Belk College Recognized by AACSB for Innovation

Tuesday, April 21, 2020
The State of Housing in Charlotte research report was selected as a community engagement highlight

UNC Charlotte’s Belk College of Business is one of 25 business schools across the world recognized for innovative collaboration through AACSB International’s 2020 Innovations That Inspire Challenge

The Belk College has been recognized for the State of Housing in Charlotte Report, which provides policymakers, real estate professionals, and the general public a comprehensive, data-driven analysis of the housing markets in the fast growing Charlotte region. 

Led by the Childress Klein Center for Real Estate, the research was presented through the Housing Summit Series, which commenced with the inaugural State of Housing Summit in February 2019. The series continued with the Housing Policy Summit in April 2019, which addressed the housing policy implications discussed in the report.

"The initial State of Housing in Charlotte Report has been widely quoted in the press, has influenced local governments in the region and illustrated to the public the many challenges around housing in the Charlotte region," says Dr. Richard Buttimer, interim senior associate dean and director of the Childress Klein Center for Real Estate.

The key takeaway of the study, funded through 10 local organizations and firms, is that prices for all housing in the eight-county Charlotte region are rising faster than inflation, affecting owner-occupied and rental properties. The second annual State of Housing in Charlotte Summit was scheduled for April 2, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It will likely take place this fall.

AACSB, the global accrediting body and membership association for business schools, recognizes institutions around the world that serve as champions of change in the business education landscape. 

 

“The demand for innovation that engages experts across disciplines and addresses the needs of both local and global communities has never been more apparent than in these unprecedented times,” says Thomas R. Robinson, president and CEO of AACSB.

The theme for this year’s challenge – Catalysts for Innovation – aligns with AACSB’s Collective Vision for Business Education.


The selections were announced on AACSB’s website on Tuesday, April 21. As a featured innovation, the Belk College also will be featured in the May/June issue of BizEd magazine and at the ICAM 2020, a virtual event on April 26-28. Winners also will be highlighted as best practices on AACSB’s website. 

The Belk College is the only business school in the Southeast selected in 2020. Other winners include: The American University of Cairo, Georgetown University and Northwestern University.

About the Childress Klein Center for Real Estate
The Childress Klein Center for Real Estate advances knowledge in real estate, public policy and urban economics through graduate education, applied research, and industry/community collaboration. The Center was established in 2005 with support from the real estate industry and program alumni. Their financial contributions have supported course development, scholarships for incoming graduate students, special events, and community outreach activities. The Center administers the
M.S. in Real Estate program, the MBA concentration, the Graduate Certificate programs in real estate finance and development, and a real estate concentration for the B.S.B.A in Finance. CKCRE also manages programming and outreach to the Real Estate Alumni Association and Real Estate Advisory Board. The center, part of the Belk College of Business at UNC Charlotte, has been ranked among the 20 most active research institutions in real estate for the past decade.

About the Belk College of Business
The Belk College of Business at UNC Charlotte is North Carolina’s urban research business school. Accredited by AACSB International, the Belk College of Business offers outstanding business education at the
undergraduate and graduate levels, along with executive education. The Belk College has been educating future business leaders for nearly 50 years. With more than 4,600 students, almost 100 full-time faculty and more than 32,000 alumni, the Belk College is one of the Carolinas’ largest business schools.