The Architects Act 1997 gives the Architects Registration Board (ARB) the responsibility for prescribing the qualifications and practical training experience required for entry onto the UK Register of Architects. The prescription of qualifications is key to ARB’s dual mandate, to protect the consumer and to safeguard the reputation of architects.

In carrying out its duty to prescribe qualifications, ARB publishes criteria, which set out the minimum levels of awareness, knowledge, understanding and ability that students of architecture must acquire at key stages in the process of qualifying as an architect. These criteria form the basis upon which ARB makes decisions as to whether or not qualifications can be prescribed.

The underlying framework for the criteria are Articles 3 and 4 of European Union Council Directive 85/384/EEC, the Architects’ Directive. That Directive sets minimum requirements for the length and core areas of study for architectural qualifications across the European Union. This is to facilitate mutual recognition of those qualifications and to facilitate the right of establishment and freedom to provide services across the European Union. ARB is the Competent Body for the Directive in the UK and as such has responsibility for ensuring that all UK qualifications for the practice of architecture comply with the requirements of the Directive.

These new criteria differ to those previously published in that:

• Separate requirements for Parts 1, 2 and 3 are clearly stated stipulating the progression required between these three key stages of an architect’s education.

• Greater emphasis is placed on knowledge and understanding of Technology and Environment and the ability to integrate this within design projects.

• Management, Practice and Law has a higher profile at Parts 1 and 2 than previously.

• The opportunity to pursue related, specialised and optional studies is stipulated as a requirement of the criteria.

The ARB and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) have agreed to hold these criteria in common. Their publication would not have been possible without considerable input from a wide range of people and organisations. In particular the Board would like to thank RIBA for its work in helping to establish these criteria. The Board is also indebted to the profession at large who through the market research the Board carried out in August 2001 provided the Board with a powerful insight into how architectural education ought to more positively gear students for professional life. The Board would also like to thank the Standing Conference of Heads of Schools of Architecture for their input to the process, along with those other parties interested in architecture and architectural education who also made submissions helping to ensure that the criteria are both workable, practical and valued by all those who need to use them.

The Board recognises that architectural practice is a complex and changing activity. Architectural education therefore needs from time to time to reflect those changes. The Board would be grateful to receive views from all interested parties on the perceived need for changes in the criteria, including any newer subject areas that have become more important and the omission of any items no longer considered relevant.

The Board is not proposing to make ad hoc changes to the criteria - that would be difficult for the Schools of Architecture to manage - but it does hope in dialogue with them and with RIBA, to ensure the criteria remain a live topic that all can share in updating and improving from time to time for the benefit of architectural education, its students and the profession.

Owen Luder, Acting Chairman, April 2002