Changes to the Core Curriculum

The RIBA will be launching a radically new, greatly simplified CPD Core Curriculum in September. This change will ensure that architects are able to use CPD to:

• Build their businesses
• Stay resilient
• Meet targets
• Acquire new skills
• Cultivate new work and new clients.

Members will be able to ensure that they always possess the key old and new skills to help themselves to stay competent and resilient, and to protect themselves and their businesses.

The move to a simplified curriculum has been long called for by members. The new structure is in line with the revised RIBA/ARB Joint Validation Criteria for Parts 1, 2 and 3, which is being published in September.

The previous curriculum identified thirty-one topics to be covered over five years, whereas the new core requirement centre around ten key topics, at least two hours per topic per year. The ten topics are outlined below:

• Being safe: health and safety
• Climate: sustainable architecture
• External management: clients, users, and delivery of services
• Internal management: professionalism, practice, business and management
• Compliance: legal, regulatory and statutory framework and processes
• Building procurement and contracts
• Designing and building it: structural design, construction, technology and engineering
• Where we live: communities, urban and rural design and the planning process
• Context: the historic environment and its setting
• Access for all: universal/inclusive design.

This much simplified structure will enable architects to tailor their CPD requirements to suit their area of professional expertise. Note that the more or less detail an architect needs in their practice or daily life, the more or less detailed their CPD on core topics could be. Theoretically, any relevant learning activity, whether structured or self-directed, can be claimed as CPD. That ranges from weekly reading at one end of the spectrum, to additional qualifications at the other end, with an endless variety of learning activities in between.

Members will be required to meet the following requirements:

• 35 hours of CPD input
• 100 points assigned to activities as a means of self-reflection
• At least half, where possible, should be structured
• At least 20 hours to be assigned to core curriculum topics, at least two hours per topic each year.

The new structure will also enable architects to pursue CPD to acquire new specialisms more easily, helping them to diversify and learn new skills. Our new approach allows architects to take ownership of their CPD and use it to their own ends in support of their own needs, their businesses, new areas of work, new clients and new income.

Full details will be released at the end of September. A national core RIBA CPD events programme is also being prepared, onto which people can book from late autumn.

July 2011

ViewAllArticles

BackToTop