Presentation Ceremony for the 2nd batch of the HKIS members obtained the qualification of the PRC Cost Engineer was held at the HKIS Surveyors Learning Centre on 26 October 2011. Madam Zhang Yunkuan (張允寬理事長), President of the China Engineering Cost Association (CECA) (中國建設工程造價管理協會), was invited to present the Qualification Certificates to our members. Mr Wong Bay, HKIS President, accompanied by QSD Chairman Mr Antony Man, presented our Membership Diploma to the members of CECA who become members of HKIS under the Reciprocity Agreement between the two associations. Thank you Senior Vice President Ms Serena Lau, Vice President Mr Stephen Lai, Honorary Secretary, Mr Edwin Tang and Past President Mr T T Cheung for attending the Ceremony.

 

There are 172 members of CECA qualified in the 2nd batch training and assessment for being elected as HKIS members whereas 166 HKIS members confirmed the qualification of PRC Cost Engineer. Application for registration will be arranged early next year and members will be informed accordingly. Please refer to the announcement by the Ministry of Construction [建辦標[2008]12號] dated 25 February 2008 at http://www.hkis.org.hk/en/pdf/aboutus/NoticefromMoHURD.pdf for detailed requirements.

 

The 15 CECA members coming to Hong Kong for the presentation ceremony took the chance for visiting the office of HKIS and the associated facilities such as the library. These newly elected members together with delegates of CECA visited two of the quantity surveying consultant firms in Hong Kong on 27 October 2011. Thank you for the reception organized by Davis Langdon & Seah Hong Kong Limited and Rider Levett Bucknall.

 

Invitation letters have been issued to the previous donors and all the quantity surveying consultant firms for soliciting sponsorship for the next two years in order to have better planning by the universities. Further to our review on the first scholarship presented at the middle of this year, it is considered that less number of scholarship but with larger amount can serve more attractive promotion purpose. Finally it is decided that the amount of each scholarship will be increased to HK$10,000.00 (including HK$2,000.00 from the Quantity Surveying Division and HK$8,000.00 from the donor). I would like to appeal for your generous and continuous support and would you please return the duly completed reply slip to the Institute this month. If you have not received the invitation letter, please contact Ms Judy Shiu or Ms Donna Yu at the Institute on +852 2526 3679.

 

HKIS is one of the nine members of the Pacific Association of Quantity Surveyors (PAQS). The 2012 PAQS Congress will be held in Brunei Darussalam from 7 to 10 July 2012 which is hosted by Institution of Surveyors, Engineers and Architects, Brunei (PUJA) (http://www.paqs2012.com/). The theme of the congress is Innovation and Sustainability: Challenges and Opportunities. Please note the deadlines for submissions as follows:

a) Abstracts must be received by the Secretariat on or before 1

March 2012.

b) Papers must be received by the Secretariat on or before 1 May

2012.

 

The ICEC World Congress will be held bi-yearly around the 4 Regions and HKIS is in Region 4 of ICEC. The ICEC 8th World Congress will be held between 23 and 27 June 2012 in Durban, South Africa, which is hosted by the Association of South African Quantity Surveyors (ASAQS) and South African Council for the Quantity Surveyors Profession (SACQSP). The theme of the Congress is “Quest for Quality” Featuring: Quantity Surveying, Cost Engineering and Project Management. Our past President Mr T T Cheung, who represents HKIS in the Council, is the Admin. Vice-Chair of ICEC. Registration of the Congress can be made through http://www.icec2012.org.za/Registration.asp.

 

 

In response to the request of the Judiciary and the legal practitioners, the Quantity Surveying Division has set up a taskforce to look into this matter. The Taskforce, at this moment, consists of 5 members and will draw up proposal for consideration by the Division. If you are interested in joining the Taskforce, please contact Mr Coody Ko of the Institute on +852 2526 3679.

 

The Professional Practice Committee of QSD has completed the preliminary drafting of some Good Practice Notes for Quantity Surveyors with other associations in the following topics. This Good Practice Notes will be commented and reviewed by the Divisional Council prior to the endorsement for publication.