Reading Real Estate Foundation (Rref)

This is the official page for Reading Real Estate Foundation and Real Estate & Planning alumni. Keep up to date with all the latest RREF news and upcoming events.

It was incorporated on 4 January 2002 as a company limited by guarantee. On 1 August 2009, RREF and the University of Reading forged a closer relationship whereby many of the running costs of the charity were taken over by the University, allowing all funds raised by RREF to be directed solely to its projects.

Its objectives are to strengthen the links between the School of Real Estate & Planning at the University of Reading and its graduates through the creation and management of an active and engaged alumni association; to help support and develop the quality of real estate education at the University of Reading; and to help maintain its position and raise awareness worldwide as a centre of excellence for real estate education and research.

Funds have been allocated by RREF for the following purposes:
• Provision of bursaries and hardship grants to students
• Annual real estate careers fair and a series of evening lectures
• Professional mentoring programme for students
• Allocation of grants to recognise teaching excellence
• Employability and outreach projects


OUR STRUCTURE

Board of Trustees:
The Foundation is run by an experienced board of trustees consisting of both senior industry figures (Reading graduates) and senior academics and management from the University.

Staff:
Executive Director - Nicole Gillham
Events and Alumni Relations Manager - Laura Coates
Student and Alumni Relations Assistant - Emma Pryke

Alumni and Advisory Boards:
RREF has two main Operating Boards. The Alumni and Advisory Boards seek to ensure there are excellent relationships between the University, the students and the industry as well as individual alumni and the Corporate Patrons. There is also a new group for our graduates of the past decade, RREF RG10. These boards help to ensure that there is a thriving and energetic relationship between all the stakeholders.


OUR AWARDS & BURSARIES

Reading Real Estate Foundation Undergraduate Bursary Fund - £5, 000
Reading Real Estate Foundation Postgraduate Bursary Fund - £10, 000
Reading Real Estate Foundation Speculative Hardship Fund - £5, 000
Reading Real Estate Foundation PhD Award - £18, 000
Reading Real Estate Foundation Academic Award - £10, 000

Sponsored Awards:
The Foundation seeks and administers a number of sponsored awards for special achievement by students during their final year of study or MSc. These are awarded at the summer and winter graduation ceremonies each year.


OUR INITIATIVES

RREF Careers Activities:
The RREF Annual Careers Fair attracts top industry employers to Reading to exhibit to real estate undergraduates and postgraduates in October each year. It is one of the key real estate recruitment events of the calendar. In addition we also run the RREF Evening Lecture Series, a programme of 8 presentations run in conjunction with the syllabus delivered by guest speakers from our Corporate Patrons.

RREF Mentoring Programme:
RREF has launched a professional mentoring programme for Real Estate and Planning students at Reading to offer as many undergraduates and postgraduates as possible the opportunity to have a one to one connection with a real estate alumni member in industry. The programme has expanded from 150 partnerships in 2008 /09 to over 300 partnerships this academic year.

RREF Access Internship Scheme:
We help put together employers and students, offering employers access to some of the best real estate students in Europe and offering the student the opportunity to gain valuable work experience over the summer period.


OUR SUPPORT

Membership of RREF is free for University of Reading Real Estate & Planning students and alumni. Our members number around 5, 500 and span the graduation years since 1968. However, in order to continue our valuable work, we rely solely on corporate and individual donations.

RREF Founders are individuals who have been highly successful in the property industry and made a valuable contribution to help establish the Foundation in the early years.

RREF Pioneers are a growing group of individual donors who make annual gifts of £1, 000 or more. Members include some of Reading’s most high profile and successful alumni.

Corporate Patrons:
Our corporate patrons are firms who make an annual donation of £5, 000 to support the key initiatives and programmes of the Foundation. This year support has come from:
Bouygues Development, GVA, King Sturge, Savills, CB Richard Ellis, Jones Lang LaSalle, Capita Symonds, SJ Berwin, Cushman & Wakefield, Gerald Eve, Knight Frank, SEGRO plc, Vail Williams, BNP Paribas Real Estate and GE Capital.