Update from Justin Young, RICS CEO - May 2024

This month, I have news of consultations on continuing professional development, entry and assessment, and our regular survey of the profession. Whether we’re asking for your views on one topic or several, every insight you offer and every opinion you share helps us improve our standards, our operations and your experience as a member.

The latest survey of the profession opened yesterday. It takes just 5 minutes to complete and you have until 10 June. As in previous years, you’ll also be entered into a draw to nominate a charity for a £500 donation. A unique link to fill the survey will be sent to you by our research partner Savanta, so look out for an email from them.

Your responses make a difference. To share one example, we’ve given World Regional Boards and Regional Advisory Boards more control over, and resources for, events and activities, to respond to your local needs and conditions. From January to March this year, we nearly doubled the number of member-led engagement events worldwide, with hundreds more planned for this year.

Senior Vice-President election

We’ve also opened applications for the next RICS Senior Vice President (SVP). The closing date is 17 June with the election, by Governing Council, scheduled in September. The elected candidate will become SVP on 1 January 2025.​

If you’re a Fellow (FRICS) or a Member (MRICS), this is an opportunity to lead and represent the profession on an international level. It’s a once-in-a-career opportunity to leave a lasting professional legacy and be part of RICS’ 157-year history.​

​We’ve simplified the process this year, following a review of the 2023/2024 process. All you need to do is submit a CV and written statement about your suitability for the role. Whatever your background, we encourage you to apply by visiting our website.

Questions to Governing Council

Another way to get involved in the governance of RICS is to ask a question directly of our Governing Council. To increase transparency, Council has agreed to set aside time in each meeting for member questions, with answers shared directly with questioners and also published online. Raise your question by email to governance@rics.org. Questions received by 27 May will be discussed at the June meeting. Any that arrive after that will go to the following meeting. For a reminder of how you can stay up-to-date on RICS’ work and performance, here’s a summary.

Supporting consumers

Recent regulation cases show how, when members of the profession fall short of our standards, consumers can be exposed to issues they should not have encountered.

This is why I’m pleased we have announced our pilot Consumer Working Group. This advisory panel will support RICS in protecting consumers as well as championing their needs and expectations.

While the SRB will retain oversight, the Group will serve as a ‘critical friend’. Its advice will cover the information consumers are provided; consumers’ views and expectations of our regulation; whether consumer protection is well understood or needs to change; and the knowledge, skills and behaviours consumers expect to see from surveying professionals.

Standards and regulation

We want to ensure that our CPD requirements continue to support your lifelong learning, uphold the public interest, and maintain standards.​ After months of insight gathering, research and discussion, including reviewing more than 60 comparable frameworks, the CPD Framework Steering Group has published its proposals for consultation. These aim to make CPD more meaningful and to encourage members to reflect on and determine their own learning and development needs.​

While no changes will be implemented before 2026, we want to know what you think so we can finetune the proposals. The consultation closes on Tuesday 16 July.

The CPD framework proposals have been developed alongside those of the Entry and Assessment Review.​ As SRB Chair Nigel Clarke said in his April update, we encourage you to review the final report when it’s released in the coming weeks and share your feedback.