The Department of Real Estate, Construction Management and Quantity Surveying held a high-level meeting on Wednesday, 26th, with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). The session was chaired by Professor K’Akumu, the Dean of the Faculty of Built Environment, and brought together key stakeholders committed to strengthening professional standards and academic excellence within the built environment disciplines.

RICS was represented by Mr. Boniface Wawere, Business Development Manager , London & South West, and Manager – Sub-Saharan Africa. The discussions focused on deepening the longstanding collaboration between RICS and the University of Nairobi, with particular emphasis on the accreditation of the department’s programmes in Real Estate, Construction Management, and Quantity Surveying.

Mr. Wawere reaffirmed RICS’ commitment to supporting the accreditation journey and expressed readiness to engage academic staff on membership pathways, opportunities for professional development, and the integration of global best practices into the forthcoming curriculum review process, as highlighted by Arch. Peter Njeru, the Department Chair.

The meeting also featured contributions from the African Real Estate Society (AfRES). Its President and Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Nairobi, Mr. Nicky Nzioki, conveyed appreciation for the strong partnership between AfRES and RICS, particularly RICS’ active involvement in the Annual AfRES Conference. He extended an invitation to RICS to participate and co-sponsor the 25th AfRES Annual Conference, scheduled for 8–11 September 2026 in Kampala, Uganda.

Further remarks were given by Mrs. Kariuki, Lecturer and former AfRES President, who thanked RICS for consistently supporting the AfRES Women’s Dinner and encouraged enhanced collaboration in mentorship and empowerment initiatives for young women in the profession.

Mr. Bill Bwana, Graduate Assistant and postgraduate student, expressed gratitude for RICS’ support to the Future Leaders of AfRES (FLAfRES) and called for additional engagement through capacity-building activities that nurture emerging professionals in the built environment.

Faculty members also took part in the deliberations, including Mr. Kirk Katwa, who emphasized the importance of contributing to RICS journals and research publications. FLAfRES representatives, Mr. Antony Mouki, Mr. Ian Kiprono, Mr. Lewis Maringa, and Mr Joseph Ndungu were also present.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to strengthen collaboration between the University of Nairobi, AfRES, and RICS, with all parties expressing enthusiasm for deeper partnerships in professional development, research, and capacity building across the built environment sector.