Enriching Quantity Surveying Curriculum for Leadership in the Built Environment

Abstract

The changing structure of the Built Environment, necessitates that contemporary and future Quantity Surveyors (QS) play a leading role in service delivery in order to gain competitive advantage. The study examined factors responsible for the need to enrich quantity surveying curriculum for leadership in the Nigerian Built Environment. This was achieved through the following objectives: examination of the factors that pose challenge to QS role visibility; and examination of the extent to which both traditional and multidisciplinary services curriculum of QS requires enrichment for leadership in the Built Environment. The study adopted a survey design with a population of 450 quantity surveyors obtained by a random selection of twelve (12) quantity surveyors from each of the 36 states of the federation, and eighteen (18) from the federal capital territory, Abuja. The research instruments were a structured questionnaire. 387 structured questionnaires were validly completed and returned out of 450 administered, implying 86% response rate. The findings revealed a ‘low public awareness of Qs professional services’; while enrichment of curriculum on ‘financial reporting’, and ‘privatization/ commercialization’ respectively ranked the most for traditional and multidisciplinary service innovation. The study concludes that improved knowledge and quality of QS services determines its visibility, competitiveness, and leadership in the BE industry. The study recommends improvement of the present low public awareness of Qs professional services, enrichment of current traditional and multidisciplinary service curriculum, especially in the areas of financial reporting, and privatization/commercialization.