Below is a list of some of the awards and recognitions that REAL’s staff and students have received:

Doctor Honoris Causa:

 Geoffrey J.D. Hewings: Every four years the Université de Bourgogne, Dijon (France) awards a Doctor Honoris Causa in various disciplines to prominent researchers. In October 2003, a Doctor Honoris Causa in Economics was awarded to Professor Hewings. Professor Louis de Mesnard introduced him with the following speech (French, English translation).

 Geoffrey J.D. Hewings: In September 2016, the University of Extremadura (UEx), Spain, awarded Professor Hewings with a Doctor Honoris Causa for his contributions in Regional and Urban Economics. See the announcement (Spanish). Video here (Spanish).

Associations, Societies and Organizations Fellowships:

 Geoffrey J.D. Hewings: Elected as the 48th President of Western Regional Science Association (WRSA, 2007)

 Geoffrey J.D. Hewings: Made fellow of  the Regional Science Association International (RSAI, 2003)

National and International Associations, Societies and Organizations Awards:

 Esteban Lopez and Leonardo Bonilla: North American Regional Science Association Council (NARSC) Graduate Student-Led Paper Competition (2016: winner)

 Sungyup Chung: North American Regional Science Association Council (NARSC) Graduate Student-Led Paper Competition (2014: winner)

 Kijin Kim: North American Regional Science Association Council (NARSC) Graduate Student-Led Paper Competition (2014: finalist)

 Sandy Dall’erba: Best Paper Award granted by the Regional Studies Association (the UK) for the article entitled “The European Regional Growth Process Revisited, Spatial Economic Analysis, 3(1), 7-25” (written in collaboration with M. Percoco and G. Piras) (2009: winner)

 Sandy Dall’erba: Epainos Prize (2nd place) for the paper entitled : “Spatial and Sectoral Productivity Convergence between European Regions, 1975-2000” (45th Congress of the European Regional Science Association, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Aug. 23-27, 2005). Paper written in collaboration with J. Le Gallo. (2004: runner-up)

 Joaquim J.M. Guilhoto: Brazilian Review of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology 2003 Best Paper Award, the paper was:
Furtuoso, M.C.O. e J.J.M. Guilhoto (2003). “Estimating and Measuring the Agribusiness GDP: An Application to the Brazilian Economy, 1994 to 2000”, Brazilian Review of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology 41, 4, Nov./Dec., pp. 803-827.

 Geoffrey J.D. Hewings: For his distinguished scholarly achievements in the field of regional science, he receives the North American Regional Science Council (NARSC) Walter Isard Award (2003)

 Chokri Dridi: American Agricultural Economics Association(AAEA) outstanding Master Thesis award (2002)

Charles M. Tiebout Prize:

The Tiebout Prize is awarded annually by the Western Regional Association (WRSA) for the best paper submitted by a full-time graduate student enrolled at an accredited academic institution.

 Xian Fang Bak (2016: winner)

 Esteban Lopez Ochoa (2016: finalist)

 Sungyup Chung (2015: winner)

 Kijin Kim (2015: finalist)

 Jaewon Lim (2007: finalist)

 Louis Galvis (2007: honorable mention)

 Sandy Dall’erba (2004: winner, 2003: finalist)

 Chokri Dridi (2002: co-winner, 2001: finalist)

 Suahasil Nazara (2002: nominee)

 Jungyul Sohn (2001: finalist)

 Ricardo Gazel (1984: winner)

Departmental Awards:

At the end of each academic year, various departments at the University of Illinois recognize their students achievements through various awards, the following students have been recognized by their respective departments.

 Andre F. T. Avelino: Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics outstanding PhD Student award (2018)

 Suahasil Nazara: Department of Urban and Regional Planning outstanding Graduate Student award (2003)

 Chokri Dridi: Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics outstanding Master of Science thesis award (2001)

The Springer-Verlag Prize:

The Springer-Verlag Prize is awarded annually by the Western Regional Science Association (WRSA) for the best paper submitted by a young scholar who earned Ph.D. within past 5 years.

 Jaewon Lim (2008: winner)

 Daisuke Nakamura (2009: winner; 2008: runner-up)

REAL Distinguished Graduate Assistants:

 2017: Andre F. T. Avelino [Ph.D. Student, Agricultural and Consumer Economics]

 2014: Andi Irawan [Ph.D. Urban and Regional Planning]

 2014: Esteban Alejandro Lopez Ochoa [Ph.D. Candidate, Urban and Regional Planning]

 2014: Kijin Kim [Ph.D. Candidate, Economics]

 2014: Sungyup Chung [Ph.D. Candidate, Economics]

 2010: Tae Jeong Kim [Ph.D. Economics]

 2008: Cristina Miller [Ph.D. Student, Economics]

 2008: Laura Atuesta [Ph.D. Candidate, Agricultural and Consumer Economics]

 2008: Soo Jung Ha [Ph.D. Urban and Regional Planning]

 2005: Sang Gyoo Yoon [PhD. Economics]

 2004: Marcelo Leonardo Lufin Varas [Ph.D. Urban and Regional Planning]

 2002: Carolyn Dong Guo [Ph.D. Urban and Regional Planning]

 2002: Yang Su Park [Ph.D. Economics]

 2001: Chokri Dridi [Ph.D. Agricultural and Consumer Economics]

REAL Distinguished Visiting Scholars:

 2009: Antonio Avedaño [Ph.D. Canditate in Economics, Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain]

 2009: Huayi Yu [Ph.D. Student Economics, Renmin University of China]

 2008: Daisuke Nakamura [Ph.D. Economics, University of Glasgow, Scotland]