The Cluster Approach to the real estate education: the Lessons from Belarus and Lithuania

Analysis of the condition of Belarusian and European real estate education practices shows that cardinal problems in this sphere are: the absence of unity in understanding of general and special features of the real estate specialists training in different areas, the differences in understanding of the necessary level of training, the absence of unity in the content of the training programme in different areas of the professional activity in the real estate market. This problem can be solved by the way of creating International Educational Clusters. In clusters the best experience of different countries and universities can be integrated. In Belarusian State Technological Univestity and Vilnius Technical Gediminas University has being working out the educational distance learning programme for Real Estate Management specialization. Cluster approach was realized in the process of realization of the programme. It was integrated not only international experience of the best professors of the universities but the best practitioners of the countries were involved in the programme. Belarusian University works in cooperation with Republican Unitary Enterprise ìInstitute of Real Estate and Appraisalîù, National Cadastral Agency, Scientific Unitary Enterprise ìBelniczemîù within the framework of educational scientific industrial centre created at the university, acquire the knowledge in the sphere of economics, administration, finances, investment, land and forest cadastre, real estate market analysis, individual and mass appraisal, leasing, management in operational and investment property, appraisal and business administration. In August 2010 International summer school ìEconomics of real estate and valuationîù was organized in English in BSTU at the expense of Central European Initiative (CEI), the purpose of which was the professional development of the department teachers and the employees of Republican Unitary Enterprise ìInstitute of Real Estate and Appraisalî. The Belarusian-Lithuanian experience shows the main advantages of international integration and cooperation with practitioners within cluster and network of universities.