Event date: Tuesday 4 - Friday 7 June 2002

The University of Glasgow will next week host an international real estate conference. Delegates will debate controversies in housing, regeneration, land markets and property management. Conference themes will include socially responsible investment, the transfer of privately-funded social housing, neighbourhood renewal and waterfront regeneration. The conference will also include study tours examining Glasgow's property market and housing.

Conference Chair, Ken Gibb, of the University's Department of Urban Studies said: "It is particularly timely that Glasgow is hosting this conference. Glasgow is embarking on a radical, multi-billion pound reinvestment in its social housing, through the stock transfer of its council housing. The city is currently undergoing major waterfront and city centre redevelopment and continues to be a major European cultural, retail and leisure centre. Glasgow is thus a showcase for real estate and physical regeneration. Delegates are travelling from all over the world to share their experiences and learn lessons from the experiences of others."

The conference will bring together over 250 delegates from Asia, Australasia, North America, Continental Europe, Scotland and the rest of the UK: as well as from other regions across the world.

In his capacity as Chair of the Universities' Superannuation Scheme, Professor Sir Graeme Davies, Principal of the University of Glasgow, will give a presentation on socially responsible investment of institutional funds.

The transformation of social housing and the pivotal role of private finance will also be discussed by speakers including Chris Cunningham of the Glasgow Housing Association and Peter Williams, deputy director of the Council of Mortgage Lenders. Chris Cunningham said:
"We are starting down the road of the fundamental regeneration of Glasgow's social housing. We therefore welcome the fact that this conference allows us to share experiences with delegates from across Europe. This is also an opportunity to further develop vital partnerships in the financial community with bodies such as the Council of Mortgage Lenders."

ENDS

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Media Relations Office (media@gla.ac.uk)

• The 9th European Real Estate Society (ERES) conference will be held at the Hilton Hotel, William Street, Glasgow from Tuesday 4th June to Friday 7th June
• For further information contact conference chair, Kenneth Gibb, Department of Urban Studies, University of Glasgow, tel: 0141 330 6891. Full conference programme is available at www.eres2002.com
• Alternatively contact University Press Office on 0141 330 3535. Out of hours contacts for this release are available via this number.
• During the conference please contact Elizabeth Nicholson, conference administrator, on 0141 204 5555 ext 5242. Elizabeth will be based at the Hilton Hotel
• The ERES is the leading European body for research and education in real estate. See www.eres.org or contact Bob Thompson, society president, bob.thompson@dial.pipex.com
• The conference is hosted by the University of Glasgow and co-organised by the Universities of Glasgow and Aberdeen
• Conference sponsors include Communities Scotland, Emerald Insight, Estates Today, Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Harbour Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle, Prudential Property Investment Management, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Scottish Enterprise and Taylor & Francis

First published: 31 May 2002