Study visits

Property management

Keeping up-to-date with industry trends and networking with the property profession is extremely important. We encourage students to take part in site visits and to regularly attend conferences and exhibitions.

Undergraduate international field trip
All second year undergraduate students are preparing for an international field trip in March 2012. They will be heading off to:

Vienna – BSc (Hons) Real Estate and BSc (Hons) Property Finance and Investment
Milan – BSc (Hons) Building Surveying
Barcelona – BSc (Hons) Planning and Development.

Olympic site and RICS London trip
Final year students from the BSc (Hons) Planning and Development course recently attended a field trip in London to visit the RICS in and the Olympics site.

The students were given a presentation at the RICS by Tony Nulhall, a member of the RICS Planning and Development professional group board. They heard about the work of the RICS the role of the planning and development group in particular. This enabled students to further understand the workings of the profession and their specialisation.

The group were then given a private guided tour of the Olympics site, with a very useful insight into one of the most extensive and exciting construction projects in the UK at present.

Students found the trip extremely insightful. One commented:

"The Olympic tour provided a fascinating insight into the scale of work that is involved on such a major development site. It was a privilege to be able to see the complex taking shape. As a final year student I was better able to appreciate the processes involved in delivering such a significant project.

"For NTU to embrace their links with RICS and for them to guide students on the current commercial issues is important for when we embark into our graduate roles. It was a very informative and useful talk."

Grand Designs Live
Final year BSc (Hons) Planning and Development and MSc students
Within the Grand Designs event students had the opportunity to view the house being built alongside innovative construction and design ideas and products. A sustainability mini-conference was also underway.

Students found the day very helpful. One commented:

"The trip to Grand Designs and the Sustainability Conference was a valuable day out providing a new aspect to our understanding of sustainability. We were able to inspect new techniques and ideas first hand whilst enjoying the opportunity to question the experts. We were also able to speak with various market leaders of the sustainability market which is major growth area that will no doubt influence our future careers.

"The Sustainability Conference provided an opportunity to meet prospective employers to gather information about their companies and the current projects they are undertaking. The day also enabled me to experience future innovative technology for the built environment first hand. The event therefore enhanced my knowledge of sustainability relating to property which will be useful for my studies and future career in property."

Budapest and Prague
MSc Building Surveying, MSc Planning and Development, MSc Real Estate, MSc Quantity Surveying
Postgraduate students will have the opportunity to take part in an international residential field trip. The cost of this is included in your fees. The week-long trip, part of the innovative Professional Practice Module, provides a crucial international dimension to postgraduate study and is a key aspect to the development of students’ employability.

Read about the 2011 trip to Budapest, the 2010 trip to Prague and take a look at pictures of the trips.

Other recent trips include:

Birmingham sites
During the annual Property Activity Week, first year students on all property courses students visited Bourneville, home of Cadbury chocolate, and The Mailbox shopping and lifestyle development in Birmingham. Year two students meanwhile stayed within Nottinghamshire and undertook a site visit to the Beeston Maltings in association with Savills, who are marketing the site.

Derwent Valley World Heritage site
Final year BSc (Hons) Building Surveying and BSc (Hons) Planning and Development students embarked on a project focusing on two mills in the Derwent Valley World Heritage site. Working in multidisciplinary groups the students conducted detailed building survey work to inform a planning consideration and development scheme.

Derby development site
Final year property students visited the site of a former college in Derby where they conducted a site appraisal, in order to analyse what the site could be used for following the relocation of the college. Victoria Pugh, currently studying on the BSc (Hons) Planning and Development, commented:

"The site trip to Mackworth College in Derby gave me a great advantage in visualising the development potential. The visit was accompanied by working professionals who had specific knowledge of the site, they were able to give a current market analysis from deals and projects which they had worked on. This made the visit really enjoyable, interesting and beneficial."