Bridging the gap between students and the real estate industry.
CBS Real Estate Academy is an initiative under CBS Real Estate Club, bridging the gap between students and the real estate industry. Academy is structured as a program consisting of weekly workshops and a final case competition, where students work closely with leading companies in the industry to solve real-world challenges. CBS REC has worked to connect students and the real estate industry since 2019, and Academy builds on that foundation as the organization’s response to growing demand for more practice-oriented educational initiatives.
The real estate sector is a cornerstone of the Danish economy, yet many students have limited awareness of the career opportunities the industry offers. Academy was created to close this gap – by giving students with an interest in real estate practical insight into how the industry works in practice, access to a professional network with industry professionals, and a solid foundation for a future career.
The program runs over a period of weekly workshops, where participants are taught by industry professionals in core disciplines such as valuation, financing, underwriting, due diligence, deal-making, and value creation. Each workshop combines theory with hands-on exercises, so students don’t just learn about the industry – they also apply the tools in practice. The program culminates in a case competition, where participants work in groups to solve a real-world case and present their solution to a jury of partner companies, where the winners are rewarded with a cash prize. All participants receive a diploma upon completion of the program. Since the first edition in 2025, up to 100 students have completed an Academy program and are now better equipped for a future in the real estate industry.
Head of Real Estate Denmark
Managing Director, Real Estate Denmark
The Academy begins with an introduction by CBS REC, followed by a practical look at the fundamentals of real estate valuation, deal structuring and financing. Participants are introduced to valuation techniques, key risk factors, capital structures and different financing approaches, before seeing how these principles are applied through a partner case.
Partner, Co-CIO & Head of Investment Management
Investment Director
Investment Director
IR & Business Development Associate
This workshop introduces the fundamentals of underwriting and financial modelling in real estate. Participants explore how risks are assessed, returns are projected and different scenarios are tested, giving them a clearer understanding of how investment opportunities are evaluated in practice.
Attorney-at-Law, Partner
Attorney-at-Law, Manager
Business Development Director
Partner, Head of PwC Denmark Deals Real Estate
This workshop explores the technical, legal and financial due diligence that follows a signed letter of intent. Participants learn how property condition, financial performance and legal compliance are assessed to identify potential risks before an investment moves forward.
Head of Transactions, Denmark
Associate
Partner, Global Head of Portfolio Management
Vice President, Real Estate Transactions
The final workshop focuses on the strategies used to create value throughout the lifecycle of a real estate investment. Participants explore asset supervision, lifecycle management and operational optimization, with practical examples showing how value-add strategies can improve an asset’s performance.
NIAM provided the real-world investment case for the final competition, allowing participants to apply what they had learned throughout the Academy.
Academy 2026 concluded with the final case competition, where participants worked in groups on a real-world investment case from case partner NIAM and presented their solutions to a jury of partner companies. Congratulations to the winning team, who took home the cash prize – and to every participant for completing the program.
Hear from our partners and participants.
“Real estate still doesn’t have a dedicated academic path, so we’re glad to support initiatives like the Academy. As case partner for Academy 2026, we got to bring one of our own cases into play, sharing some of the knowledge and practice we work with day to day. Watching the students work through it and seeing how they’d approach one of our actual investments gave us a great, hands-on look at the level of talent coming up in the field. The team at CBS Real Estate Club also deserves our thanks, as they did a great job facilitating the program. Our partnership with CBS Real Estate Club continues, and it probably won’t be the last time we’re part of the Academy”
“Having participated in many case competitions previously, the quality of the case stood out in REC’s Academy. The academy workshops were insightful and prepared me well for the final case competitions. It was also great meeting industry professionals. REC’s Academy opened a whole new Industry for me and led me to pursue a career in real estate.”
Should a partnership align with the interests of your organization, please contact us at kontakt@cbsrec.dk.
