REAL ESTATE STUDIES AND MANAGEMENT ACADEMY- need

As assessment regarding a) perceived need for such an academy, b) its relevance to the individual taking the survey, c) type of course and training, d) perceived fee value and e) resource persons, was necessary before an academy could be set up.

A survey amongst a range of professionals (prominent real estate developers, brokers, practicing architects, civil engineers, academicians, and management experts in the city), companies (real estate firms in Ahmedabad) and institutes (NAREDCO in New Delhi, NICMAR in Pune, ISTAR in Vallabh Vidyanagar, IIRE, and Accommodation Times Institute of Real Estate, Mumbai), was conducted to study the validity of the proposed idea. Web-based research, questionnaire-based survey and discussions with professionals and company heads, constituted the main methodology. Program contents of real estate institutes worldwide, were analyzed to decide upon the target group, program duration, modules and their contents. The final program has been modelled based on feedbacks from these various sources.

The Survey led to these findings:

§ Positive need across different strata of the industry

§ Professionally run companies very keen

§ Duration of a few weeks to a few months adequate

§ Centralized information most useful for industry

There was a positive need for a real estate academy as was being envisaged.

Respondents from different strata of the industry, and at various levels of experience were interested in the courses described.
Fee was a constraint for some segments such as individuals, who did not see its full potential. However, professionally run construction companies and real estate firms were keenly interested.
The duration of course was of essence, and apart from a few individuals wishing to take a post graduate diploma, most respondents indicated that a professional diploma or certificate course ranging from 1-6 months would be adequate.
Respondents were also interested in courses to be taken over a few weeks.
Most professionals in the real estate industry were very keen and enthused about the possibility of having a centralized data bank and resource center for the industry.