IFMA and RICS unveil powerful suite of combined credentials and professional qualifications

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - Media OutReach - 24 May 2017 - The landmark collaboration between the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) is, for the first time, offering a combined suite of credentials and professional qualifications for facility management (FM) in a single, convenient online platform at www.fm.training.

IFMA and RICS first launched the platform in December 2016 as an initial step toward leveraging the combined authority of two of the world's premier built environment professional organizations for the support of FM education and career advancement. IFMA centralized its professional credential training -- the foundational Facility Management Professional™ (FMP®), the targeted Sustainability Facility Professional® (SFP®) and the Facility Management Learning System®, which supports learning for the Certified Facility Manager® (CFM®) certification -- on the platform in early April.

Now, RICS has added the final critical piece of the IFMA-RICS suite of credentials and professional qualifications to the platform: the internationally recognized AssocRICS and MRICS professional designations.

"The RICS chartered designation symbolizes pre-eminence and professional rigor in all corners of the property and built environment sector, globally," said RICS CEO Sean Tompkins. "Aligning this mark with the FM industry-leading body, IFMA, through the new online platform will strengthen the sector and enhance the role of FMs in all markets around the world."

The complete suite of credentials and professional qualifications, available together at fm.training for the first time, creates a clearly defined career path in FM, providing support for professionals at any point in their career -- from entry to advanced. The route to chartered status with the AssocRICS and MRICS qualifications opens doors for FM professionals to take on larger, international-facing roles as strategic leaders with opportunities to stand out in the wider real estate and built environment sectors.

The platform also promises game-changing benefits to businesses and organizations through service differentiation, risk mitigation, talent recruitment and retention, and the competitive advantage that is possible through effective strategic FM practices.

"For years, industry leaders have trusted IFMA's world-class body of credentials and the outstanding designations available through RICS," said IFMA President and CEO, Tony Keane. "This powerful suite of credentials and professional qualifications pushes FM into a new frontier of unification and integration into the wider build environment universe. Whether you already have a designation from RICS or a credential from IFMA or are just starting out, the online platform offers new and exciting ways to advance your career and benefit the people FM serves."

The landmark collaboration between IFMA and RICS is working to advance the global FM community by offering the most comprehensive catalogue of professional development and credentialing. For more on the IFMA-RICS collaboration, please see: www.define.fm.

About IFMA

IFMA is the world's largest and most widely recognized international association for facility management professionals, supporting over 24,000 members in 104 countries. This diverse membership participates in focused component groups equipped to address their unique situations by region (133 chapters), industry (14 councils) and areas of interest (six communities). Together they manage more than 78 billion square feet of property and annually purchase more than US$526 billion in products and services. Formed in 1980, IFMA certifies professionals in facility management; conducts research; provides educational programs, content and resources; and produces World Workplace, the world's largest series of facility management conferences and expositions. To join and follow IFMA's social media outlets online, visit the association's LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr pages. For more information, visit the IFMA press room or www.ifma.org.

About RICS

RICS is a global professional body. We promote and enforce the highest professional qualification and standards in the development and management of land, real estate, construction and infrastructure. Our name promises the consistent delivery of standards -- bringing confidence to the markets we serve. The work of our professionals creates a safer world: we are proud of our profession's reputation and we guard it fiercely. See Global Media Contacts