2009

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RIBA releases independent report on registration and regulation of the architects' profession

Date:

09 December 2009

Press office contact:

Mina Vadon
T: +44 (0)207 307 3761
E: mina.vadon@riba.org

Statutory protection of title should be maintained and the registration role should be transferred from the ARB to the RIBA according to a resolution by RIBA Council today who reached their conclusion after discussing an independent report written by Sir Christopher Ball. 

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) commissioned Sir Christopher Ball to carry out research into and to produce a report on the future of regulation and registration of the architects' profession.  The resulting paper, ' Rules and Responsibilities, has been discussed by RIBA Council which today agreed the following:

  1. The RIBA reaffirms its support for the maintenance of statutory protection of the title 'architect'
  2. The RIBA adopts a policy principle 'to maintain protection of title and transfer the task from ARB to the RIBA', subject to the necessary research, consultation and development of viable proposals devised

           -  to protect the interests of consumers

           - to protect the interests of non-members of the RIBA as well as RIBA members

           - to accord with UK and EU legislation and directives

  3. The RIBA endorses until such time as item 2 becomes implementable, the continuing practice of working collaboratively and constructively with ARB while aiming for a better division of responsibilities.

 

Sir Christopher consulted with the Architects Registration Board (ARB), DCLG and others as well as architects to provide a broad perspective on the issues.

 

The report reviews the way registration of the profession is currently carried out, considers the benefits and drawbacks of the current regulations for the consumer and the professional practitioner, and proposes alternative sustainable models for regulation and registration.  

 

Speaking today, RIBA President Ruth Reed said:

" The RIBA is committed to ensuring that architects maintain the highest professional standards, in order to provide maximum benefit to consumers.   It is because of this commitment, and with a general election – and the potential of deregulation - looming, that the RIBA considered it timely to review whether the current model of regulation and registration of the profession could and should be improved.

"Sir Christopher Ball's thorough and objective report has provided evidence which confirms the RIBA's view that the current model of regulation is unnecessarily complex and lacks transparency, fairness and freedom for the development of the profession.

"Therefore we believe that while s tatutory protection of title should be maintained we want to thoroughly research and develop proposals for the registration of architects to be transferred from the ARB to the RIBA. The RIBA is committed to this long-term goal, but as long as ARB continues as the registration body, we hope to maintain our positive relationship with the ARB. Relationships have been steadily improving and we wish to continue to work with them to deliver efficiencies in those roles that are duplicated between the two bodies."

Download the report below:

On the Registration and Regulation of Architects| (pdf 181KB)

Notes to editors

  1. For further press information please contact Mina Vadon in the RIBA Press Office on 020 7307 3761 or email mina.vadon@inst.riba.org
  2. Sir Christopher Ball's biography follows:

Born 1935, educated at Oxford after National Service with the Parachute Regiment; lecturer in Comparative Linguistics at London University, then Fellow in English at Lincoln College, Oxford; served with the Council for National Academic Awards; formerly Warden of Keble College, Oxford, and Chairman of the Board of the National Advisory Body for Public Sector Higher Education.  He is married, with six (adult) children, and eight grandchildren.

His service with CNAA and BTEC, as Visiting Professor in Education at Leeds Polytechnic, Governor of Templeton College, Oxford, and Manchester Polytechnic, Chairman of Brathay Hall Trust, and his experience in Higher, Continuing and Further Education, in Development Training, and Education-Industry links, both in the UK and overseas, is represented in Fitness for Purpose (1985), Aim Higher (1989), Higher Education into the 1990s (with Heather Eggins, 1989), More Means Different (1990), Learning Pays (1991), Sharks and Splashes!: the future of education and employment (1991), Profitable Learning (1992) etc

President of the Association of Colleges of Further and Higher Education 1990-92, Chairman of the Education-Industry Forum (Industry Matters, RSA) from 1989-90, and of the National Institute for Careers Education and Counselling (1989-92), he has worked with the CBI Education and Training Affairs Committee and Price Waterhouse.  As the former RSA Fellow in Continuing Education and the RSA's Director of Learning, he directed several projects, including one on Early Learning, of which the report, entitled Start Right, was published in March 1994.  In June 1994 he became the founding Chairman of the National Advisory Council for Careers and Educational Guidance.  He was appointed Chancellor of the University of Derby in 1995, and was the founder, and is now one of the Patrons, of the National Campaign for Learning.  He was education adviser to The Esmée Fairbairn Charitable Trust from 1991-2000, and Chairman of The Achievement Trust until 2008.

In recent years he has been vice-chairman of the Jigsaw Group of Nurseries (1998-04), founder and chairman (now patron) of The Talent Foundation (1999), and chairman of The Global University Alliance (2000-04).  His interests include all aspects of human learning – especially 'early learning', lifelong learning, brain science, motivation, self-esteem and the exploration of the limits of human potential.  At the age of seventy he partly retired from public life to devote himself to a small number of specific high-value projects – as well as running marathons, writing poetry, and helping small charities raise funds.

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