing a settlement. Following the Mock Mediation everyone (staff, students, the parties and the players) took part in a plenary session and discussed the lessons learned from the role-play. Students and staff thanked Alan Gray for leading the day.

RICS South East Student Awards

Each year the RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) awards a prize to the best student on each of the RICS accredited degree programmes here at Oxford Brookes. The RICS is the world's leading professional body for qualifications and standards in land, property and construction so the awards are prestigious.

The winning students with Nick French, Professor of Real Estate (left to right: Adam Pullin, Nick French, Caroline Johnstone, Jessica Jackson, Alex Keith, Mai Phuong Nguyen and William Oldrieve)

The students were presented with their certificates at a special ceremony in Kensington Town Hall and then enjoyed a reception hosted by Jerry Percy, Chairman of the RICS South East Regional Board. The prizes were awarded as follows:

Alex Keith for MSc Real Estate Management
Mai Phuong Nguyen for MSc International Real Estate
Caroline Johnstone for MSc Project Management in the Built Environment
William Oldrieve for BSc Real Estate Management
Jessica Jackson for BSc Construction Project Management
Adam Pullin for BSc Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management

For more information on our degree programmes, click on the programme name above.