CoreNet Global Academic Challenge
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CoreNet Global Academic Challenge

photo of Academic Challenge winners

Your ideas could earn you world travel and global networking with the greatest minds in corporate real estate.

We invite students from around the world to think creatively about a problem facing real estate professionals for renowned companies like Google, Duke Energy, AstraZeneca, Whirlpool, and many others. Challenge your mind power by competing with your peers from around the world. Gain international experience. Connect with experts. Win US $5,000 for your team.

You and your teammates will engage in a contest with competing institutions from all over the globe. Your job is to address challenges like creating an employee experience that attracts millennials while retaining all other generations of employees; or reducing the gap between the speed of business and the typical speed of real estate.

Budding professionals welcome! We’re seeking your ingenuity and creativity. The competition is open to all students (undergraduate/graduate, full-time/part-time) who are currently registered at a recognized university. All past Academic Challenge presentations are viewable in the online Knowledge Center.

All competitions are open to students from all over the world; there is no registration fee.


  • Current Competition
  • Previous Competitions

Student teams from universities and academic institutions around the world are invited to compete in an academic challenge wherein students are asked to play the role of an internal corporate real estate team in order to address a real-world issue facing companies around the globe:

Develop strategies for the corporate real estate portfolio that prepare the company for a fluid workforce where virtual and augmented reality are practically applied to deal with the expected blend of remote and office workers.

Academic Challenge 13 (2023) Competition Winner: TBD
Join us on Thursday, 16 March at 9:00 in Singapore to watch the final presentations!

Academic Challenge 13 Finalists:

University of Malaya

Universiti of Malaya

New York University

New York University

University of Washington

University of Washington

Student teams from universities and academic institutions around the world are invited to compete in an academic challenge in which students will be asked to play the role of an internal corporate real estate team in order to address a real-world issue facing companies around the globe:

develop a proactive strategy to: (a) “Recession-proof”, to the extent possible, the corporate real estate portfolio, (b) continue to support the business objectives of the corporation and (c) ensure that such a strategy does not negatively impact the company in the unlikely event that a recession does not materialize.

Academic Challenge 12 (2022) Competition Winner: The University of Reading, Malaysia

Academic Challenge 12 Finalists:

Marquette University

Marquette University

New York University

New York University

University Of Reading Malaysia

Trophy iconUniversity of Reading, Malaysia

Academic Challenge 11 (2021) Virtual Competition Winner: Georgia Tech School of Building Construction

  • Read the competition brief (PDF)
  • Watch the virtual competition here - coming soon!

Academic Challenge 11 Virtual finalists:

De La Salle-Collge of Saint Benilde

De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde

Georgia Tech School

Trophy iconGeorgia Tech School of Building Construction

Fox School of Business

Fox School of Business at Temple University

University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Heriot-Watt University

Academic Challenge 10 (2020) Virtual Competition Winner: Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur!

Academic Challenge 10: Virtual finalists:

IIT Kharagpur Logo

Trophy iconIndian Institute of Technology Kharagpur

University of Denver Logo

University of Denver

New York University Logo

New York University

University of Washington, Seattle, WA

University of Washington

Academic Challenge 9 (2020) Virtual Competition winner: TU Delft!

Academic Challenge 9: Virtual finalists:

IIT Kharagpur Logo

Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur

TU Delft Logo

Trophy iconDelft University of Technology

The University of Sydney

University of Sydney

Academic Challenge 8 (2019): Orange County winner: Vanderbilt University!

Academic Challenge 8: Orange County finalists:

Breda University, Rotterdam, Netherlands Logo

Breda University of Applied Sciences

Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN

Trophy icon Vanderbilt University

University of Washington, Seattle, WA

University of Washington


Student teams from universities and academic institutions around the world are invited to compete in an academic challenge in which students will be asked to play the role of an internal corporate real estate team in order to address a real-world issue facing companies around the globe:

Identify the potential technology disruptors your team believes are most likely to impact your client’s global corporate real estate footprint. Then, create short-term and long-term strategies that put corporate real estate at the forefront of technological innovation – and enable business success.

Academic Challenge 7 (2019): Hong Kong winner: University of Melbourne!

Academic Challenge 7: Hong Kong finalists:

National University of Singapore

National University of Singapore

University of Illinois

University of Illinois

The University of Melbourne

Trophy icon The University of Melbourne

Academic Challenge 6 (2018): Boston winner: National University of Singapore!

AC6: Boston finalists:

National University of Singapore

Trophy icon National University of Singapore

Temple University

Temple University

University

University of South Carolina


Student teams from universities and academic institutions around the world are invited to compete in an academic challenge in which students will be asked to play the role of an internal corporate real estate team in order to address a real-world issue facing companies around the globe:

How to reduce risk in a company’s worldwide physical footprint (i.e., real estate portfolio) and thereby reduce overall risk exposure to the corporation.

Academic Challenge 5 (2018): Singapore winner: Georgia Institute of Technology!

Academic Challenge 5: Singapore finalists:

Georgia Institute of Technology Logo

Trophy icon Georgia Institute of Technology

Inidian Institute of Technology Madras Logo

Indian Institute of Technology Madras

National University of Singapore Logo

National University of Singapore

Academic Challenge 4 (2017): Seattle, WA winner:  Emory University!

Academic Challenge 4: Seattle finalists:

Columbia University logo

Columbia University

Delft University of Technology Logo

Delft University of Technology

Emory University Logo

Trophy icon Emory University


Student teams from universities and academic institutions around the world are invited to compete in an academic challenge in which students will be asked to play the role of an internal corporate real estate team in order to address a real-world issue facing companies around the globe:

How to attract, retain, and motivate the next generation of knowledge workers.

Academic Challenge 3 (2017): Shanghai winner: University of Cincinnati!

Academic Challenge 3: Shanghai finalists:

Georgia Institute of Technology Logo

Georgia Institute of Technology

Inidian Institute of Technology Madras Logo

Indian Institute of Technology Madras

University of Cincinnati Logo

Trophy icon University of Cincinnati

Academic Challenge 2 (2016): Philadelphia winner: University of Illinois!

AC2: Philadelphia finalists:

Eindhoven University of Technology Logo

Eindhoven University of Technology

Indian Institute of Technology Bombay Logo

Indian Institute of Technology Bombay

University of Huston Logo

University of Huston

University of Illinois

Trophy icon University of Illinois


Student teams from universities and academic institutions around the world are invited to compete in an academic challenge in which students will be asked to play the role of an internal corporate real estate team in order to address a real-world issue facing companies around the globe:

Determine how to close the gap between the speed of real estate and the speed of business — all within the context of an uncertain global environment. Provide a strategic solution that optimizes a corporate real estate portfolio and positions the corporation for the greatest flexibility and success.

Academic Challenge 1 (2015): Los Angeles winner: Tsinghua University!

Academic Challenge 1: Los Angeles finalists:

Arizona State University

Arizona State University

Tsinghua University Logo

Trophy icon Tsinghua University

University of Nottingham, Malaysia Logo

University of Nottingham, Malaysia


CoreNet Global is grateful to all of our sponsors for their support of this important program:

Clune Construction    Cushman & Wakefield IA: Interior Architects KI Logo
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