EL PASO, TX – The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) noted that it has positioned itself as a top-tier real estate research center, according to the latest Real Estate Academic Leadership (REAL) Rankings.
UTEP tied for sixth place globally among 528 institutions in real estate research, moving up from 13th place in 2021.
Dr. Zifeng Feng, assistant professor in the Department of Economics and Finance, ranked fourth individually among 1,037 researchers for his contributions to the field.
The ranking is based on the number of articles accepted in the three leading real estate research journals, Journal of Real Estate Research, Real Estate Economics and The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics. A total of 662 articles were considered for the lists.
“These rankings indicate the breadth and depth of real estate research conducted here at UTEP,” said John Hadjimarcou, Ph.D., interim dean of UTEP’s Woody L. Hunt College of Business. “In a world that depends on real estate, from homes to jobs, this research is sure to have an indelible impact on the industry.”
UTEP faculty are unique in that they approach their analyses with a bicultural and binational lens, Hadjimarcou said. Recent real estate research conducted at UTEP includes analyses of portfolio-level commercial real estate, the politics of climate change solutions, and the impact on local real estate of moving manufacturing operations to Mexico from El Paso, including mortgage rates and real estate values of warehouse space based on border-specific data.
Feng’s research emphasizes commercial real estate. Recently, he has published articles on real estate investment trusts, the effect of the economy on commercial real estate performance and even the relevant uses of ChatGPT.
“Being in these rankings is not easy,” Feng said. “It feels empowering, but at the same time, I am grateful to my network of co-authors for their contributions.”
In 2021, UTEP began offering a minor in real estate through the Hunt College of Business, allowing students the opportunity to complete four courses that were designed based on substantial input from industry leaders.
