The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, (RICS) - a professional association (PA).

12.2 Other related organisations

Like other countries, in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) there are four group types into which surveyors are organised:

• Professional associations (PA).
• Trade associations (TA).
• Learned societies (LS).
• Umbrella organisations (UA).

(For an explanation of these terms refer to the Glossary)

In the geodetic surveying context, the main UK groups are

1. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS): (PA) Land and Hydrographic Surveying Division has a membership of 1800.

2. The Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (ICES): (PA). Engineering Survey Division has membership of about 1000.

3. The Guild of Incorporated Surveyors. A professional association (PA) covering most types of surveying of whom about 200 are geodetic surveyors.

4. The Society of Surveying Technicians (SST): (PA). This has direct links with the RICS, and has a special Land Survey Division.

5. United Kingdom Land Survey Industry Liaison Group (ILG)This is an umbrella organisation (UA) linking many associations together.

6. The Special Interest Group (SIG) of the Association of Geographical Information (AGI), which is an umbrella association. (UA)

7. The Survey Association (TSA). This is a trade association (TA) of private firms.

Many other societies of varied status exist in the UK covering all branches of surveying.

Relevant learned societies (LS) include

• The Hydrographic Society

• The Photogrammetric Society.

• The Cartographic Society.

• The Royal Geographical Society.

(2) With the exception of mining surveyors, any person may practise as a surveyor in the UK. However, the title "Chartered Surveyor" is protected by law. Chartered bodies come under the purview, but not under the control, of the office of the Privy Council. Before any professional association is granted Chartered status, it has to satisfy the test that it has the promotion of the public interest among its formal objectives.

(3) It is important to note that Scotland has many variations from England, having its own legal and educational systems.

(4) The national survey organisations, the Ordnance Survey of Great Britain (OSGB) and the Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland (OSNI), perform a wide variety of tasks from geodetic to large-scale (l:l 250) surveys. A system of continuous revision on demand of the largest plans enables the property registers to be linked to this map as an index.The registration of title comes under the jurisdiction of the Land Registry, an official office, which employs very few graduate surveyors, most work being carried out by technicians formerly employed by the Ordnance Survey. Private surveyors tend to become involved in cases of litigation as expert witnesses.

12.4 Higher Education
(See Al2)

Since the last edition of this report all Polytechnics have been converted to universities with one central clearing house for entry to all (UCAS). Some Colleges of Higher Education still award degrees linked with a university. The School of Military Survey is one such in the field of geodetic surveying. New courses with a GIS emphasis have also developed, as for example at the new University of East London.

(l) Generally, entry to the RICS and ICES is via exempting degrees or diplomas awarded by universities, followed by a minimum of two years' experience approved by the RICS or three years for ICES and an assessment of professional competence (APC).

(2) All UK academic courses are subject to the annual cooperation of an external examiner selected by the university or college. His or her role is to monitor examinations and inspect scripts and course work. In the case of RICS and ICES, exemptions the external examiner has to report annually to the RICS or ICES.

(3) Students may select courses via a general clearing house system (UCAS)

(4) Students accepted for first degrees receive a mandatory grant, towards which parents are expected to contribute according to their means. Although most parent do so contribute, there is no legal requirement to do so. Higher degree studies are funded by research councils or other bodies, such as local education authorities, according to need.There is new legislation for these grants to be augmented by student loans.

(5) The Scottish education has a broader based secondary school, four or five subjects being studied at age l7 to "Higher" level. This system differs from the A Level concentration on two or three subjects at the age of l8 in England. Both systems are based on a broad education to the age of sixteen.

(6) Scottish degree courses are generally one year longer than their English counterparts; although it is also possible to obtain a Scottish 'Ordinary" degree after three years. Holders of such degrees generally teach in junior or secondary schools following a further year at teacher training college.There are no ordinary degree courses in geodetic surveying.

(7) Most geodetic surveying courses contain some elements of inshore hydrographic surveying. Specialist courses are run by the Royal Navy and a few new universities.

12.5 Professional Practice
(See C12)

There is no general legislation covering the practice of surveying or the appointment of staff. It is only customary to value formally educated surveyors in appointment to senior posts in the civil service and academia, or to accredit private companies in some formal way, even though many have acquired official quality assurance certification at considerable expense.Tendering is common with lowest price often the winner. Some tendering from a selected list of companies is practised.In recent years official organisations have been privatised, or some like the Ordnance Survey, have been assigned special "Agency" status, with an agreed level of government subsidy, usually well below 50 per cent.

The range of activities is depicted in Figure C12

Entry to RICS and ICES may be by way of five routes as follows: (See reference Al2).

1. A three or four year full time course of study;
2. A four year sandwich course of study;
3. A five or six year part time course of study;
4. A graduate entry scheme after gaining a non-cognate degree;
5. A direct membership examination after at least l5 years of approved experience. (See Al2).

Thereafter, all candidates must satisfy a Test of Professional Competence procedure which varies slightly between RICS divisions but generally consists of the following.

1. At least two years of approved experience;
2. The submission of a log book and diary of that experience;
3. A professional test consisting of a written submission;
4. An interview.

The RICS and ICES have a compulsory system of Continuous Professional Development (CPD), (8), to satisfy which members are expected to attend meetings, courses, conferences, workshops etc. to keep themselves up to date. Various Divisions run special courses, and prepare technical papers and new topics for this purpose.

12.5.1 Professional Association Structure: RICS

Although this report deals only with Land and Hydrographic Surveying or Geodetic Surveying, it is instructive to summarise the scope of practice of the various types of surveyor in the United Kingdom. Much of this is covered by the FIG definition of the Surveyor and some of it is covered in various countries in Europe by Geodetic Surveyors. We refer to RICS structure as follows.

