Professional Practical Experience Commission - Call for evidence

Overview

Part of an architect’s initial education and training involves gaining professional practical experience (PPE) through employment in architecture.

ARB's independent Professional Practical Experience Commission is investigating the challenges faced by architecture students in the UK in seeking opportunities for suitable PPE and making recommendations to ARB to help improve the quality of training experience for architects.

The Commission will conduct a comprehensive review of the current landscape of practical experience opportunities available to architecture students across the UK. This will include:

• Reviewing the effectiveness of existing mechanisms for securing practical experience and identify any gaps or challenges faced by students.
   
• Evaluating the quality and availability of practical experience for students from diverse backgrounds, including underrepresented groups and individuals with disabilities.
   
• Identifying best practices from within the UK and abroad and investigating potential collaborations between academia, the architectural profession, and other relevant stakeholders.
   
• Analysing whether changes to the regulatory framework or legislation would improve the quality of practical experience available to students.
   
• Considering the role of central funding for architectural training in the context of meeting the Government's objectives in relation to sustainable development, building safety and levelling up.

The Commission’s full terms of reference are available to read here. 

Why your views matter

ARB’s role is to provide secretariat support to the Commission as it develops its recommendations.

We have launched this call for evidence so that anyone can tell the Commission what’s working and what isn’t. It asks for views, experiences and insights into PPE in architecture. It is aimed to gather both positive examples and areas for improvement, and provides the opportunity for respondents to suggest changes that could be made.

Please follow the link below to respond. You can also read the list of questions within the call for evidence here.

Insights gained from the call for evidence will inform the Commission as it develops its recommendations, helping to improve how tomorrow's architects are educated and trained.

Alongside the call for evidence, the Commission will visit different parts of the UK to hear from learning providers, students and architects directly.