RICS pledges initial £90,000 to student bursary programme

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) is pledging £90,000 to the Chartered Surveyors Student Bursary Programme. The bursary programme, established by the Worshipful Company of Surveyors (WCCS) in 2019, assists talented students from underrepresented backgrounds in entering the property industry, a key recommendation of the Bichard Review.

According to the RICS 2022 Insight Report, just 18% of RICS members are women. Meanwhile, only 27% of real estate industry professionals enter from lower socio-economic backgrounds, and just 6% of construction workers are from Black, Asian, or other minority ethnic backgrounds. RICS is committed to breaking down barriers for under-represented groups and this contribution is a tangible part of RICS' broader inclusion strategy.

The programme has been a resounding success, securing pledges from over thirty companies in the property industry, raising a total of over £1 million. This support has enabled the programme to assist around 40 students so far. A property industry sponsor funds each student awarded the bursary, paying £10,000 a year for three years, covering the student's university living expenses. Aside from financial support, a Bursary sponsor also provides the student with comprehensive pastoral support, along with advice and training for CVs, job applications, and post-workplace assistance, enabling the student to focus on their studies, achieve the best grades, and transition smoothly into the workplace. The students attend courses at the 57 UK educational institutions accredited by RICS.

RICS President, Tina Paillet, said, "There is still so much work to do to make the built environment a genuinely inclusive industry. RICS is making critical contributions to support change, and this initial commitment to fund the WCCS Bursary Programme represents a vital part of this ongoing project.

"I'd like to thank WCCS for organising this excellent programme, and the more than 30 firms who have pledged support so far. It is fantastic to bring together so many organisations to raise over £1 million to support underrepresented students in the built environment. This is a testament to the sector working collaboratively to provide better outcomes for students and welcome everyone with ability to our profession."

Simon Camamile, Master of the Worshipful Company of Chartered Surveyors, said: "We are absolutely delighted that RICS, who we have a very close working relationship with, has decided to join many other leading property companies is sponsoring our Bursary programme. Talent is evenly spread across society, but opportunity is not. The Chartered Surveyors' Bursaries represent an opportunity to really make a difference, not only to the lives of gifted students and their families, but also to support the future health of the property industry as a whole." 

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Notes for editors:

About RICS

We are RICS. Everything we do is designed to effect positive change in the built and natural environments. Through our respected global standards, leading professional progression and our trusted data and insight, we promote and enforce the highest professional standards in the development and management of land, real estate, construction and infrastructure.

Our work with others provides a foundation for confident markets, pioneers better places to live and work and is a force for positive social impact.

About WCCS

The WCCS is one of the City of London’s 111 livery companies. With their history embedded in the ancient Guilds in the City of London the Livery Companies now focus on education and charitable causes. Established in 1977 and with more than 300 members, the WCCS has made donations of more than £600,000 through its charitable trust over the last five years, the majority of which has been used to support the education of young people.

For more information:

Kris Hicks

Khicks@rics.org

press@rics.org