The UK's two leading surveying institutions have entered into a historic agreement. Presidents of the Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (ICES) and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) signed a memorandum of understanding recognising the strength each plays in supporting the surveying profession in the UK and overseas.
For the first time, these two major institutions are acknowledging their different areas of expertise and supporting each other in honouring their royal charters in instilling excellence in the profession.
The memorandum was signed on 23 January 2013 at the Westminster headquarters of RICS by Alan Barrow FCInstCES MRICS, president of ICES, and Alan Collett FRICS, president of RICS.
Alan Barrow said: "This historic agreement builds on the unique knowledge and expertise that each organisation represents in different sectors of surveying. It sets aside decades of friendly rivalry and establishes a framework whereby we can move forward through genuine co-operation and joint initiatives within the engineering community."
Alan Collett commented: "The agreement is the result of a long series of meetings and discussions between senior members and staff, and will provide a solid platform for future collaborative working. Both institutions have multiple opportunities for knowledge sharing and capacity building in fast developing and new exciting sectors such as building information modeling (BIM)."
The institutions vary dramatically in size but share a common interest in furthering the profession of surveyors working in civil engineering. RICS has members covering a broad range of surveying specialisms, whereas ICES has members working specifically in the commercial management and geospatial engineering aspects of civil engineering projects. The memorandum of understanding will see greater links being forged between ICES and the Geomatics and QS & Construction professional groups within RICS. ICES and RICS already work closely within global organisations such as the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) and International Cost Engineering Council (ICEC).
ICES chief executive Bill Pryke said: "It is the recognition of our individual strengths that makes this agreement so rewarding. For the first time, RICS is recognising the expertise of ICES members' unique knowledge and expertise within civil engineering surveying and ICES is recognising the expertise, unique knowledge and expertise of RICS within the sectors of land, property and the built environment."
RICS Land Group director James Kavanagh said: “Many members from both of our institutions have worked hard to bring forward this MOU. We believe it provides RICS and ICES with a strong framework to build on for the future of our profession, to help remove any perception of fragmentation, to increase client confidence and gives a strong message to young people that this is a profession of the future.”
The agreement has been welcomed by the Construction Industry Council (CIC), of which both institutions are members. Graham Watts, CIC chief executive, said: "CIC considers the agreement to be bringing clarity to the mutual roles of the two institutions and this will be of benefit to the industry and the public as a whole."
