Partnership
RICS has introduced a new way of working with higher education
institutions which deliver its accredited courses. The way is
“Partnership”. It represents the coming together of a university and
RICS to establish common goals and then to work together to achieve
those goals.
RICS has devolved much of what was previously controlled centrally to
a series of individual partnerships with its accredited universities: for
example, development of new and existing courses. Partnerships are
in place in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, South Africa, the UK and the
United States. RICS has undertaken a rigorous process to select its
university partners. Each partnership accredited course in each partner
higher education institution is expected to meet five quality principles:
Student Selection
Internationally respected standards are applied. The minimum level
is broadly the average attainment for student selection across all
student areas in the particular country.
Innovation
All students are expected to be exposed to new ideas. Standards relate
to the higher education institution’s engagement with high quality
research.
Teaching Quality
All students should enjoy the highest quality teaching environment.
Standards are broader than the quality of teachers and address the
overall teaching and learning environment.
Curriculum
This should be highly relevant to professional practice. The overall
programme should prepare graduates for the profession.
Graduate Output
RICS requires access to high calibre graduate output.
Quantifiable and measurable standards to meet the quality principles
have been developed in each country that has adopted partnerships.
The data is taken as far as possible from existing sources within the
public domain.
Accreditation
In many countries RICS continues to recognise university and college
courses on the basis of a more traditional style of audit and monitoring.
Over the coming years RICS will be developing threshold standards in
all countries throughout the world as a means of selecting the highest
quality university partners.
Until these thresholds are established the existing system of
accreditation will be maintained to safeguard the standards of courses
preparing graduates for the RICS Assessment of Professional
Competence.
The accreditation process relies on experienced RICS academics and
employers assessing each university surveying programme to ensure
there is both an appropriate curriculum and the resources in place to
enable the delivery of the programme to meet the high standards
demanded by RICS.
Every university is visited every few years by RICS auditors. The RICS
external quality assurance system monitors the standards of graduates
annually and each programme is monitored annually through an annual
report. The accreditation process is very demanding but highly valued
by universities. RICS aims to ensure that graduates have a stimulating
and challenging education, which prepares them well for their
professional career.