Bridging the divide: A comparison of registration practices

Session

Professional Organisation/Standards

Full Paper Review

No

Authors

Kevin Musungu, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa, kevin.musungu@gmail.com
Kate Fairlie, International Federation of Surveyors, Australia, kfairlie@gmail.com
Chukwubueze Onwuzuligbo, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nigeria, chukonvilla@yahoo.com
Thandikosi Gracious Dewah, thandinkosig@gmail.com

Abstract

Most countries have legally defined procedures for the registration of surveyors. These procedures are often linked to the type of academic qualification of the applicant. However despite the rigor required for registration in any country, professionals from an individual country cannot automatically practice in another country. Considering the wide variation in national surveying graduate numbers internationally, and the rapidly changing economies, there is a need to facilitate the mobility of surveyors, and young surveyors in particular.

Critically missing in the existing debates and literature are (i) an audit of the different requirements across the different countries in Africa; and (ii) identified steps and roles for national and international organisations to facilitate the future mobility of professionals. These steps are essential to assess the viability of enabling registered professionals to practice in neighbouring countries. An additional need to establish professional exchange opportunities to facilitate young surveyors to ‘move to where the jobs are’.

The aim of this paper is thus to (i) provide an overview of registration requirements across Africa; (ii) to identify select countries internationally that may be best placed to participate in an exchange initiative (iii) to identify roles, steps and opportunities to facilitate the international mobility of surveying professionals. The paper will utilize surveyed experiences to document the opportunities and challenges specific to young professionals and identify potential pathways to registration and networking for young surveyors to share expertise and support each other across borders.

No full paper was submitted