People who are associated with the real estate and built environment sector need no introduction to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). However, for those who are aspiring to join this sector, here’s a brief introduction to RICS.
RICS is a 152-year-old self-regulatory professional body which promotes the highest benchmark in professional standards in real estate and the built environment. It is based in London and was established by a royal charter which mandates it to work in the public interest. It has 1,50,000 professional members in 146 countries. It accredits 600+ course programs in the top universities in the USA, UK, Australia and many other countries.
RICS SBE is a collaboration between RICS and Amity University, which is one of India’s leading research and innovation-driven universities. The RICS School of Built environment was established in 2013 at Noida, to primarily address the skills gap that existed in the real estate industry. Subsequently, in 2017, the second campus was established in Mumbai and now RICS SBE has a combined strength of 1,000 students and about 2,600 alumni who have been successfully placed in the industry in India as well as internationally.
ADVANTAGES OF STUDYING AT RICS SBE
RICS being a global professional body enjoys complete support for its SBE initiative from the industry organisations connected to all lifecycles of a built environment project. The School was established in 2013 but it comes with a backing of 152 years of professional experience in the sector which gives our graduates some distinct advantages. Some of the benefits of studying at RICS SBE are:
Alumni support and MRICS professional network
RICS SBE has a group of 2600+ alumni who are actively placed in the industry and who regularly interact with the current students to share their work experience and industry learning with them.
On graduation, students are eligible to be trainee members of RICS and after two years of work experience, they can apply for membership to RICS (also known as MRICS). This gives them access to a network of 1,50,000 professionals in 146 countries.
RICS SBE IN COVID TIMES
Currently, we are all living through an extremely difficult phase as COVID 19 has impacted the entire world. There has been an irreparable loss of lives and the economy of many countries is bearing the brunt of the lockdowns that were imposed to try to contain it. The pandemic has impacted all sectors and disrupted supply chains, employment, cash flow and more. Educational institutes were the first to feel the heat as they had to shut down even before the lockdown started.
Online Classes
RICS SBE was quick to grasp the situation and rose to the challenge to ensure that there was no disruption in education delivery to our students by immediately transferring our classes to an online platform. These are live classes that are happening in real-time while adhering to the same schedule as they would on the physical campus. It’s exactly like a lecture in a physical classroom but it’s taking place virtually. Students can clarify doubts in real-time and get answers immediately from the professors. Recordings of the classes are also available to students for later reference. Some people tend to confuse these live classes with distance learning programs which are very different. (For more clarity on the difference between distance learning and virtual classes click here).
It is important to know that one does not need to invest in high configuration computers to participate in these classes. A normal laptop or PC is sufficient at your end. RICS SBE has invested heavily in the high-end configurations to create a virtual environment so that even our computer labs can be accessed by students from the safety of their homes and they can practice their software skills. The aim is to give the students an educational experience that is as close to in-person classes as is possible under the circumstances.
Internships
An internship in the industry for 2 months in summer is a mandatory part of the MBA curriculum.
This gives the students real-time exposure to industrial processes and practices and it also gives them an opportunity to practically apply the skills they have learnt in classrooms. This year due to the COVID pandemic, students had to stay home. However, RICS SBE rose to the challenge of providing the students with industry experience by initiating industry research-based internships which the students could conduct from the safety of their homes. Organisations are quite impressed with the research accomplished by the students and are planning to publish the reports in their journals in India as well as internationally. For more information on research-based internships click here
Placements in pandemic times
Before the onset of the pandemic, we had placed almost 60% of our graduating students and as our previous records show we have an excellent placement achievement. Currently, due to the constraints of COVID 19, placements are on hold but our placement team is in constant contact with organisations and will resume the process as soon as the market starts opening up and things revert to normal.
Presently, the entire world is going through one of its worst economic crisis leaving no country unaffected. People are either being laid off or asked to accept reduced salaries or in some cases even no salaries. It is heartening to know that even in these conditions, we are still getting job requirements from organisations. In sync with the present times, one may see a bit of a reduction in salaries but this is likely to change as the market starts to recover. Basis the demand for housing and infrastructure, the real estate sector is expected to start recovering faster than some of the other sectors. The impact of the pandemic will certainly wane and the industry will pick up momentum to be back on track in about 18 to 24 months. The smart students or young professionals already working will use this time to upskill themselves and be ready to ride the upward recovery curve of the industry.
Examinations
After a survey conducted by the university and taking due feedback from the students, online written exams for final year students have already started at the Noida campus and will soon start in Mumbai as well. The examinations should be over by the third week of July and after that, the students will be free to join their organisations and start their professional journey.
Online admissions
To provide an equitable opportunity to all aspirants seeking to join RICS SBE while ensuring their safety, the admission procedure was overnight transformed into a completely online process. Interviews, campus tour etc. are all done in virtual mode. To find out more about the virtual admission process click here
Resumption of classes
Even while dealing with the COVID induced crisis, life has to go on and in that spirit classes for ongoing batches resumed from July 6 at the Noida campus and July 27 at the Mumbai campus. Presently, classes will still be in an online format but as soon as the situation improves and it is considered safe, we will switch to normal face to face classes on campus. Classes for the new batches will begin from September 1, 2020. As the situation changes from day to day, the government has still not issued guidelines on when classes can start in person. Whether these classes are started virtually or on-campus depends on the guidelines issued by the government. Ample notice will be given to students before switching back to on-campus classes.
Scholarships and Student Loans
Although RICS SBE Amity University does not provide student loans, it has a tie-up with some banks and facilitates the loans. In the present times when several people are facing a liquidity crunch, it would make good sense to obtain a student loan as it can be availed immediately but paid only after you’ve completed the degree and then too, there’s a moratorium for one year. So effectively one starts repaying the loan 3 years after availing it. Our placement records show that students get good job opportunities that help them to pay off the loans. The School also offers scholarships to meritorious students who meet the criteria to avail them. For more information about student loans and scholarships, feel free to call our counsellors on +91-847 101 1011
Applications closing soon!