Belgium Real Estate Academic Forum 2026 – in Partnership with RICS Belgium

Join us for an informative evening, by professionals, for professionals. “AI: From hype to operational deployment” What happens when we move beyond the hype around artificial intelligence and increasingly use AI in the real estate sector? This inaugural Belgium Real Estate Academic Forum, organised by UCLouvain – EMI Brussels, KU Leuven, Antwerp Management School and RICS, brings together academia, alumni, students and the real estate profession to explore how AI is moving from experimentation to practical, controlled and meaningful use. Our keynote speaker Niko Szumilo will look at real-world applications of AI in real estate, including examples of organisations that have adopted AI: what has worked, what has gone wrong, and what we can learn from both. He will also explore the next frontier of AI adoption: how organisations can make AI work in a way that is controlled and governed, and the important distinction between automation and delegation. The lecture will be followed by a panel discussion moderated by Tom Storey MRICS, Senior Specialist Data & Technology at RICS, with Niko Szumilo, Freek Holvoet from KU Leuven and Anjli Carlucci from Grosvenor. The evening will conclude with a short wrap-up and drinks reception, providing an opportunity to continue the conversation with fellow academics, students and real estate professionals. Full programme 17.30 registrations 18.00 welcome by Anders Bohlke MRICS, Academic Director, Executive Master in Real Estate (EMI), Brussels 18.10 Niko Szumilo, London School of Economics, UCL, Director VARi Knowledge Partners – AI in Real Estate: from hype to operational deployment 19.00 Panel discussion • Moderator: Tom Storey, Senior specialist data & technology, RICS • Niko Szumilo • Freek Holvoet, Postdoctoral Researcher in Actuarial Science, KU Leuven • Anjli Carlucci, AI Enablement Lead, Grosvenor 19.50 Wrap-up by Sander Scheurwater, Head of BeNeLux, RICS 20.00 Drinks reception