The RIBA Compact
The RIBA Compact is an ethical framework with a series of obligations for students, practices, schools of architecture and the RIBA to meet. The aim is to make a mutual commitment to improve the experience of students moving into the workplace after graduating from Part 1 or Part 2. The trialling phase has now ended and feedback from participants is now being analysed and next steps considered – we’ll update you on these soon.
Why now?
In 2015 the RIBA Education Review identified various challenges for students around moving from academia to the workplace. In 2020, the RIBA launched The Way Ahead, our new Education and Professional Development Framework, signifying a new direction for architectural education and continuing professional development, with a greater emphasis on health and life safety, the climate emergency and professional ethics.
Further research and evidence identify some prominent issues for the next generation of architects, including: standards for pay; agreement of hours worked and arrangements for overtime; wellbeing in the workplace and fair access to opportunities.
We recognise that change is needed to address these issues. Those who trialled the RIBA Compact will help us to take further steps to develop the highest workplace standards. Schools of architecture play a vital role in educating the future profession and the new RIBA validation procedures and criteria place emphasis on professional skills and signposting students to support on offer throughout their studies, including time spent in practice.
