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The Way Ahead

The Way Ahead outlines RIBA’s new Education and Professional Development Framework. It signifies a new direction for architectural education and continuing professional development, with a greater emphasis on health and life safety, the climate emergency and professional ethics.

Architects and architecture students need the knowledge, skills and experience required to respond to the challenges facing our world, society and profession.

The Way Ahead outlines RIBA’s new Education and Professional Development Framework. The framework signifies a new direction for architectural education and continuing professional development, with a greater emphasis on health and life safety, the climate emergency and professional ethics.

For the first time the RIBA has developed a single standard covering pre and post registration education and professional development. Key components of the new framework include education themes and values, mandatory competences, career role levels, core CPD curriculum, specialisms and accreditation.

The Education and Professional Development Framework will be phased in over two years, beginning from 2021. The Way Ahead, which outlines the changes, gives advance notice of these developments to schools of architecture, CPD providers, practices and members so they can implement and respond.

After engaging with members and collecting feedback, we will be looking at how we can best implement the framework over the next two years. We will also consider if any further adjustments need to be made to the framework, to make its implementation effective and achieve the aspirations set out in The Way Ahead.

If you have any questions, please contact info@riba.org.

The Way Ahead

RIBA International held a series of digital events to hear the views of our international membership on the implementation of The Way Ahead where RIBA Members, students, academics and stakeholders were invited to comment on how best the RIBA can develop and deliver the proposals which launched in 2021.

What is The Way Ahead?

The Way Ahead plan consists of three key components:

  1. A single career-long standard
  2. Education themes and values for RIBA Part 1 and Part 2 study
  3. Mandatory Competencies

Architects need a standard of education and practice that reflect the current ethical challenges, environmental concerns and up to date knowledge requirements in order to remain relevant and to continue serving the needs of clients and society appropriately.

For some time, members have reported that a review is necessary to secure the future of the profession. As we continue to lobby the government to make changes within procurement and promote the use of architects across society, our profession needs to attain and demonstrate competencies that the world and society expect and need; now and into the future.

RIBA Chartered status for architects and practices gives assurance to clients, the industry, and the public that chartered architects, chartered practices and schools of architecture operate at their highest standards because of their association with the RIBA, its values and requirements.

The Way Ahead framework is the result of consultation with RIBA expert committees and discussion with RIBA Council elected representatives. As a vital part of the process, we invited members and students to share their views and comments on the delivery of the framework.

More information on this framework can be found on our page What does The Way Ahead mean for the profession and RIBA Members?

Watch the recorded discussions

Check out the series of webinars below, that introduce and discuss this framework in the four RIBA international regions. The events were hosted by the RIBA National Council elected representative for each region.

Middle East and Africa

26 February 2021

Americas

26 March 2021

Asia and Australasia

30 April 2021

Europe

21 May 2021

 

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