5th IVSC-WAVO Global Valuation Conference

Theme: Navigating the Future: Innovation, Sustainability, and Resilience in the Global Property Profession

>> 27-29 May 2025, Sydney, Australia <<

The 5^th IVSC-WAVO Global Valuation Conference was held recently from 27 May to 29 May 2025 in Sydney, Australia. The Conference was held in conjunction with the inaugural Global Property Congress hosted by the Australian Property Institute (API), and with the World Association of Valuation Organisations (WAVO) as Conference partners together with the International Valuation Standards Council (IVSC), Property Institute of New Zealand (PINZ) and the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO).  The Conference was successfully attended by 390 delegates from various states in Australia and from 15 foreign countries including Europe, Asia and SE Asia.

At the opening of the Congress on 27 May 2025, the CEO of API, Ms Amelia Hodge acknowledged the contribution of WAVO, IVSC, PINZ and IAAO in making the event a success and drawing delegates globally. Executive President WAVO Mr Robert Hecek (also President of API Valuation) presented a plaque to Ms Hodge at the grand opening of the Congress. In his address to the delegates, President Robert Hecek acknowledged the contribution by WAVO Executive Committee with members in Sydney namely Dr Adrian Crivii (immediate past President of WAVO from ANEVAR), Dr Lim Lan Yuan (WAVO President Emeritus from the Singapore Institute of Surveyors and Valuers, SISV), Mr Reiner Lux (President Elect of WAVO from HypZert Gmbh), Mr Blue Hancock (WAVO Vice President from Property Institute of New Zealand, PINZ), Ms Sumi Ku (WAVO Vice President from Korea Association of Property Appraisers, KAPA), Mr Yang Song Tang (Deputy Secretary General of the China Appraisal Society, CAS), Mr Jaemyong Lee & Mr Jayun Gu of the Korea Real Estate Board, REB) and Mr Adrian Popa (President of ANEVAR) as well as Mr Nick Talbot (CEO, IVSC) for attending the Congress in Sydney.  Robert Hecek also announced the 12th WAVO Congress which will be hosted by the China Appraisal Society, CAS and it will either be in Beijing or Shanghai with the dates from mid-September 2026. Robert Hecek welcomed all delegates at the Property Congress to join WAVO members for this Congress in China next year.

On the 2^nd day of the Congress on Wednesday 28 May 2025, Mr Robert Hecek introduced the WAVO Global Education Hub to the delegates and guests at the event. This Educational Portal is to contain numerous education courses from across the globe and aimed to provide quality control of education and training to appraisers to be in compliance with the International Valuation Standards (IVS (updated 2024/2025) to ensure competency by Valuation Professionals Organisations or VPOs worldwide.

The WAVO Global Education Hub had the support of the International Valuation Standards Council (IVSC) as CEO Nick Talbot commented that “Good education and training are important to achieving consistent high-quality valuations internationally, IVSC welcomes the efforts of WAVO to enhance the quality of courses which incorporate the latest IVS. The WAVO Global Education Hub will enable availability of numerous education courses in IVS standards from VPO members across the globe”.

The strong support sentiment for the WAVO Global Education Hub, is further echoed by the Appraisal Institute (AI) from the US with their Chief Operating Officer, Mr Jim Slawnikowski sharing “live” at the event that their team of IT have scheduled 140 hours (on technical support) to establish a seamless and intuitive connection with the Hub to ensure easy access to their courses on the Hub. While their President Paula Konikoff was unable to come online, the AI is looking towards a full-scale partnership with WAVO.

Mr Slawnikowski and his team are working round the clock to have this seamless integration with the Hub. Their Education Department is working on updating information on courses across the board to ensure courses and information are not only readily up to date, and available which are known to impact the valuation profession worldwide. As well their education department is working towards having the full gamut of education of courses including course fundamentals and for which on the cards is to have some 30 over fundamental courses onto the Hub.

Other supporting messages came from the CAS, with a strong 150,000 practitioners in China, commented on “how they see the establishment of the WAVO Global Education Hub will provide high-quality training courses for valuation professional organisations worldwide, enhancing the professional competence of practitioners in the valuation industry and holding significant importance for the development of valuation profession”.

From KAPA, their President Gil-Su Yang commented “with rapid advancement in technologies, like information and communication technology (ICT), and artificial intelligence (AI), the world has become more interconnected than ever before … the WAVO Global Education Hub as a global e-learning platform is a commendable step forward”.

From Romania ANEVAR, President Adrian Popa said “the platform represents a forward-looking and much needed initiative that brings together knowledge, standards and professionals in valuation from around the world. By creating access to quality educational content and encouraging collaboration among member organisations, WAVO is strengthening the global valuation profession and preparing the next generation of experts”.

Another congratulatory message is from the Korea REB with their President Tae Rae Soon highlighting the prospect of the Hub with his statement “that this marks the significant milestone not just for WAVO but more critically for the global valuation industry and the Hub will continue to bridge the global disparities in expertise and expand the access to valuable learning opportunities for professionals around the world”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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President Robert Hecek further commented that the WAVO is working very hard with partners and with Valuation Professional Organisations (VPOs) (which are providing training courses), to have courses available on the Hub for appraisers globally.

At the event, President Elect WAVO Mr Reiner Lux (Managing Director, HypZert GmbH & vdpResearch GmbH) presented the paper on “Challenges for experts in the financial sector” and thereafter also from HypZert speaker Ms Kavita Chorpra on “Natural hazards – how do we connect AI and property valuation into the natural world?” and speaker Mr Sascha Koch on “Climate and Environmental Risk Data – For Real Estate and Infrastructure”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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WAVO GLOBAL EDUCATION HUB

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Signing ceremony in 2023 between then WAVO President Dr Adrian Crivii and Nick Talbot CEO IVSC

 

 

 

Ben Elder (Chair of the Advisory Forum Working Group, AFWG, IVSC) sharing his insights on impact from AI and ESG on valuation standards. WAVO is represented by Robert Hecek and Reinier Lux in the AFWG