Strategic Plan2017-2021

Chartered Institution of CIVIL ENGINEERING SURVEYORS

Registered office: Dominion House, Sibson Road,Sale, Cheshire M33 7PP United Kingdomceo@cices.org • www.cices.org Images ©ICES, Topcon, Rawpixel, VILevi, Anett Dude, GaudiLab, Lev Koptrov

Welcome to our institution strategy for 2017-2021. This is the second strategy the Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (ICES) has produced since 2013, as we find ourselves working in a period of unprecedented changes.

Our geospatial engineering members are no strangers to disruptive technology. Their tools have changed beyond recognition from those of just a decade ago. How we measure the ground, both above and below water, and what we build upon it demands increasing accuracies and is progressively being undertaken remotely. ‘Everyone’s a surveyor now’ is a term that is bandied about with little knowledge of the role geospatial engineers actually play and their expertise in knowing the right method of data capture for the right job at the right time. The term ‘continuous survey’ being used by some software manufacturers is perhaps more accurate. The technical mind is more than simply an affiliate of the civil engineering process. It is a valuable commodity and needs to be supported as such.

For our commercial management members, their entry into the digital world has been at a slower pace, but one that now it has picked up is not going to falter. The ability to use digital models to more accurately and speedily determine take-off measurement and to visualise the progress of construction activities and their related costs is changing the way we work. Contractual relationships are being urged, forced, to change. Planning and contractual arrangements are under scrutiny as governments around the world focus on ways of building things that are no longer on an adversarial basis. The knowledge and experience that is picked up on major projects and never shared outside of the contracting team has been called out. Again, it is a valuable commodity and needs to be supported.

The institutionTasked with supporting the geospatial engineer and commercial manager is ICES, the internationally recognised qualifying organisation dedicated to the regulation, education and training of surveyors working within civil engineering. It is a professional affiliate of the UK Engineering Council and can award the status of Chartered Engineer through the Institution of Civil Engineers as licensing body. The current membership of ICES sits at over 5,000 and is administered globally from its head office in Sale, Cheshire, and supported at local level through its eight UK-based regions plus those located in Ireland, Hong Kong, the UAE, Macau and China. It is a formally registered educational charity.

Our royal charterThe institution was granted a royal charter in September 2009. It recognises the pre-eminence of ICES in its specialist fields, stating:

“The object for which the institution is established is to advance the science and art of civil engineering surveying in all aspects of the specialisations of geospatial engineering and commercial management within civil engineering for the benefit of the public, in particular but not exclusively by upholding and advancing the standards of education, competence, practice and conduct of members of the institution.”

It is these words that guide our every move. They are what we constantly refer back to in what is an increasingly changing landscape – both in the built environment and in the societies in which we operate.

Foreword

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What is a modern professional body?ICES has always been a modern institution. Formed in 1969, it stands a youthful ally to the established likes of the Institution of Civil Engineers and Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. Professional bodies have found themselves recently under attack for not meeting the needs of a changing society, and for contributing to a disjointed and segregated construction industry. But to look at professional bodies as businesses that churn out profits based on false assumptions of membership, is to miss the value of the work for which they were created.

ICES has always been about the sharing of knowledge. The sharing of knowledge between like-minded professionals; the wider construction and asset management team; students and those in their early careers, and their teachers. Our members operate in a glorious realm, one that inspires awe in children and adults alike. We are witness to technological changes so fast that none of us question we are in the midst of a fourth industrial revolution. And all this at a time when the world is facing threats never encountered before, from the climate to an increasingly divisive (and sometimes violent) political landscape; from populations growing older to the mass movement of people across continents; from ageing infrastructure to planning for a fast approaching digital future we do not yet fully understand the demands of.

To stand back and look at these challenges is daunting. It is no wonder there has been pessimism about the ability of professional bodies to support their members on such dynamic foundations. But, again, we return to the words of our royal charter. We ground ourselves in the knowledge that whatever world in which we operate, we are here to advance the science and art of civil engineering surveying for the benefit of the public. And we do that by creating a forum in which our successes and failures can be shared and explored. A forum where ideas are nurtured and knowledge can grow.

