{"id":774042,"date":"2025-02-12T10:42:27","date_gmt":"2025-02-12T10:42:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/?p=774042"},"modified":"2025-02-13T10:26:39","modified_gmt":"2025-02-13T10:26:39","slug":"riba-with-arb-education-change-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/news\/riba-with-arb-education-change-2","title":{"rendered":"ARB ignores angry RIBA protests as education rules voted through"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last year the RIBA launched a stinging attack on the ARB, claiming the regulator had \u2018overstepped its current legal powers\u2019 after tweaking its proposed education reforms.<\/p>\n

In October 2023, the ARB introduced a new set of accreditation procedures with the latest draft of the rules updating earlier wording from \u2018qualification-awarding powers\u2019 to \u2018degree-awarding powers\u2019.<\/p>\n

The change means learning providers without degree-awarding powers \u2013 or<\/em> a formal agreement with a body that has such powers \u2013 would immediately be disqualified from offering ARB-accredited courses.<\/p>\n

But the RIBA claimed the amendment could have significant implications, with its RIBA Board of Trustees chair Jack Pringle saying the move was \u2018elitist and ill-judged\u2019. It warned that the ARB was in danger of overreaching its statutory remit.<\/p>\n

Its broadside, fired at the ARB last year during a consultation on the change provoked by a challenge against its introduction, warned the new phrasing would potentially close the door to \u2018innovative and diverse routes\u2019 to the required professional qualifications.<\/p>\n

The institute also said it was concerned the move would tread on the toes of its own historic powers, granted to it by Royal Charter in 1837. The RIBA said these powers enshrine its \u2018ability to award our own qualifications, granting us the independence to award certificates and diplomas in our own right\u2019.<\/p>\n

The swipe, which was made in its official response to consultation on Accreditation Rule 4.2: Degree awarding powers<\/a>, came even though the RIBA is currently partnered with Oxford Brookes University.<\/p>\n

Through this formal arrangement with Oxford Brookes, the RIBA will still be able to continue to provide architectural education under the new wording through the RIBA Part 3 and programme (equivalent level to a Part 1 bachelor\u2019s and Part 2 master\u2019s degree). <\/a><\/p>\n

Papers put before the ARB\u2019s board at a meeting yesterday (11 February), claimed the rule would ensure any education provider would have the \u2018necessary additional regulatory assurance and oversight\u2019.<\/p>\n

The document goes on: \u2018The alternative option would be to remove the requirement for a learning provider to be regulated by a relevant academic regulator. This would have the benefit of \u201copening the market\u201d to alternative providers but remove the additional assurances ARB could rely on as detailed above and would require significant risk mitigation.\u2019<\/p>\n

The papers added: \u2018This would require ARB to seek those assurances through its own accreditation procedures in respect of \u201cnon-regulated\u201d organisations. Building such capability and capacity would significant additional resource and effort, the cost of which would need to be passed on to the learning providers or borne by the profession. Furthermore, it would represent a duplication of regulation already in place that would offend the principles of better regulation.\u2019<\/p>\n

The board said that there had been only two objectors to the rule, following the consultation, namely the RIBA and the Royal Society of Ulster Architects (RSUA).<\/p>\n

The papers continued: \u2018It has been suggested that there could be an exception in rules for bodies with
\nRoyal Charter status, but while Royal Charter status is an important mark of expertise and learning in a particular sector, it does not provide the assurance around academic regulation as described above.<\/p>\n

\u2018It has also been suggested to us directly by RIBA and was raised in consultation responses, that the rule would limit access to the profession. We have considered this argument, but given there are no current providers impacted by this rule, we do not see this as a significant risk.\u2019<\/p>\n

The board voted to retain the clause as drafted.<\/p>\n

The ARB\u2019s proposed educational reform will see the scrapping of the existing Parts 1 to 3 and switch to a more flexible, \u2018outcomes-based<\/a>\u2019 system that, it says, recognises \u2018what you know\u2019, \u2018what you can do\u2019 and \u2018how you must behave\u2019 \u2013 instead of \u2018how you got there\u2019.<\/p>\n

The ARB has been contacted for comment.<\/p>\n

\n

Reaction: <\/strong>Jack Pringle,\u00a0<\/strong>chair, RIBA Board of Trustees
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Since 1837, our Royal Charter<\/a><\/u> has enshrined our ability to award our own qualifications, granting us the independence to award certificates and diplomas in our own right. Our current RIBA Studio diploma is already recognised as a master\u2019s level equivalent qualification and our external examiners recognise this in their reports. ARB\u2019s decision is a direct assault on the powers granted to us in our charter.<\/p>\n

\u2018ARB\u2019s decision fetters the RIBA\u2019s ability to seek further, different routes to qualification\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

We are pleased to partner with Oxford Brookes University for the delivery of RIBA Studio, and the terms of our arrangement mean that we continue to satisfy Accreditation Rule 4.2. However, ARB\u2019s decision fetters our ability to seek further, different routes to qualification, that we may wish to devise in parallel. This is of great concern.<\/p>\n

In addition, this ill-advised move could disproportionately affect future alternative learning providers, preventing them from offering new qualifications that could particularly benefit students who face barriers to accessing education due to finances or caring responsibilities.<\/p>\n

We continue to advocate for an inclusive architecture education system that works for all.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Last year the RIBA launched a stinging attack on the ARB, claiming the regulator had \u2018overstepped its current legal powers\u2019 after tweaking its proposed education reforms. In October 2023, the ARB introduced a new set of accreditation procedures with the latest draft of the rules updating earlier wording from \u2018qualification-awarding powers\u2019 to \u2018degree-awarding powers\u2019. The …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":915,"featured_media":762663,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"ep_exclude_from_search":false},"categories":[681],"tags":[1549,1795,1276],"yoast_head":"\nARB ignores angry RIBA protests as education rules voted through<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The ARB has unanimously voted to retain a controversial clause in its new education accreditation rules, ignoring angry pleas from the RIBA\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/news\/riba-with-arb-education-change-2\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"ARB ignores angry RIBA protests as education rules voted 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