The regulation and education of building surveyors in Victoria (in progress)

What we did and why

Building surveyors are important to the building regulatory framework.

To effectively administer the registration scheme for building surveyors in Victoria, the VBA must have confidence that available building surveying qualifications deliver graduates who can competently apply the National Construction Code and broader regulatory framework when performing building surveying statutory functions.

To increase our regulatory understanding, we commenced initial research on the education of building surveyors. This initial research indicated there was insufficient publicly available information about the content and adequacy of building surveying qualifications to broaden our understanding or give us the assurance that these qualifications meet current and future needs.

We have since undertaken research on the development of the regulatory scheme for building surveyors in Victoria and how this may have influenced the content of building surveyor qualifications.

What we have achieved so far

The research has provided insight into how the regulation and registration of building surveyors have evolved over time. The research has also examined the higher education and vocational training sectors’ development of building surveying qualifications and the industry associations’ accreditation processes for these qualifications.

The research has identified the enrolment and completion rates for building surveying qualifications, the different pathways taken for registration as building surveyors in Victoria and the rates of successful and unsuccessful registration outcomes for building surveyors. An initial finding from this research is that the rate of successful registration outcomes for building surveyors is lower when compared to other registration categories.

We have discussed these initial findings with key industry stakeholders and engaged with them on the direction and next steps of the research.

The research will inform ongoing discussions about reforms to strengthen the building surveying profession, including professional education or training needs for building surveyors at the state and national levels.