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ARB’s response to the PPE Commission’s recommendations

ARB’s response to the PPE Commission’s recommendations

In April 2025, the independent Professional Practical Experience Commission published its recommendations to transform how future architects gain quality professional practical experience. ARB welcomed the report and has now in response published a comprehensive plan outlining the steps we intend to take to realise the Commission’s vision. Our actions, as set out in detail below, will focus on enhancing transparency, emphasising outcomes, and strengthening access to relevant and quality practical experience.

Crucially, as part of this work, we will:

develop the detailed requirements and responsibilities for a co-ordinating role for learning providers, by engaging closely and collaboratively with learning providers through focus groups
set minimum requirements for a new standardised Record of Competency (ROC), and we will work with a new reference group drawn from learning providers to develop the format and application of the ROC

Although ARB does not intend to mandate CPD in mentoring, we do recognise mentoring as a valuable skill that can support the much-needed cultural change within the profession and we are considering ways to best support architects in developing their skills related to this topic.

More detail on the actions ARB intends to take and timeframes can be found in the tables below.

When inviting stakeholders to join focus groups and the new reference group, we will draw upon ARB’s Architectural Educators Engagement Network. Educators can join the engagement group here.

Our response to the Commission’s recommendations

Architect regulation

Learning providers

Profession and employers

Architect regulation

ARB should remove constraints to flexibility and innovation to lead sustainable change across the profession.

PPE Commission recommendation	ARB response	Timeline
a. ARB should review its Standards for Learning Providers and Accreditation Handbook to remove any requirements that all Academic Outcomes must be met before Practice Outcomes.	We will implement this recommendation by updating our Accreditation Handbook, which is the only place this text appears.	Summer 2025
b. ARB should ensure arrangements for practical experience enable trainees to undertake a sufficient range, breadth and variety of experience. Detailed changes recommended include revising PPE requirements for trainees to focus on achieving the Competency Outcomes instead of completing a minimum of two years’ practical experience and removing the ‘double counting’ rule.	We will implement this group of recommendations together through changes to our practical experience requirements and Registration Rules. We will: Set up a reference group with learning providers to work together to develop the requirements that need to be met by trainees and the new Record of Competency. We have not yet determined what format the record should take. Run a public consultation on any proposed policy changes, including to remove the current two-year minimum requirement, replacing it with a more competency-focused approach.	Reference group to be set up summer 2025 Consultation to launch by the end of 2025
c. ARB should retain its advice that trainees should gain significant experience within the UK.
d. ARB should update its current requirements and advice on the recency of acquired practical experience. Detailed changes recommended include introducing an approved Record of Competency (covered in Recommendation 2c) for trainees to record and reflect on their practical experience, and that trainees should be required to have completed their final accredited qualification no more than two years prior to applying for registration.
e. ARB should encourage learning providers to submit new qualifications for accreditation which address both Academic and Practice Outcomes and consider whether its current transition timeline needs to be amended.	We will consider what further communications and leadership we can provide to support learning providers in introducing qualifications that align with our new education framework.	Ongoing
f. ARB should routinely describe individuals who are in the process of completing their initial education and training as “trainee architects”.	We will implement this recommendation by adopting the term ‘trainee’ in all new communications and policies. We have also highlighted this recommendation with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.	With immediate effect (Some of our materials, e.g. existing website pages, will be updated over time)
g. ARB should evaluate the impact of these changes alongside its wider reforms to initial education and training.	We will implement this recommendation by including our PPE changes in the scope of our evaluation of the effectiveness of our education reforms.	Research project was initiated in spring 2025

Learning providers

Learning providers should take a co-ordinating role in facilitating trainees’ acquisition of all the Competency Outcomes.

PPE Commission recommendation	ARB response	Timeline
a. ARB should revise its Standards for Learning Providers and Accreditation Handbook to require that learning providers take a co-ordinating role in facilitating trainees’ acquisition of all the Competency Outcomes.	We will implement this recommendation by setting proportionate requirements for a coordinating role in our Standards for Learning Providers and Accreditation Handbook. We will: Hold focus groups, firstly with those learning providers already demonstrating a coordinating role and then others, to develop these changes Run a public consultation on any proposed policy changes, including to remove the current two-year minimum requirement, replacing it with a more competency-focused approach.	First focus group to take place summer 2025. Consultation to launch by the end of 2025.
b. ARB should work with others, including professional bodies, to help consolidate and deepen links between learning providers and employers.	We will engage with employers and professional bodies as we develop the requirements for and definition of the coordinating role for learning providers.	Ongoing
c. ARB should set minimum standards for a new streamlined and standardised Record of Competency (ROC), which must be used by learning providers.	We will implement this recommendation by developing and introducing requirements for a new ROC. We will set up a reference group with learning providers (as noted in response to recommendations 1.b-d above).	Reference group to be set up summer 2025 and aim to introduce a new ROC in 2026. Timeline for approving a new ROC to be published autumn 2025

Profession and employers

Significant improvements in workplace culture and support should be secured to strengthen how competence is gained.

PPE Commission recommendation	ARB response	Timeline
a. ARB must ensure that its new Architects Code or supplementary guidance includes specific requirements on architects to support trainees on their journey to registration.	We will implement this recommendation by producing guidance on mentoring and leadership, which will underpin the Architects Code.	Consultation on guidance in early 2026.
b. ARB should require all architects to undertake CPD on mentoring.	We will not mandate that all architects undertake CPD on mentoring. However, we agree that culture change is needed in the profession and that unlocking mentoring skills would support this change; we will consider how best to achieve this.
c. ARB should lead sustained work across the profession to address issues of workplace culture. Detailed changes recommended include that learning providers, through their coordinating role, should proactively share information regarding pay, contracts and other employment requirements, and that professional bodies should reinforce that employers and practices must comply with workplace legislation, including wage laws and the Equality Act, and promote good professional conduct.	We will implement this recommendation through the goals and activities set out in our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2025-27. We will also consider the Commission’s advice as we set requirements for a coordinating role in our Standards for Learning Providers and Accreditation Handbook (as under recommendation 2a above).	EDI Strategy published Spring 2025. First focus group to take place summer 2025. Consultation to launch by the end of 2025.
d. ARB should work with others to maintain funding for apprenticeship-based routes to registration for trainees.	ARB wrote to ministers in the Department for Education and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in 2024 to express our concerns about the impact the proposed changes to the funding of apprenticeships would have on the architect’s profession.	Ongoing