RICS and HKIS sign landmark agreement

Hong Kong professionals to reap rewards of credential-sharing collaboration for surveyors

HONG KONG, CHINA - Media OutReach - November 30, 2018 - A landmark agreement will see land surveyors accredited by both RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) and HKIS (The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors) enjoy mutual recognition and benefits, in a joint bid to better prepare the profession for future opportunities.

Members of RICS chartered through a Geomatics pathway (Chartered Land Surveyors) and the Land Surveying Division of HKIS will be encouraged to collaborate and share innovations under the deal, which will see credentials and know-how aligned between professionals from both organisations.

The new agreement follows an earlier partnership signed between RICS and HKIS in March, which secured mutual recognition of valuation surveyors. Both agreements serve to help Hong Kong's surveyors better prepare themselves for the growing opportunities presented by the ongoing Greater Bay Area development, which has created an unprecedented demand for construction and surveying professionals.

The arrangement also allows Hong Kong's class of surveyors to capture opportunities presented further afield by China's historic round Belt and Road Initiative, as well tap into the wider global market, and gain access to the leading knowledge pool possessed by RICS and HKIS.

Clare Chiu, chief operating officer of RICS HK, Taiwan and Macau, said: "This mutual recognition agreement comes at a timely moment from which the entire region stands to benefit, and it is only right we do all we can to ensure all of Hong Kong's surveyors are best equipped to contribute -- at the benefit of both the city and the Greater Bay Area. RICS has long championed the advance and advantages of inter-organisation collaboration, and this landmark agreement represents a meaningful opportunity to serve our ongoing goal of promoting innovation and teamwork, in harmony with HKIS members."

HKIS President Sr Dick Kwok added: "By sharing qualifications, we fortify the credentials of Hong Kong's ranks of talented surveyors, allowing them to compete regionally and internationally at this dynamic time of growth and opportunity in the Greater China area. We look forward to collaborating further with our friends at RICS, and continuing our valued role in upholding standards in the industry."

About RICS

Confidence through Professional Standards

RICS promotes and enforces the highest professional qualifications and standards in the development and management of land, real estate, construction and infrastructure. Our name promises the consistent delivery of standards -- bringing confidence to the markets we serve.

We accredit 125,000 professionals and any individual or firm registered with RICS is subject to our quality assurance. Their expertise covers property, asset valuation, real estate management; the development of infrastructure; and the management of natural resources, such as mining, farms and woodland. From environmental assessments and building controls to negotiating land rights in an emerging economy; if our members are involved the same professional standards and ethics apply.

We believe that standards underpin effective markets. With up to seventy per cent of the world's wealth bound up in land and real estate, our sector is vital to economic development, helping to support stable, sustainable investment and growth around the globe.

With offices covering the major political and financial centres of the world, our market presence means we are ideally placed to influence policy and embed professional standards. We work at a cross-governmental level, delivering international standards that will support a safe and vibrant marketplace in land, real estate, construction and infrastructure, for the benefit of all.

We are proud of our reputation and work hard to protect it, so clients who work with an RICS professional can have confidence in the quality and ethics of the services they receive.

Photo caption (Please click here to download):

RICS and HKIS signed mutual recognition agreement of land surveyors

(L) Sean Tompkins, Chief Executive of RICS

(R) Sr Dick Kwok, President of the HKIS

About the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors

Established in 1984, The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors is the only surveying professional body incorporated by ordinance in Hong Kong.  As of 19 October 2018, the number of members reached 10,217 including 6,782 Corporate Members consisting Fellows and Members -- distinguished by the initials FHKIS and MHKIS; 77 Associate Members -- distinguished by the initials AMHKIS; and 3,358 probationers and student members. The Institute's work includes setting standards for professional services and performance, establishing codes of ethics, determining requirements for admission as professional surveyors, access and award the professional qualification, and advance members' professional knowledge, technical and services standards through continuing professional development.

The Institute has an important consultative role in government policy making and on issues affecting the profession. We have advised the Government on issues such as unauthorized building works, building safety campaign, problems of property management, town planning and development strategies, construction quality and housing problems. We are working on amendments to standard forms of building contract and have issued guidance notes on floor area measurement methods.

For more details, please refer to HKIS website: http://www.hkis.org.hk

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hkisofficial