The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors is the leading professional body in land, property and construction with 118,000 professionals in more than 140 countries.

The chartered surveying profession touches us all. Surveyors were at the forefront of the industrial revolution, carving railways and canals throughout Britain, and developing much of the infrastructure we still see today. Robert Burns, TS Lawrence, Alfred Russell Wallace and US Presidents Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln all worked in surveying.

Modern surveyors played a central role in developing the London 2012 Olympics site, tunnelling Crossrail beneath the capital, and developing plans for HS2. They also measure the depths of the oceans, the distance to the Moon, and manage our most treasured landscapes. Surveyors value buildings, businesses and exquisite antiques.

Our obligation to serve the public interest is the beating heart of the profession. Thanks to surveyors cities are economically and socially sustainable, tribal communities can register their land, and buildings are more able to withstand natural disasters.

As our patron, Her Majesty The Queen has supported RICS throughout her reign. The Queen opened our refurbished headquarters on Parliament Square on 8 March 1978 – the first visit ever by a sovereign to the Institution.  Her Majesty’s subsequent visit on 29 July 1999 marked the twin centenaries of our headquarters building and the first 100 years of the RICS benevolent fund, LionHeart. The Queen also met Alice Zhang, the first chartered surveyor to qualify in mainland China, leading the way for over 5,000 RICS professionals and students in China today.

For more information visit: http://www.rics.org/