Property students shine at the 2026 Property Case Challenge

Student teams from the University of Auckland, Massey University, and Lincoln University presented their solutions to a real-world property case before a panel of industry judges at The Property Foundation's 2026 Property Case Challenge.

A group of nicely dressed, smiling young people
The 2026 Property Case Challenge Judging and Awards Event, held at CBRE's offices in Auckland on 22 July 2026, brought together property students, academics, and industry professionals.

Property students from the University of Auckland took part in The Property Foundation's 2026 Property Case Challenge Judging and Awards Event, held on Wednesday 22 July 2026 at CBRE's offices in the ANZ Centre, Auckland.

The event brought together student teams from the University of Auckland, Massey University, and Lincoln University, each presenting their solution to a challenging real-world property case before a panel of senior property industry professionals. The teams had just a weekend to develop their solutions, and did so with a tight strategic focus backed by deep research and financial analysis.

Following each team's 15-minute presentation, students fielded probing questions from the judging panel. The judges were deeply impressed by the effort that went into the teams' solutions and the polished presentations that accompanied them.

The afternoon also featured a facilitated discussion between leading property academics and industry professionals on strengthening the links between the two sectors, followed by networking and refreshments with property professionals, university faculty members, and the student teams.

All three teams will now go on to compete in the PropConnex case competition in Sydney in September, where they will face teams from 13 Australian universities. Teams that perform well there will progress to the Global Final in New York, competing against teams from the United States, Hong Kong, Canada, and the United Kingdom. In the lead-up to Sydney, industry professionals are generously giving their time to coach and prepare the New Zealand teams for the international stage.