Supporting a knowledge hubCivil engineering surveyors need to operate within a continuous cycle of improvement. And ICES, as an institution, needs to operate in a continuous cycle of improvement to support them. By raising the profile of the profession, we demonstrate the necessity of having qualified staff on site. By having more professionally qualified staff on site, we create more experiences to share and learn from. By providing the forum in which these lessons can be learned and talked about, we raise the profile of the profession. And all the while this cycle turns, the benefits are felt not just by civil engineering surveyors, but by the design, construction and asset management teams to whom we contribute more efficiency and accuracy; and by the public, who are protected by work undertaken in a safe and responsible manner by individuals who have undergone the appropriate education and training and demonstrated their competency. Society is the ultimate beneficiary of every project we work on.

StrategyA strategy for now and the futureProfessional bodies support individuals to be the very best they can. By attaining ICES qualifications of Graduate Membership, Technical Membership, Membership and Fellow, an individual is demonstrating not only their competence at a particular level, but also their commitment to retaining that level of knowledge. How we support that is by facilitating another cycle, that of continuing professional development. Our members need to create their own knowledge strategies. They need to look at their professional lives and determine ways to capture knowledge they may be lacking, then effectively use what they have learned in their work and share their experiences to help others. This cycle happens at all levels from school leaver to board member. ICES has to ensure it can support this development at every level.

The institution also has a role in elevating the status of the civil engineering surveyor. We do this in recognition of the role played in the design, construction and asset management teams. It is not about creating yet another specialist role that operates in yet another silo. It is about authenticating the knowledge and expertise of civil engineering surveyors and the benefits they bring to a project at all stages, from concept to demolition. By elevating the status of the civil engineering surveyor we will increase the value placed on the role and ensure it is an attractive career option.

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Since we last revised our strategy in 2013, there have been worldwide developments that have impacted the role of the surveyor. In the UK, where the majority of our membership is based, we have seen the launch of the Digital Built Britain strategy, the long-anticipated arrival of BIM level 2 requirements and the push to levels 3 and beyond. Globally the UK is seen as a leader in building information modelling and it is imperative we share our experiences with our worldwide membership.

At a wider level, we are seeing economic shifts as we approach changes in the composition of the European Union. Mass migration and political turbulence have dominated headlines and contributed to unsurity of infrastructure policies across the globe. Automated vehicles, the management of Big Data and Smart Cities vie with dwindling energy supplies and poor connectivity. ICES needs to keep on top of developments to be part of any solutions. Again, understanding what is going on on the ground globally and sharing experiences is key to developing successful and sustainable best practice.

How can we deliver our aims?When looking at where it stands and where it needs to stand, ICES considers its priorities and aims across four areas.

Who we serve Our priority is to manage how society, employers and individuals see us. We want to create and support a vibrant community of like-minded professionals that have a passion and desire to develop the role civil engineering surveyors play in the delivery and management of the built environment. Our aim is to continue as the most relevant and leading professional body for civil engineering surveyors.

Innovation and learning Our priority is to promote research, publications and standards to ensure that innovation and new technology continue to be a fundamental part of civil engineering surveying. Our aim is to provide members with the access to training, events and knowledge that will aid them in their own continuing professional development and enhance the services they offer society.

Finance Our priority is to focus the institution’s efforts on attracting new members and retaining existing members worldwide. Our aim is to provide a professional body that offers real value to its membership.

Institution affairs Our priority is to maintain strong governance, raise our profile and collaborate with other professional bodies, academia and organisations for the benefit of the public, the civil engineering industry and those within the wider construction arena. Our aim is to form strategic partnerships with stakeholders who share our values. In addition, we will ensure the institution is supported by an executive and staff that can deliver its strategy; through marketing and support of our work both at home and overseas.

These priorities and aims have changed very little since 1969. They are what delivered the work that warranted a royal charter, and what will deliver our work as we continue to celebrate and support the science and art of civil engineering surveying. The following pages set out the concrete actions we will take over the next five years to continue in that aim. Five years is a long time and the political, skills and digital landscapes of 2021 are beyond our predictions. But by focusing on the hub of knowledge around which ICES is formed, we will face them with both our and society’s best interests at heart.

