Our History

The history of the surveying profession in Hong Kong dates back to 1843 with the appointment of the first Government Surveyor General In the 1960s, the Hong Kong Technical College started to deliver diploma courses in surveying. Now there are three local universities offering degree courses in surveying.

The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors (HKIS) was formally established in April 1984. At that time, the number of founding members was 85. The membership has now grown to over 10000 (of which 7818 are Corporate Members). The first President of the Institute was Sr KAN Fook Yee.

The HKIS was statutorily incorporated by the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors Ordinance which was passed in 1990, and is the only surveying professional body incorporated by ordinance. The Surveyors Registration Ordinance was passed in 1991 to set up a Registration Board to administer the registration of professional surveyors.

The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors Milestones 1984 - 2018

Apr: HKIS was legally constituted and registered
Jul: Opening of the Professional Centre at Swire House
Jan: Enactment of the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors Ordinance
May: HKIS entered into a Reciprocity Agreement with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
Jul: Enactment of the Surveyors Registration Ordinance
Feb: Entered into a reciprocity agreement with the Australian Property Institute
Aug: Enactment of the Land Surveying Ordinance whereby HKIS is stipulated as the consulting body for the issue of the Code of Practice under the Ordinance
Dec: Launch of the HKIS first website
        Elected as a member of International Cost Engineering Council
Sep: HKIS as the sole representative professional body for all professional surveyors practicing in Hong Kong after the dissolution of the RICS (Hong Kong Branch)
Nov: Entered into a reciprocity agreement with The Singapore Institute of Surveyors and Valuers
Jan: Launch of HKIS and Shanghai Commercial Bank Limited Affinity Card
Jul: Relocation of HKIS office at Suite 510, 5/F., Jardine House, 1 Connaught Place, Central
Nov: Entered into a co-operation agreement with the RICS
Jun: Relocation of HKIS office at Suite 801, 8/F., Jardine House, 1 Connaught Place, Central
        Became a member of the Joint Professional Centre
Nov: Became a member of the Hong Kong Coalition of Professional Services
Nov: Became a founding member of the Professional Green Building Council
Dec: Renewal of reciprocity agreement with the Australian Property Institute
Jan: Admitted as a member of World Organization of Building Officials
        Amendment of the Constitution and Bye-Laws: Associates were re-titled members (MHKIS)
Oct: Amendment of Constitution and Bye-laws: Introduction of technical membership and establishment of the Board of Professional Development
Nov: Entered into a reciprocity agreement with the New Zealand Property Institute
        Entered into a reciprocity agreement with China Institute of Real Estate Appraisers
        Hosted the 7th South East Asian Survey Congress
Apr: Opening of the Surveyors Learning Centre at Suites 810-815, 8/F., Jardine House, 1 Connaught Place, Cetnral
        HKIS 20th Anniversary
Nov: Became a founding partner of Surveyors' Alliance Asia
May: Signed a reciprocity agreement with China Engineering Cost Association
        HKIS membership card issued
Nov: Signed a memorandum of mutual recognition of membership with the RICS (supersedes the Co-operation Agreement entered in 1998)
Feb: Acquired "Caring Organization" logo
Jun: Entered into a reciprocity agreement with China Association of Engineering Consultants
May: Hosted the FIG General Assembly & Working Week 2007
Jun: Entered into a reciprocity agreement with the Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors
        Entered into a reciprocity agreement with New Zealand Institute of Quantity Surveyors Incorporated
Jul: Launch of HKIS and American Express Affinity Card
Mar: Entered into a reciprocity agreement with the Building Surveyors Institute of Japan
Jun: Entered into a reciprocity agreement with the Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors
Aug: First batch of HKIS Quantity Surveying Divisional members registered as Cost Engineer (Hong Kong) in China
Apr: HKIS 25th Anniversary
Apr: Entered into a reciprocity agreement with Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors between the qualified members of Quantity Surveying Division and Commercial Management Stream
Jul: Became a founding member of Joint Mediation Helpline Office Ltd
Jul: Amendment of the Constitution and Bye-Laws: the membership structure and qualifying mechanism
Aug: Entered into a reciprocity agreement with Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors between the qualified members of Land Surveying Division and Geospatial Engineering Stream
Jan: Relocation of HKIS Secretariat at Room 1205, 12/F, Wing On Centre, 111 Connaught Road Central, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
Mar: Renewal of reciprocity agreement with Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors between the qualified members of Quantity Surveying Division and Commercial Management Stream
Aug: Became a member of Hong Kong Mediation Accreditation Association Limited
Nov: Opening of first HKIS Mainland representative office in Beijing at Room 616, 6/F, Zhongkun Plaza, No. 59 Gaoliangqiaoxiejie, No.1 Yard, Haidian District, Beijing
Apr: 30th Anniversary of the HKIS
Apr: Renewal of reciprocity agreement with Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors between the qualified members of Quantity Surveying Division and Commercial Management Stream
Mar: Entered into a Memorandum of Mutual Recognition of Membership with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors between the qualified members of General Practice Division and Valuation Professional Group
Nov: Entered into a Memorandum of Mutual Recognition of Membership with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors between the qualified members of Land Surveying Division and Geomatics Professional Group

