Citation
French, N. (2013), "The European Real Estate Society – Special Issue", Journal of Property Investment & Finance, Vol. 31 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/jpif.2013.11231daa.001
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2013, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
The European Real Estate Society – Special Issue
Article Type: Editorial From: Journal of Property Investment & Finance, Volume 31, Issue 4
Once upon a time there was a world without the International Real Estate Society (IRES[1]). Over 30 years ago, colleagues in America sat down and created the American Real Estate Society (ARES) with great aplomb and success. ARES is holding it 29th Annual Conference in 2013. Then a few years later, a certain Editor of the Journal of Property Investment & Finance, happened upon the 1992 ARES conference in San Diego and, recognising a good idea when he saw one, ERES was conceived. In 1993, a small organising conference took place in Reading in the UK and ERES was born.
In fairness, ERES was a dream at the beginning. With a group of colleagues from The Netherlands, the first committee was dominated by the Brits and Dutch. It was really a small Anglo-Dutch enterprise. The mission was to become a European-wide organisation but in its early days it had very little influence across our continent. But, there was enthusiasm and a belief that it would expand and that it would succeed. Slowly, slowly.
And it did succeed. This year ERES enters its 20th year of holding conferences. It is now the leading real estate research meeting in Europe and is one of the largest property events worldwide. The most encouraging thing is that whilst the involvement of the Brits and the Dutch has expanded, the involvement of other countries has expanded much more. The ERES Board has representation from nearly all the member countries. It is truly European.
The annual conference meetings have taken place in the following European cities:
- 1.
Reading (1993) – ERES formed.
- 2.
Amsterdam (1994) – 1st Formal Conference.
- 3.
Stockholm (1995).
- 4.
Belfast (1996).
- 5.
Berlin (1997).
- 6.
Maastricht (1998).
- 7.
Athens (1999).
- 8.
Bordeaux (2000).
- 9.
Alicante (2001).
- 10.
Glasgow (2002).
- 11.
Helsinki (2003).
- 12.
Milan (2004).
- 13.
Dublin (2005).
- 14.
Weimar (2006).
- 15.
London (2007).
- 16.
Krakov (2008).
- 17.
Stockholm (2009).
- 18.
Milan (2010).
- 19.
Eindhoven (2011).
- 20.
Edinburgh (2012).
- 21.
Vienna (2013).
And as with all good ideas, the original ARES template has been copied around the world. At the same time as ERES was being formed in Europe, the Pacific-Rim Real Estate Society (PRRES) was being born in the antipodeans. Thus, in 1994, with three sister societies, the IRES was also created as a federation of regional real estate societies. And the number of societies has grown and grown to the seven existing today:
- 1.
American Real Estate Society (ARES).
- 2.
European Real Estate Society (ERES).
- 3.
Pacific-Rim Real Estate Society (PRRES).
- 4.
Asian Real Estate Society (AsRES).
- 5.
Latin American Real Estate Society (LARES).
- 6.
African Real Estate Society (AFRES).
- 7.
Middle East and North Africa Real Estate Society (MENARES).
Not bad for a small acorn.
And throughout the period, the Journal of Property Investment & Finance and EMERALD have been supportive throughout. Initially as the exclusive publisher of the best papers of the early ERES conferences and, latterly, as a prize giver on certain topics.
Indeed, in this issue, we have three award winning papers from ERES 2012; the two JPIF Joint Award Winners for best papers in Real Estate Finance, and the RICS Award for best paper in Real Estate Sustainability.
In 20 years from now, I would hope that JPIF is still involved in supporting ERES although I am doubtful that I will be writing that editorial.
Note
1. The web sites for all the affiliated Real Estate Societies of IRES can be accessed via IRES at: www.iresnet.net
Nick French