The challenge of sustainability to real estate education: what employers will require

The developing sustainability agenda is generating global demand for professionals skilled in sustainability and related subjects including corporate responsibility and ethical investment. The Higher Education Funding Council for England recently published a policy aimed at increasing graduatesí sustainability skills capability (HEFCE, 2005). The RICS too now has a policy that aims to include sustainability in the curriculum (RICS, 2005). However, as yet, sustainability is addressed in a relatively limited and piecemeal way within higher education curricula (Dawe et al. 2003; Martin and Jucker, 2004). Given the major impact buildings have on the environmental, economic and social context of society, the authors argue that real estate educators have a particular need to appropriately equip their graduates in this field. The presentation will outline the response of the authorsí own organisation. It will also reflect on the role Universities need to play, better to ensure that employers are provided with the graduates they now require. It will conclude with recommendations for the future development of real estate curricula.