IMPORTANT EVENTS

Year Month Description
2018 Nov Entered into a Memorandum of Mutual Recognition of Membership with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors between the qualified members of Land Surveying Division and Geomatics Professional Group
2018 Mar Entered into a Memorandum of Mutual Recognition of Membership with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors between the qualified members of General Practice Division and Valuation Professional Group
2016 Apr Renewal of reciprocity agreement with Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors between the qualified members of Quantity Surveying Division and Commercial Management Stream
2014 Apr 30th Anniversary of the HKIS
2013 Nov Opening of first HKIS Mainland representative office in Beijing at Room 616, 6/F, Zhongkun Plaza, No. 59 Gaoliangqiaoxiejie, No.1 Yard, Haidian District, Beijing
2013 Aug Became a member of Hong Kong Mediation Accreditation Association Limited
2013 Mar Renewal of reciprocity agreement with Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors between the qualified members of Quantity Surveying Division and Commercial Management Stream
2013 Jan Relocation of HKIS Secretariat at Room 1205, 12/F, Wing On Centre, 111 Connaught Road Central, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
2012 Aug Entered into a reciprocity agreement with Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors between the qualified members of Land Surveying Division and Geospatial Engineering Stream
2011 Jul Amendment of the Constitution and Bye-Laws: the membership structure and qualifying mechanism
2010 Jul Became a founding member of Joint Mediation Helpline Office Ltd
2010 Apr Entered into a reciprocity agreement with Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors between the qualified members of Quantity Surveying Division and Commercial Management Stream
2009 Apr HKIS 25th Anniversary
2008 Aug First batch of HKIS Quantity Surveying Divisional members registered as Cost Engineer (Hong Kong) in China
2008 Jun Entered into a reciprocity agreement with the Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors
2008 Mar Entered into a reciprocity agreement with the Building Surveyors Institute of Japan
2007 Jul Launch of HKIS and American Express Affinity Card
2007 Jun Entered into a reciprocity agreement with New Zealand Institute of Quantity Surveyors Incorporated
2007 Jun Entered into a reciprocity agreement with the Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors
2007 May Hosted the FIG General Assembly & Working Week 2007
2006 Jun Entered into a reciprocity agreement with China Association of Engineering Consultants
2006 Feb Acquired "Caring Organization" logo
2005 Nov Signed a memorandum of mutual recognition of membership with the RICS (supersedes the Co-operation Agreement entered in 1998)
2005 May HKIS membership card issued
2005 May Signed a reciprocity agreement with China Engineering Cost Association
2004 Nov Became a founding partner of Surveyors' Alliance Asia
2004 Apr HKIS 20th Anniversary
2004 Apr Opening of the Surveyors Learning Centre at Suites 810-815, 8/F., Jardine House, 1 Connaught Place, Cetnral
2003 Nov Hosted the 7th South East Asian Survey Congress
2003 Nov Entered into a reciprocity agreement with China Institute of Real Estate Appraisers
2003 Nov Entered into a reciprocity agreement with the New Zealand Property Institute
2003 Oct Amendment of Constitution and Bye-laws: Introduction of technical membership and establishment of the Board of Professional Development
2003 Jan Admitted as a member of World Organization of Building Officials
2003 Jan Amendment of the Constitution and Bye-Laws: Associates were re-titled members (MHKIS)
2002 Dec Renewal of reciprocity agreement with the Australian Property Institute
2002 Nov Became a founding member of the Professional Green Building Council
2001 Nov Became a member of the Hong Kong Coalition of Professional Services
2001 Jun Became a member of the Joint Professional Centre
2001 Jun Relocation of HKIS office at Suite 801, 8/F., Jardine House, 1 Connaught Place, Central
1998 Nov Entered into a co-operation agreement with the RICS
1998 Jul Relocation of HKIS office at Suite 510, 5/F., Jardine House, 1 Connaught Place, Central
1998 Jan Launch of HKIS and Shanghai Commercial Bank Limited Affinity Card
1997 Nov Entered into a reciprocity agreement with The Singapore Institute of Surveyors and Valuers
1997 Sep HKIS as the sole representative professional body for all professional surveyors practicing in Hong Kong after the dissolution of the RICS (Hong Kong Branch)
1996 Dec Elected as a member of International Cost Engineering Council
1996 Dec Launch of the HKIS first website
1995 Aug Enactment of the Land Surveying Ordinance whereby HKIS is stipulated as the consulting body for the issue of the Code of Practice under the Ordinance
1994 Feb Entered into a reciprocity agreement with the Australian Property Institute
1991 Jul Enactment of the Surveyors Registration Ordinance
1991 May HKIS entered into a Reciprocity Agreement with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
1990 Jan Enactment of the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors Ordinance
1985 Jul Opening of the Professional Centre at Swire House
1984 Apr HKIS was legally constituted and registered