Qualifications and Assessment Committee (QAC)

Bring Professional Insight. Influence Qualifications and Assessment. Shape the Future of the Profession.

The Qualifications and Assessment Committee (QAC) of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors helps ensure that RICS qualifications, assessments and competence requirements remain relevant, rigorous and respected. Across more than 140 countries and diverse educational, cultural and regulatory environments, the Committee oversees how future professionals enter, develop within and progress through one of the world's most respected chartered professions.

RICS is seeking four members who can bring professional insight, sound judgement and a forward-thinking perspective, for approximately 10 days a year. Appointments will be staggered through 2027, and new members may have the opportunity to observe Committee meetings before their formal appointment commences, to build their understanding of its work.

Why this role matters

The QAC recommends policy and frameworks for professional competence, entry and admission to the profession, and transfer between grades of membership. It oversees assessment standards and methodologies, safeguards education and qualification standards, including the accreditation of university programmes and post-qualification credentials, and ensures that everything it does serves the public interest.

As Keith Thomas FRICS, QAC Chair, puts it: "The QAC's role is to act as guardians of the entry standards."

Why now?

The profession is changing. Artificial intelligence, digital practice, evolving workforce expectations and new models of professional development are reshaping what competence looks like and how it should be assessed.

RICS' review of entry and assessment into the profession has set out the case for significant change, and the RICS-wide Qualifications and Professional Development programme is now taking that work forward. The QAC will play a central role in overseeing how new approaches to qualification and assessment are developed and put into practice. You can read the Entry and Assessment Review Final Report and watch a short video on the extent of the potential changes.

This will be a significant focus of the QAC's work, and we would love to hear from members who are motivated to help make it happen.

What you gain

Serving on the QAC is a chance to influence the standards that shape the profession you belong to. It means working alongside fellow members and independent members from different disciplines, sectors and countries, gaining a broader view of how the profession operates around the world, and building valuable governance and committee experience. Most of all, it is an opportunity to help shape how the next generation of professionals enters and progresses through the profession.

Who we are looking for

Whether you have recently completed your assessment or have supported others as an assessor or counsellor, your experience can make a valuable contribution. We welcome members working across all sectors, from sole practitioners and small practices to large international organisations. You do not need to hold the most senior title to contribute.

We are looking for current RICS members in good standing (AssocRICS, MRICS or FRICS) who bring:

• Experience of RICS' assessment processes, whether as an assessor, Chair or counsellor, or as a recent candidate
• Experience of professional assessment, training, mentoring, coaching or developing other professionals
• An understanding of qualifications, accreditation, professional education or assessment frameworks
• A strong understanding of professional competence, ethics and standards, and of the role of regulation in protecting the public interest
• The ability to evaluate complex information and communicate your views clearly and succinctly in a committee setting
• The confidence to offer constructive challenge whilst working collaboratively, and to act independently and in the public interest, even where decisions may be unpopular
   

The following experience and qualities would also be valuable:

• Openness to change, with experience of reform or transformation
• Experience of working across multiple jurisdictions or international markets
• Experience of contributing to boards, committees or governance groups, in your professional or personal life, for example as a school governor or charity trustee
• The ability to think and act strategically
   

Full eligibility criteria are set out in the Candidate Pack.

About the Qualifications and Assessment Committee

The QAC is a permanent sub-committee of the RICS Standards and Regulation Board, operating under delegated authority and reporting to the SRB. It comprises four RICS members and four independent (non-RICS) members, plus a Chartered Member as Chair.

You can find full information about the Committee, including its Terms of Reference, on the Qualifications and Assessment Committee page.

Practical details

• Remuneration: As a RICS member, and in accordance with RICS governance policy, this role is not remunerated and does not amount to employment or worker status. RICS members serve on a voluntary basis. Reasonable travel and subsistence expenses will be reimbursed in accordance with RICS policy. This role is not pensionable.
• Time commitment: Approximately 10 days per year.
• Location: Meetings are primarily virtual, with one in-person meeting per year in London or Birmingham.
• Term: Up to three years, with the possibility of reappointment for a second term (six years maximum).
• Interviews: Panel interviews via MS Teams on Wednesday 20 and Thursday 21 January 2027.
   

How to apply

To ensure independence during this recruitment process, Michelle Paoloni of House Recruitment is supporting RICS on this appointment.

To apply, please send your CV and a supporting statement (maximum two pages) to RICS@houserecruitment.co.uk, with both documents in PDF format. Your supporting statement is the place to give clear evidence of how you meet each of the essential criteria in the Candidate Pack, along with any of the desirable criteria you can demonstrate.

A full Candidate Pack is available for review. For practical guidance on preparing your application and what to expect at each stage, we recommend reading the RICS Member Candidate Application and Selection Guide.

Closing date: 12:00 (UK time), Friday 4 December 2026.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

RICS is committed to building a Committee that reflects the global profession it serves. The QAC has historically benefited from a diverse membership, including gender balance, individuals from underrepresented ethnic backgrounds and members from a wide range of geographic locations, and we are committed to maintaining and strengthening that diversity.

We welcome applications from members of all backgrounds and particularly encourage those currently underrepresented in senior governance roles to apply. Applications are welcomed from members based anywhere in the world.

All appointments are made on merit, underpinned by a commitment to fair and inclusive processes throughout.