Objectives
The Board has identified two key principles which are central to its remit as set out by the Architects Act 1997; these are to protect the users and potential users of architects’ services and support architects through regulation. These underpin our priorities and the detailed Business Plan which are agreed by the Board on an annual basis.
Our organisation’s key activities are:
- To maintain the quality of and access to the Register,
- To maintain the qualifications of architects,
- To maintain the standards of conduct and practice of architects,
- To raise public awareness of the Register and help users and potential users of architects’ services to make informed choices.
Additionally, in 2014 we committed to three substantial additional projects. Firstly, to actively engage in the government’s Periodic Review; secondly, to scope out a review of Routes to Registration and thirdly to interpret and apply the revised Professional Qualifications Directive appropriately so that we will meet the transposition deadline of January 2016.
In setting the 2014 Business Plan, the Board debated whether to undertake a review of Routes to Registration or to scope a review in the first instance. This subject is fundamental to our role and the Board was keen that it be given the attention it deserves. Ultimately, the Board decided that we should undertake a scoping exercise of the review of Routes to Registration. The Board was mindful that both the outcome of the Periodic Review and the application of the revised Professional Qualifications Directive could impact on a full investigation of routes to registration and that consequently, we should await the outcomes of these other projects before undertaking such a review. The Board are committed to the review of Routes to Registration once DCLG complete the periodic review.
The following section details the objectives and how they were met.