The visit
The RICS panel evaluated the Bachelor of Construction majors in Construction Management and Quantity Surveying against the institution’s professional and educational standards. The visit brought together the programme team, students, employers and industry partners, and students presented their learning journeys to the panel directly.
As Head of Built Environment Engineering, he led the department’s preparation and thanked the panel for its time and feedback, colleagues across the School and the university for their teamwork, and the students, employers and partners whose engagement shapes the relevance of the programmes.
Why accreditation matters
RICS is the global professional body for surveying and construction, and its accreditation allows graduates to progress towards chartered status recognised in many countries. For students, it makes an AUT construction degree portable; for employers, it is assurance that graduates meet an international benchmark; and for the university, it is external validation of programme quality.
Accreditation reviews are demanding. They examine curriculum, staffing, resources, industry engagement and student outcomes, and they require a department to evidence its quality rather than assert it. Leading a department through such reviews is a core part of programme leadership in professional disciplines, and the RICS visit was one of several accreditation processes he oversaw.
The people behind it
He singled out the students who joined the session for particular thanks: their ability to describe their learning journeys left a positive impression on the panel. Accreditation is ultimately judged on what graduates can do, and students who can articulate their own learning are the strongest evidence a programme can offer.