“Bring theory and practice back into balance” says RSUA

24/01/2022

The Royal Society of Ulster Architects (RSUA) has asserted that the quality of architecture being taught in higher-level education is being eroded as institutions place a greater focus on additional student recruitment and academic research.

The comments come as a response to the Architects Registration Board’s (ARB) recent discussion paper on ‘modernising the initial education and training of architects‘, reading “a broad balance connection between theory/academic and practice/industry is essential to meet the ARB’s criteria for prescription. This is essential to prepare the future architect for making a positive impact to society.”

In addition, the response proposed that specialisation, whilst of great interest to schools of architecture, are “not necessarily in the interest of the public nor the profession, individual architects, public safety, sustainability and achieving and realising long-term performance and value” and that ARB must first and foremost “ensure architects are able to maintain an initial, holistic threshold of professional competency.”

Other discussions and recommendations centre around the relationships between academia and working practices when it comes to student placements, revision of core competencies and the concept of direct entry into later stages of architecture courses.

Read the full response below.