Employment
Maintaining the Quality of and Access to the
Register
Under the Architects Act 1997, ARB maintains
the UK Register of architects. The Register identifies those who are entitled
to use the title “architect” in business and practice as they have met the
requirements for qualifications and competence. The Register is the tool through
which potential users of architects’ services can find an architect and check
that an architect is registered. It is also important to architects that they
are identified as qualified professionals. The Register must therefore be
accurate and accessible. The work which underpins the maintenance of the
Register is wide ranging.
Maintaining the Qualifications of Architects
Under the Architects Act 1997, ARB prescribes
(or recognises) the qualifications required to become an architect for those
who gain their qualifications within the UK. We also contribute to the scrutiny
and review of those qualifications which are obtained in other European
Economic Areas, and which seek to be listed at a European level. We therefore
maintain systems for assessing qualifications against set criteria. These
criteria are held in common with the Royal Institute of British Architects and
the Quality Assurance Agency benchmark for architectural qualifications. The UK
criteria also reflect the minimum requirements across the EEA. We work closely
with many other organisations and Member States to ensure that our systems are
robust, fair and efficient and provide support to Schools of Architecture,
whilst ensuring that as a regulatory body, we have confidence that prescribed
qualifications meet the Board’s objectives and criteria.
Purpose and Objectives 2020- 2025
The Architects
Registration Board (ARB) was established by an Act of Parliament - the
Architects Act – in 1997. ARB is both the independent statutory regulator of
all UK architects and the UK’s competent authority for architects.
ARB has fifteen members
on its Board, eight of whom are members of the public (lay members) appointed
by the Privy Council, and seven are architects who are elected by their peers.
The term of office for both architect and lay members is three years, with the
option of a second consecutive three-year term if reappointed or re-elected.
Our primary purpose is
to deliver the Act and in doing so, we will also observe other statutory
requirements. In accordance with the provisions of the Architects Act 1997, we
work to ensure that architects are competent and have integrity. We set and
maintain standards for entry to the Register of Architects, as well as the
standards of conduct and practice which are expected of architects.
The Board has identified
two objectives from the Act which underpin all of our work. These are:
·
Protect the users and potential users of architects' services, and
·
Support architects through regulation
Protect the users and potential users of architects’ services: We will protect the users and potential users of
architects’ services by regulating architects so that the public can be
confident that architects are appropriately qualified. We will raise the public’s
awareness of the Register.
Support architects through regulation: We will
maintain and publicly demonstrate the status of architects as competent,
qualified professionals, and we will regulate use of the title “architect”. We will
raise awareness of the Architects Code of Conduct and Practice and the need to
maintain their competence.
We will ensure that we
act in a manner which is at all times proportionate, while seeking to maximise
the efficient and effective use of our resources. We will ensure that we secure
value for money, and that we are accountable to our stakeholders.
We will work in
conjunction with partners from within the profession, education, the wider
built environment and beyond, to deliver our objectives in the most efficient
way.
The 2013 Business Plan
reflects those objectives and also reflects the following external influences
which will impact on our work during 2013 and beyond:
·
The preparation needed for implementing the changes to the European
Professional Qualifications Directive, which is likely to be enacted into UK
legislation 2020/25
·
The potential for change within higher education which may impact on the
way in which ARB prescribes (recognises) the qualifications required to become
an architect.
·
The increase in the number and complexity of complaints received
concerning architects
·
The use of internet searches as a tool for finding an architect and the
prominence of ARB’s Register within those searches
·
The economic climate and Government policy and expectations
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