New York University's Stern School of Business has announced the launch of the Center for Real Estate Finance Research. The new center will explore key questions on topics in real estate, such as residential mortgage finance reform, the role of real estate in the macroeconomy, and real estate as a large asset class in portfolio management.

According to the university, the new center will expand the school's real estate education for graduate and undergraduate students, and create new opportunities for partnership with the investment community, and residential and commercial real estate industries.

"Real estate development drives growth in New York City - influencing the local skyline, the employment outlook and the markets," says Peter Henry, dean of the Stern School of Business. "As a hub for exploration, the center will allow for deeper engagement with industry leaders and policymakers on the future of housing and commercial real estate and its impact on the global economy."