(1) Building Surveyors Division

(1) Site Surveying and levelling.(2) Building contracts.(3) Dilapidation.(4) Development of building estates.(5) Structural surveys and reports.(6) Report writing. (7) Management of buildings. (8) Town and country planning.

(2) General Practice Division

(1) Commercial estate management and landlord and tenant. (2) Rating. (3) Commercial and investment agency, including valuation, sale, letting and purchase of land and buildings for occupation and investment. (4) Residential estate agency, including valuation, management, sale, letting and purchase of land and dwellings for occupation and investment. (5) Property development and town and country planning. (6) Housing administration (including private sector housing management).

(3) Land Agency and Agriculture Division

(1) Agriculture. (2) Layout, construction, improvement and maintenance of buildings and fixed equipment. (3) The economics of Agricultural Land Ownership and occupation including taxation. (4) Law relating to agricultural property. (5) Agricultural valuations including tenant right and dilapidations.(6) Woodland management. (7) Land use including recreation and conservation. (8) Town and country planning and compulsory purchase. (9) Valuation of real property.

(4) Land and Hydrographic Surveying

(1) Cadastral and land information systems. (2) Cartography. (3) Computer assisted collection and management of data. (4) Engineering geology and site investigation. (5) Engineering surveying. (6) Geodesy. (7) Hydrography. (8) Land development. (9) Land economy. (l0) Legislative framework relating to land and/or sea. (ll) Mathematical modelling and processing of data. (l2) Oceanic and geophysical surveying. (l3) Photogrammetry. (l4) Remote sensing.

(5) Minerals Division

(1) Surveying and levelling of mineral workings. (2) Advanced surveying practice. (3) Mining law. (4) Planning control over mineral workings. (5) Environmental aspects of mineral workings. (6) Minerals management. (7) Valuation. (8) Subsidence. (9) Minerals exploitation;

(6) Planning and Development Division

(1) The application of economic financial and valuation skills relevant to planning and development. (2) Evaluation and analysis for, preparation of, and implementation of development plans, including non-statutory plans. (3) Development control and/or work in connection with public enquiries. (4) Planning, initiation, implementation, management and marketing of development projects.

(7) Quantity Surveyors Division

(1) Cost advice and cost planning; budgets; estimates; life cycle costing; cash flow; cost control. (2) Contract documentation; bills of quantities; schedule of rates contractual correspondence. (3) Tendering and contractual arrangements; selection of tenderers, sub-contracts; preparation of tenders. (4) Contract services; monitoring construction methods and costs; cost benefit; final accounts surveying and measuring on site. (5) Specialisation: taxation, insurance, arbitration, bankruptcy, dilapidation, fees.

12.5.2  ICES and Guild of Surveyors

The ICES structure is somewhat different to that of the RICS, concentrating on two disciplines only: Engineering Surveying, and Civil Engineering Quantity Surveying.The Guild of Surveyors covers a wide range of activities with no divisional structure.

12.6 Publications

Most associations publish their own technical journals. Amongst the main ones are the following.

• Surveying World (SW)
• The Photogrammetric Record
• The Cartographic Journal
• The Hydrographic Journal
• Survey Review
• The Civil Engineering Surveyor (CES)
• Chartered Surveyor Monthly (CEM)
• Survey

12.7 References

"Chartered Surveyors - the growth of a profession". FML. Thompson l968.

Literature of the associations listed below.

12.8 Useful addresses

RICS
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
12 Great George Street
London SW1 P 3AD

SST
The Society of Surveying Technicians
RICS Coventry
Surveyor Court
Westwood way
Coventry CV4 8JE

ICES
The Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors
26 Market Street
Altrincham
Cheshire WA14 1PF

The Guild of Incorporated Surveyors
1 Alexandra Street
Queens Road
Oldham OL8 2AU

ILG
United Kingdom Land Survey Industry Liaison Group
12 Great George Street
London SW1 P 3AD

TSA
The Survey Association
UK Land and Hydrographic Association
33 Catherine Place
London SW1E 6DY

OSGB
The Ordnance Survey of Great Britain
Romsey Road
Maybush
Southampton SO9 4DH

OSNI
The Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland
Colby House
Strathmillis Court
Belfast
Northern Ireland

University College London                   University of East London
Dept of Photogrammetry and Surveying        Dept of Land Surveying
Gower Street                                Longbridge Road
London WC1E 6BT                             Dagenham
                                            Essex RM8 2AS

University of Nottingham                    The City University
Institute of Engineering Surveying          Dept of Civil Engineering
and Space Geodesy                           Northampton Square
University Park                             London EC1V 0HB
Nottingham NG7 2RD

Nottingham Trent University                 University of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
Dept of Civil and Struct. Eng.              Dept of Surveying
Burton Street                               Old Brewery Building
Nottingham NG1 4BU                          Haymarket
                                            Newcastle-Upon-Tyne NE1 7RU

University of Glasgow                       University of Edinburgh
Geography and Topographic Science           Dept of Geography
University Avenue                           Drummond Street
Glasgow                                     Edinburgh
G12 8QQ                                     EH8 9XP

School of Military Survey                   University of Plymouth
Hermitage                                   School of Maritime Studies
Newbury                                     Drakes Circus
Berkshire                                   Plymouth PL2 2BG
RG16 9TP

Oaklands College                            Royal Naval Hydrographic School
Dept of Surveying and Cartography           HMS Drake
Elstree Way                                 Devonport
Boreham Wood                                Plymouth PL2 2BG
Herts

Oxford University                           Queens University Belfast
Dept of Geodesy and Surveying               Civil Engineering Dept
62 Banbury Road                             David Keir Building
Oxford OX2 6PN                              Stranmillie Road
                                            Belfast BT7 1NN