Under a newly signed agreement, facility management staff from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will be trained by RICS, an international organization that promotes and enforces the highest professional qualifications and standards in the development and management of land, real estate, property and construction.

IMF’s 20 staff members will spend six months earning a distance learning course certificate, and will also participate in face-to-face and webinar classes. The goal of the training program is to help these candidates adapt to changing needs and to qualify them for RICS membership.

RICS highlights best practices and thought leadership across the real estate lifecycle through activities including research focused on enhancing the strategic role of facilities management. It has also had a role in developing International Property Management Standards and International Construction Management Standards via international coalitions. And it has partnered with the National Institute for Building Sciences, which is a leader in areas such as P3 and high-performance buildings.

“To sustain a high-performing organization, the IMF’s Facilities Management Division has worked with RICS to provide a training program for its staff to align their professional skills with the evolving needs of the division, and to enable them to qualify for related and internationally recognized professional accreditation,” Ameen Joudah, deputy division chief of IMF’s TGS-Facilities Management Division, said in a press release.

“RICS was pleased to work closely with the IMF’s Facilities Management Division to develop a training program that will help its staff handle all situations and keep up with new developments,” said Neil Shah, managing director, RICS Americas, in a press release. “Over the years, our organization has developed expertise in the key areas of facilities management, such as real estate and property management, finance and business, project management and technology, including BIM. We are glad to be able to assist the IMF with the full range of its facilities management needs and are open to helping other organizations, as well.”