RICS in Saudi Arabia: collaboration and shaping the future

Our Acting President Nick Maclean FRICS and some of RICS senior leadership  recently travelled to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to meet with local members, and visit a number of key infrastructure projects where the surveying profession is contributing. Saudi Arabia is one of the fastest growing countries for RICS membership - we have seen membership numbers significantly increase since 2022, when we had approximately 400 members, to circa 1600 members in 2024. The newly launched RICS Saudi Arabia Matrics community, designed to support students, apprentices, trainees and those who are newly qualified (up to 10 years), has also attracted over 100 sign-ups within its first month. This enthusiasm, particularly from the next generation, is easily understandable, given some predict Saudi Arabia is set to become the world’s largest construction market by the end of 2028 [Source: Knight Frank]

In addition to supporting local members working in the country, RICS has been supporting skills development and standards adoption on a number of active projects, using our established regulatory framework, responsible business guidelines and RICS assessment standards, enhancing the working carried out to meet international best practice criteria.

Building on this RICS has been selected by The General Authority of Surveying and Geospatial Information (GEOSA), to advise on the development of a new regulatory framework and accreditation process for the profession in the country. GEOSA is a public body in Saudi Arabia which aims to regulate, upgrade, supervise, and monitor the Survey, Geospatial Information, and related imaging sectors in the Kingdom, as well as attract young talent, across the genders into the profession. RICS, alongside others, will be supporting GEOSA to establish a new framework, an accreditation process for professionals, as well as supervisory and monitoring policies. The project is expected to run for approximately 18 months to late 2026, delivered by a multidisciplinary team drawn from RICS members and staff, collaborating with the GEOSA team of experts to design the best fit for Saudi Arabia.

This work, alongside the other projects RICS has consulted on, recognises of our reputation as the leading international professional body and independent self-regulator for the surveying profession and our established regulatory framework as the model for other institutions. High growth countries, like Saudi Arabia, are increasingly important in the global built environment, and as an institution we are committed to supporting professionals, established or new, through targeted knowledge-sharing, skills development, and the promotion of professional excellence.