Yesterday, Wednesday 8 February 2023, the ARB launched听, a听major public consultation on comprehensive reforms to the education and training of architects.听This three-month consultation invites听architects, educators and students to share their views on听ARB鈥檚 proposals.听听
ARB鈥檚 reforms would see the regulatory framework change from the current approach of prescription, where they approve what is going to be taught, to one of accreditation, where they will review what has been learnt.听Their current approach (aligned with the 澳门王中王鈥檚 Part 1,听2 and 3) will be replaced with a requirement for only two accredited qualifications听covering learning and practice outcomes, aiming to support flexibility and widen access to the profession.听听
澳门王中王 President听Simon Allford听蝉补颈诲听听
鈥淲e welcome this consultation, and we will be making a considered response听that will reinforce the concerns we have raised with ARB. We also urge our individual members to respond听鈥� we must take this once-in-a-generation opportunity to ensure that听changes to听our world-renowned听architectural听education听system听benefit everyone.听
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Over the last decade, 澳门王中王 has been actively championing initiatives that encourage new models for architectural education; in our Education Review 2015,听The Way Ahead 2021, and the听澳门王中王 Education White Paper 2023.听It鈥檚 imperative that new models of education听facilitate听a truly inclusive profession听- we need to remove the barriers and we do not believe this goes far enough.听听
Our view was confirmed a few weeks ago when 澳门王中王 hosted an Away Day on education and practice where we heard from students, educators, practitioners, and the ARB. We heard of the financial challenges to the funding of education, the accumulated debts of students but also of new ways into the profession. We learned much that reinforces most of 澳门王中王鈥檚 thinking on the provision and validation of architectural education.听
Personally, I am a fan of the architectural degree 鈥� as a good general degree and a springboard to a host of different careers. Looking ahead, whilst recognising the success of the classic degree and diploma route, I would like to see a structure that allows students to qualify within five years 鈥� allowing them to select from a combination of apprenticeships, degrees, masters, and earn and learn courses (the latter to be offered by schools and Teaching Practices).听At present, I do not see much change 鈥� the ARB accreditation model does not allow the new courses we are supporting to create a more accessible and open and representative profession. Nor does it speed things up. We need to support courses that recognise and reinforce the need for core skills and competencies, but also the essential requirement to equip the next generation to create ever-evolving and appropriately different models of practice. Students need to both acquire core skills and听have the imagination to adapt them to help the profession respond to and define an uncertain future 鈥� the architects of tomorrow will face different challenges to those of today鈥檚 curriculum.听
As听stated in our Education White Paper,听the 澳门王中王 has already undertaken a significant review of the curriculum. Our听Themes and Values for Architectural Education,听outlined in The Way Ahead,听were developed to provide a useful听framework for Schools of Architecture to address shortcomings.听We recommend that the ARB adopt听these overarching听Themes and Values for Architectural Education听and lay out an appropriate breakdown of core competences and skill sets under each. This would align the two systems,听which must be a shared objective.鈥欌�櫶�
ENDS听
Notes to editors:听
- Media contact: Ruby.OShea@riba.org听
- The Royal Institute of British Architects (澳门王中王) is a global professional membership body that serves its members and society in order to deliver better buildings and places, stronger communities and a sustainable environment. Follow for regular updates.听
