12th WAVO Congress 2026, 15 – 17 September 2026 Shanghai China

The World Association of Valuation Organisations, together with host organisation the China Appraisal Society, successfully held the 12th WAVO Congress 2026 on 16 September 2026 in Shanghai, China. The Congress brought together more than 300 local and international delegates from WAVO member organisations across several continents at the Shanghai National Accounting Institute. The WAVO Congress was held in conjunction with the China Appraisal Society hosting its Valuation Professional Conference for its members and valuer practitioners from various provinces in China.

Held under the theme “Practices for Valuation of High-Quality Development”, the Congress featured speakers and panellists with expertise in real estate valuation, regulatory frameworks, the application of AI and other technologies in valuation, and practical valuation experience from Australia, Kazakhstan, China, New Zealand,Germany, and South Korea. The event was graced by Ms Guo Tingting, Vice Minister of Finance of the People’s Republic of China. The Chair of IVSC Board of Trustees Mrs Lim Hwee Hua attended as a special guest speaker.

New WAVO Leadership
The Congress welcomed the newly elected WAVO leadership team:

They will be supported by the other members of the Executive Committee.

Quote from Executive President Mr Reiner Lux
“WAVO plays a complementary but distinct role within the global valuation ecosystem. While the IVSC leads the development and promotion of International Valuation Standards, WAVO focuses on practical support for valuers, the strengthening of professional capability, and close collaboration with national valuation organisations to address the profession’s real-world needs.”

Quote by Chair of IVSC Chair of Board of Trustees Mrs Lim Hwee Hua
“Capital does not respect borders. Technology does not respect borders. And so our standards cannot respect borders either. The value of a company here in Shanghai must be understood in the same way as the value of a company in London, in New York, or in Singapore. This is why the work of the IVSC, and of the World Association of Valuation Organisations, matters so greatly. And it is why a gathering such as this one is so valuable”.

Valuing AI and the Future of Valuation Practice
Mrs Lim Hwee Hua delivered a timely presentation on “Valuing AI”, highlighting the growing influence of artificial intelligence and technology on how value is defined, assessed and applied in professional valuation practice. She noted that this shift is not only redefining value, but also reshaping the way valuation work is carried out by professionals.

Digital Real Estate Valuation Innovation
During the Congress, Executive President Mr Reiner Lux delivered a presentation on the digital valuation products developed by vdpResearch, where he also serves as Managing Director in Germany. He introduced vdpIB+, a web-based, integrated and AI-enabled platform designed to support the next stage of digital real estate valuation and assist valuers in their professional work.

His presentation also showcased related tools, including vdpBella+, a map-based web application, and CHARLI, an interactive product chatbot.

Launch of Chinese-Language IVS Webinar Course
At the 12th WAVO Congress, Robert Hecek, immediate past President and Chair of the WAVO Global Education Hub, announced the Chinese-language version of the IVS webinar course, The Foundations of Global Valuation Practice. The course includes Chinese-language subtitles, making it more accessible to valuers, appraisers and real estate-related practitioners across China.

Registration and Administration
The course is now open for registration through the WAVO Global Education Hub. WAVO will not charge a registration fee for the Chinese-language version of this IVS webinar course. Instead, WAVO will apply and share a nominal administration fee to help cover the costs of hosting the course, managing registrations on the WAVO Hub, and providing future updates to the IVS webinar course.

Learning Outcomes and Standards Alignment
The IVS webinar course supports participants in developing competency and understanding of the current IVSC Global Valuation Standards. It also helps applicants stay informed about future updates of relevant related issues to the standards issued by the IVSC.

Certification
Upon completing the course, registrants will receive certificates in both Chinese and English. This dual-language certification is especially valuable as valuation work becomes increasingly international, supported by stronger business connectivity and growing cross-border collaboration among countries and regions.

Accreditation
WAVO will accredit CPD training hours upon successful completion of the course. Completion of the course will also confirm participants’ competency and understanding of, and compliance with, current IVSC Global Valuation Standards and future changes as they are being carried out.

Quote from Mr Robert Hecek, Chair of WAVO Global Education Hub
“We are continuing to add new courses and webinars to broaden the Hub’s areas of specialisation and to support valuers at different stages of their professional development, from those building foundational knowledge to those seeking advanced expertise in specialised fields.”

Opening of the Conference and Congress
The Conference and Congress were opened by Mr Yu Weiping, Executive President of the China Appraisal Society. The proceedings were moderated by Mr Zhan Zhiwei, Executive Vice President and Secretary General of the China Appraisal Society, and graced by Ms Guo Tingting, Vice Minister of Finance of the People’s Republic of China. CAS’s Support for WAVO and the Global Valuation Profession The hosting of the 12th WAVO Congress 2026 by the China Appraisal Society (CAS), together with the presence of Vice Minister Ms Guo Tingting, reflects the strong support of China’s valuation profession for WAVO. As one of the world’s most populous countries, China has a substantial community of valuation practitioners and continues to place significant importance on their education, training and professional development.

China’s valuation sector also recognises the growing importance of global valuation practice, including the role of valuation in supporting transparency, international cooperation and emerging priorities such as low-carbon development.

Role of the WAVO Global Education Hub
Mr Zhan Zhiwei, Executive Vice President and Secretary General of the China Appraisal Society (CAS), recognised the critical role of the WAVO Global Education Hub in supporting the education and training of valuation practitioners in the world. He emphasised the need to develop talent, strengthen professional capability, and promote cooperation in valuation standards.

The Hub is well placed to support these objectives by providing accessible learning resources, including IVS standards papers and professional development courses for valuers and related practitioners.

Alignment with CAS Priorities
The objectives of the WAVO Global Education Hub align closely with CAS’s priorities for developing valuation talent and strengthening professional standards. Mr Zhan highlighted the importance of mutual learning between China and the global valuation community, as well as the need to promote cooperation in the application and development of valuation standards.

He also noted that WAVO’s Round Table initiative, with its focus on transparency and data, is consistent with CAS’s Development Plan for the Valuation Industry during the 15th Five-Year Plan Period (being Drafted) and its emphasis on transparency, data and professional development. This shared direction creates opportunities for closer cooperation between WAVO and CAS, including future research and collaboration on data transparency.

Chinese-Language IVS Webinar Course
The Chinese-language version of the IVS webinar course is an important first step in advancing this aim. It extends access to practitioners who may not be fully conversant in English, helping them engage more effectively with global valuation standards and international best practice.

Recognition of WAVO Leadership
CAS also recognised WAVO’s strengthened leadership, including Robert Hecek as Chair of the WAVO Global Education Hub and Reiner Lux as the new Executive President of WAVO. Their leadership is expected to help bring WAVO to the next stage of development and further support the education of valuation practitioners globally, including in China.

CAS’s Development Plan for the Valuation Industry during the 15th Five-Year Plan Period and Future Cooperation
Mr Zhan again stressed the importance of growing the talent pool in China’s valuation industry. He linked this priority to the Development Plan for the Valuation Industry during the 15th Five-Year Plan Period (currently being drafted by CAS), which he presented in his speech, “Upholding Fundamentals, Forging New Paths: Toward Steady and Sustainable High-Quality Development of China’s Valuation Industry,” delivered during the Congress. The collaboration with WAVO to meet these objectives is most timely and effective.

Technical Tour
Delegates from the 12th WAVO Congress took part in an interactive technical visit to the Fourier Intelligence Robotics Lab. During the visit, they viewed the lab’s humanoid robots, interacted with its third-generation humanoid models, and experienced robotics functions designed to assist people with mobility challenges.