The Chartered Institute of Building has postponed its Annual Conservation Conference until the autumn, and its hub events and meetings until the end of April, in response to the coronavirus.
In an update on the measures the organisation is taking to play its part in efforts to support "social distancing" and help minimise spread of the virus, CIOB also said that it would postpone its visit to Sydney for the CIOB Members Forum.
Until the end of April 2020 CIOB staff will not be attending external meetings with other companies or organisations to which they have been invited. Many of its meetings will be moved online.
It will write to all attendees of CIOB-organised events with updates on the specific events they’ve signed up for over the coming days and will confirm the situation with regard to requests for refunds and notify attendees directly shortly. Partner organisations and sponsors of our events are also being contacted with the latest information.
Meanwhile, CIOB office locations around the world will be closed for the time being. This includes the office in London, which is also home to the CIOB Academy. The CIOB Academy will continue to support members and other customers during the office closure. The head office in Bracknell remains open at the moment, but CIOB is encouraging home working for staff who are able to do so.
Membership and Fellowship candidates
For people who are on the membership track and working towards MCIOB, those required to interview as part of their application will be contacted about alternative arrangements.
For those on the fellowship track and needing to make arrangements for their peer review, CIOB will be working with candidates and assessors to move these to an online platform or postpone until later this year. The CIOB exams programme is delivered online, so students will not be affected with regard to accessing the material necessary to progress to membership.
Benevolent Fund
The CIOB also reminded members that the CIOB Benevolent Fund provides support and advice for members. It is accessible to anyone who either is or has at any time been a member of the CIOB and their dependent families. Students are eligible from their second year of membership onwards. More information at www.ciobbenevolentfund.org.uk
Online resources
The advice to members and others who were attending CIOB courses and events is to encourage the use of CIOB online resources. This includes the CIOB Academy CPD portal that hosts a wide range of online learning as well as the CIOB Library.
