Partnership to help educate real estate students to international best practice.
UAE, 20 November 2011 - Jones Lang LaSalle MENA has today announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Heriot-Watt University Dubai to support its Real Estate Management and Development Masters degree course. The team will contribute practical support for the university as well as sponsoring an annual award to be given to the student who produces the best dissertation.
The new MoU forms part of Jones Lang LaSalle's commitment to support local education initiatives and to encourage and promote professional real estate skills across the UAE to the very highest international standards.
Alan Robertson, Chief Executive of Jones Lang LaSalle MENA said "The graduates of today are the real estate professionals of tomorrow and we firmly believe it is important to encourage the very best talent in every region we operate within. We are excited about collaborating with Heriot-Watt for a number of reasons. Jones Lang LaSalle has an established relationship with Heriot-Watt University that dates back more than 25 years. The University has an international reputation for educational excellence, particularly in the real estate sector and this is something we are keen to support. However our involvement extends beyond just the prize for the best dissertation. We see this Dubai based initiative as a continuation of our existing relationship by sharing our practical experience by providing guest lectures, supporting project work and occasional internships."
Heriot-Watt University was named Scottish University of the Year 2011-2012 by the Sunday Times newspaper back in the United Kingdom and is currently ranked in the top 4% of universities worldwide. It was also one of the first higher education institutions to receive a license from the Knowledge and Human Development Authority in Dubai (KHDA), recognising the University's commitment to provide UAE students with the highest quality British education.
Michael Waters, Programme Co-ordinator for Heriot-Watt University's MSc Real Estate degree said "Industry partnerships, such as this MoU with Jones Lang LaSalle, are critical teaching and learning tools for students allowing linkages to be made between the theoretical study material and practical implementation within the real estate industry. Our real estate programme is designed to equip graduates with core business skills, critical thinking and an in-depth knowledge and understanding across core real estate disciplines, such as valuation, investment analysis, development feasibility, property management and the emerging trends of sustainability. Our course is the only accredited Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyor (RICS) postgraduate programme delivered in the MENA region and partnerships with JLL and other RICS firms allows depth within our degree programme. It also allows students to gain exposure to the local and international standards. This partnership not only offers students an opportunity to network with leading global property professionals, but the potential for top-performing students to gain internships or graduate training towards Chartered membership. I am very pleased to have this agreement in place and I look forward to the positive response from our current and future students."
The MSc in Real Estate Management and Development at the university campus at Dubai International Academic City was the first dedicated real estate course to be offered in the UAE and provides the essential learning components of property economics, valuation methodology, construction, investment analysis, international property law and property asset management. Students gain an appreciation of the processes taking place within property transactions, development projects and investment funding.
Jones Lang LaSalle hopes to collaborate with other leading educational organisations and institutions and is currently in discussions to support a range of other proposed initiatives in the UAE and the region.
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About Jones Lang LaSalle MENA
Across the Middle East and North Africa, Jones Lang LaSalle is a leading player in the real estate market and hospitality services market. The firm has worked in over 20 Middle Eastern and North African countries and has advised clients on more than US$ 200 billion worth of real estate, hotel and hospitality developments. Jones Lang LaSalle is recognised as having leading real estate and hospitality expertise with a leadership team that has held senior positions with some of the largest real estate developers, hospitality companies and corporate groups both in the Middle East and internationally.
About Jones Lang LaSalle
Jones Lang LaSalle (NYSE:JLL) is a financial and professional services firm specializing in real estate. The firm offers integrated services delivered by expert teams worldwide to clients seeking increased value by owning, occupying or investing in real estate. With 2010 global revenue of more than $2.9 billion, Jones Lang LaSalle serves clients in 70 countries from more than 1,000 locations worldwide, including 200 corporate offices. The firm is an industry leader in property and corporate facility management services, with a portfolio of approximately 1.8 billion square feet worldwide. LaSalle Investment Management, the company's investment management business, is one of the world's largest and most diverse in real estate with $47.9 billion of assets under management.
Contact:
Bansrelal Goshichand
Phone: +971 4 426 6914
Email: bansrelal.goshichand@jll.com
Marcus Pepperell / Manash Bhuyan
+971 4 332 8832
marcus.pepperell@fd.com/ manash.bhuyan@fd.com
For further information, please visit our website, www.joneslanglasalle-mena.com
Emaar Square, Bldg 1 Office 403
PO Box 214029
Dubai, UAE
Tel: +971 4 426 6999
Fax: +971 4 365 3260
© Press Release 2011
