Teachers ranked 4th in the world
EL PASO, Texas (February 8, 2024) – The University of Texas at El Paso is home to some of the top real estate researchers whose work has been recognized globally in the latest Real Estate Academic Leadership (REAL) rankings.
Zifeng Feng is one of many faculty members at UTEP who have contributed significant real estate research, helping UTEP earn a top 10 ranking on the REAL Estate Rankings list, placing sixth in institutional research and fourth in faculty research.
UTEP tied for sixth place out of 528 institutions for real estate research, moving up from 13th place in 2021. Dr. Zifeng Feng, assistant professor in the School of Economics and Finance, tied for fourth place worldwide out of 1,037 researchers for his contributions to the field. The results are published in the American Association of Real Estate's Journal of Real Estate Literature.
The ranking is based on the number of papers published in the top three 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 papers made it onto the list.
“These rankings demonstrate the breadth and depth of real estate research conducted at UTEP,” said Dr. John Hajimarkow, interim dean of UTEP's Woody L. Hunt College of Business. “As a world that relies on real estate, from homes to workplaces, this research will undoubtedly have an indelible impact on the industry.”
Hajimarkow said UTEP faculty are unique in that they approach analysis from a bicultural, binational perspective. Recent real estate research conducted at UTEP has included commercial real estate analysis at the portfolio level, policies related to climate change solutions, and the impacts on local real estate of relocating manufacturing operations from El Paso to Mexico, including mortgage rates and asset values for warehouse space based on border-specific data.
Feng's research focuses on commercial real estate, and he has recently published papers on real estate investment trusts, the impact of economics on commercial real estate performance, and the appropriate use of ChatGPT. As an assistant professor at the only accredited business college on the US-Mexico border, Feng is proud to receive this high recognition and honor from REAL.
“It's not easy to get on a ranking like this,” Feng says, “but it's a confidence boost, and at the same time, I'm grateful for the contributions of my network of co-authors.”
In 2021, UTEP is launching a real estate minor through the Hunt College of Business, offering students the opportunity to complete four courses designed with significant input from industry leaders. To learn more about UTEP's real estate programs and studies, click here.
About the University of Texas at El Paso
The University of Texas at El Paso is America's leading university for Hispanics. Located on the western edge of Texas, at the intersection of three states and two countries along the Rio Grande River, UTEP's 24,000 students are 84% Hispanic and more than half are the first in their families to attend college. UTEP is America's only open access, top-ranked research university, offering 172 bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs.
Last updated: February 8, 2024 12:00 AM | First published: February 8, 2024
MC Staff UTEP Marketing & Communications