IPED to offer conference April 17-18 at Sheraton

The Institute for Professional and Executive Development, Inc. (IPED) will offer the conference Higher Education & Real Estate: Innovative Strategies for Campus Planning and Facility Financing to be held April 17 and 18 at the Sheraton Boston Hotel.  This 2-day interactive conference will explore a number of the new options available for colleges and universities interested in developing and financing new facilities, including a discussion of some innovative approaches taken by colleges and universities to develop new facilities. In recent years, a number of factors have led higher education institutions to undertake new approaches to developing, owning, managing, and financing both new and existing facilities. These factors include increased competition for research dollars as well as for the best students and faculty. With enrollment on the rise, colleges and universities know that they need to develop new facilities that give them an edge, such as new housing for students and faculty, student centers and athletic and cultural facilities. Construction expenditures by colleges and universities increased from about $6 billion in 1995 to almost $20 billion in 2003, but sources for funding these projects did not keep pace. Cut-backs in federal and state funding of higher education, lower endowment returns, and rising construction costs have forced higher education institutions to consider new and innovative approaches to maximizing the value and utility of their real estate assets. For real estate service providers, this means a growing demand from higher education institutions for advice about and assistance with the development and financing of new facilities. Registration fee required for all participants. To register go to: www.ipedinc.net. The event contact is the IPED info@ipedinc.net.