In 2011 The Class of 2020 was founded to improve the situation of student housing markets across Europe.
Through original research, informative events, and The Class Conferences, our NGO has managed to do much more than that. Student housing is now a recognized asset class, and we created a network committed to making student living efficient, international, and welcoming. Through our partnerships with higher education institutions, city leadership officials, and real estate developers, providers, and investors we stand at the forefront of student housing innovation and best practices.
Our vision is for cities to attract and retain the brightest young minds, and for them to lead the way to social and economic success in return. We provide cutting edge research to develop individual solutions for the ever-changing, modern urban landscape. Our in-depth regional sessions, educational workshops, and annual Conference provide our growing network with a stage to identify the current needs and shape the student living of tomorrow.
GLOBAL BOARD OF INSPIRATION
As The Class of 2020 grows, we recognise that we need to expand our horizons and bring in new skills to support the think tank’s mission to transform the future of student living, learning and working around the world. In line with our focus, we are proud to present this Global Board of Inspiration with international thought leaders that help us stay at the forefront of the industry.
Georg Allendorf PhD
Managing Director – Head Real Estate Europe
DWS Real Estate GmbH
Rosemary Feenan
Executive Vice President, Research
QuadReal Property Group
Paolo Petrocelli PhD
Co-Founder & President
Italian Youth Association for UNESCO
Paloma Lisboa
Director of Student Residences
King’s College London
Georg Allendorf is an authority on international real estate investment. He previously headed Deutsche Bank’s alternative investments platforms RREEF Spezial Invest GmbH and RREEF Alternatives Germany, was vice-chairman of INREV as well as a senior member of the Real Estate Consultancy and Advanced Training divisions of EBS Immobilienakademie.
Rosemary Feenan is a global expert on key issues that impact city dynamics, such as globalization, urbanization, density and demographics. She was most recently Director of the Global Research Programmes at JLL and is a trustee of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), a Trustee of the Centre for Cities and sits on the World Economic Forum’s Future of Cities and Urbanisation Council.
Paolo Petrocelli is a cultural entrepreneur driven by the belief that arts education is a major force for growth, development and change globally. He is a Yale University Visiting Fellowand a Visiting Researcherat MIT Media Lab, the interdisciplinary research laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Paloma Lisboa is a student housing expert with a proven track record and extensive expertise of hospitality and operations. Previously in positions at Unite, The Student Housing Company and CRM, she has over 17 years of experience in both privately-operated student accommodation and university-owned residences in the UK and abroad.
WORK AT THE CLASS
Want to join Europe’s leading think tank on student living and talent attraction? We are currently looking for:
We are always looking for bright minds to join our growing team in Amsterdam. So don’t hesitate to send us your CV if you think you can add value to our organisation.
For more information and applications, please send an email to [email protected]