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Action 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Who will deliver

Reassess our membership grading structure. Including better mapping to the professional registration grades of Chartered Engineer, Incorporated Engineer and Engineering Technician; re-evaluating use of the Associate Member and Graduate Member grades and ensuring members do not remain rooted to these but progress their professional competence in line with ICES.

ResearchPlanImplement

Review Review Review Review EPD&MC

Create a membership pathway for apprentices, making sure we can offer support for members at the start of their apprenticeships and throughout their resulting careers.

ResearchPlan

Implement Review Review Review EPD&MC

Launch the route to Incorporated Engineer. Implement Review Review Review Review EPD&MCLaunch the route to Engineering Technician. Plan Implement Review Review Review EPD&MCBecome a licensed body of the Engineering Council. Research Plan Implement Review Review CoMPut into place an equality, diversity and inclusion action plan covering our committees, panels and regions.

ResearchPlanImplement

Review Review Review Review CEO

Launch a security policy. Implement Review Review Review Review CEOSteer and support the Trailblazer geospatial apprenticeships. Plan Implement Review Review Review Development OfficerAppraise our examining procedures and develop a code of conduct for examiners.

Research Plan Implement Review Review EPD&MC

Assess voluntary roles within the institution to ensure there is resilience, and promote the transfer of knowledge.

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Implement Review Review Review CEORegions

Create an introductory film explaining the role of the civil engineering surveyor to be hosted on YouTube and other freely available channels.

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Review Review ResearchPlan

Implement Operations Director

Improve and increase communication with staff leading Approved Development Schemes. Visit bigger companies with existing schemes to talk about rolling out the scheme to other areas of the business.

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Development OfficerRegions

Initiatives Who we serve

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Initiatives Innovation and learning

Action 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Who will deliver

Reassess our policy on continuing professional development (CPD). Including forming a working group to create a revised CPD policy; rolling out the policy with online support; and launching a communications campaign to promote the new policy to all members.

PlanResearch

Implement Review Review Review EPD&MCRegions

Create online support for CPD planning and recording through a mobile responsive website and use of apps.

PlanResearch

Implement Review Review PlanResearch

Membership Manager

Launch CPD monitoring system. PlanResearch

Implement Review Review Review Membership Manager

Launch a training partnership/s for geospatial engineering, providing training covering the whole career span of a geospatial engineer.

PlanResearch

Implement Implement Implement Review CEOOperations DirectorGEPC SURCO Board

Monitor our commercial management training partnership to ensure we are offering relevant and value-for-money training to commercial managers at all stages of their careers.

Implement Implement PlanResearch Review

Implement Implement CEOOperations DirectorCMPC SURCO Board

Launch approved distance learning. Plan Research Implement Review Review CEODevelopment OfficerRegions

Assess and expand our current award schemes for both students, career excellence in the field, and outstanding projects and initiatives.

Plan Research

Implement Review Review Review Membership ManagerCMPCGEPCRegions

Launch the ICES Publishing Awards for best geospatial engineering and commercial management articles.

Implement Implement ImplementReview

Implement Implement Editor in ChiefCMPCGEPC

Launch mobile responsive digital edition of Civil Engineering Surveyor. Implement Review Review ResearchReview

Implement Editor in Chief

Create an ICES Knowledge Hub that coordinates activities in CPD, events, training, publications and distance learning to integrate intellectual material and facilitate knowledge sharing

Research Plan Implement Phase 1

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Implement Phase 2

CEO

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Action 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Who will deliver

Launch Project 6000, a drive to increase our membership by 20% by the end of 2018. Project 6000 will involve initiatives by all our staff, committees, panels and regions.

ResearchPlan

Implement Review CEOMembership ManagerCMPCEPD&MCGEPC IACRegions

Review our membership and marketing strategy, with a view to forming a standalone marketing and branding strategy.

ResearchPlan

Implement Review Review ResearchPlan

CEOMembership Manager

Launch our new website. Implement Phase 1

Implement Phase2

Review Review ResearchPlan

Operations Director Membership Manager

Implement actions from our IT assessment and transfer the membership database across to a new system that will connect with the new website to improve membership communications.

Implement Review Review Review ResearchPlan

CEO

Consider other revenue streams for the institution, looking at company auditing for Approved Development Schemes and a company membership scheme with discounted membership for individuals.

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Implement Implement Implement ImplementReview

CEOF&GPCSURCO Board

Launch a campaign to take advantage of the growing numbers of data handlers and technicians on site and promote Technical Member and Engineering Technician through ICES.

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Implement Review Review Review Membership ManagerRegions

Launch a specific promotion of the planning and procurement competencies.

Research Plan Implement Review Review Membership ManagerRegions

Collate a database of members wanting to be more active and provide them with the opportunities to visit companies with Approved Development Schemes and attend careers events.

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Review Review Review Review Development OfficerRegions

Visit the top contractors, clients/owner operators, and major construction sites to talk about Approved Development Schemes, professional competence and the benefits of membership across the construction team.

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Implement Implement CEODevelopment OfficerRegions

Launch a campaign promoting our reciprocal membership agreements. PlanImplement

Implement Review Implement Implement Membership ManagerRegions

Initiatives Finance

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Core committeesCoM: Council of ManagementCMPC: Commercial Management Practices CommitteeEPD&MC: Education, Professional Development & Membership CommitteeF&GPC: Finance & General Purposes CommitteeGEPC: Geospatial Engineering Practices CommitteeIAC: International Affairs CommitteePWG: President’s Working GroupSURCO Board: Wholly owned commercial arm of ICES responsible for ICES Publishing and ICES Training

Action 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Who will deliver

Assess our memoranda of understanding (MOU). Including considering other organisations with whom we can arrange beneficial MOUs; strengthening collaboration within existing MOUs; nominating a link-contact for each organisation to promote joint initiatives; and providing supporting information to our regions to aid communication with their counterparts at these organisations.

ResearchPlanImplement

Review ResearchPlanImplementReview

Review ResearchPlanImplementReview

CEOCMPCGEPCRegions

Formally register ICES in the United Arab Emirates. Implement Review Review Review Review CEOFormally register ICES in Macau. Implement Review Review Review Review CEOFormally register ICES in China. Research

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Review Review Review Review CEO

Identify and support key individuals to take forward institution initiatives and promote professional competence outside of the UK.

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Implement Review Implement Review Membership ManagerIACRegionsCountry Representatives

Approach a high-profile industry figure to become our patron. ResearchPlan

Implement Review Review Review PWG

Hold regional chairs meeting annually to promote the sharing of knowledge, best practice and experience; and to offer support.

Implement Implement Implement Implement Implement CEORegions

Hold a strategic workshop with institution stakeholders to plan for 2022 and beyond.

ResearchPlan

Implement CEO PWG

Initiatives Institution Affairs

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In producing this strategic plan, the institution requested the opinions of a wide range of stakeholders, including professional bodies, members and staff. Following a thorough review of the strategic plan for 2013-2016, identifying successes and failures and why some targets had not been met, a small working group developed a strategic workshop. The two-day workshop, held in autumn 2016, involved staff, members of Council of Management, regional representatives and members of core committees. The workshop considered areas in which ICES should progress and called on attendees to form specific actions to further those aims.

The findings from the workshop have been incorporated into this plan, alongside further input from the institution’s leadership and staff. The strategy has been considered in light of both the external environment in which the institution operates and an internal analysis.

The plan was presented to members of Council of Management for their review in December 2016. Following approval, the executive will implement the strategic plan with the support of members and staff, providing quarterly progress reports to Council of Management. Dependent on the roll-out, the need to implement adjustments to the plan will be taken into consideration.

Methodology Consultation and discussion

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Strategic relationships

Finance & General Purposes Committee

ICES Training

ICES Publishing

UK Regions

Survey Liaison Group

The Survey Association

Royal Institution of Chartered

Surveyors

Management Panel

Contracts & Dispute Resolution Panel

Commercial Management Practices

Committee

Geospatial Engineering

Panel

Geospatial Engineering Practices Committee

Council of Management

Construction Industry Council

Engineering Council

Institution of Civil Engineers

Network for Early Careers

Education, Professional

Development & Membership Committee

Overseas Regions

International Affairs Committee

International Federation of

Surveyors

International Cost Engineering Council

Operational Support Technical Support