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Accreditation Committee

The Accreditation Committee considers and makes decisions about the accreditation of UK qualifications required for registration as an architect with ARB. This independent Committee replaces the old Prescription Committee, which had advisory powers only.

Terms of Reference

1. Purpose

1.1  The Accreditation Committee considers and makes decisions about the accreditation of UK qualifications required for registration as an architect with ARB.

1.2  The Accreditation Committee will consider both applications for accreditation of new qualifications as well as recommendations about whether existing qualifications continue to meet the requirements of ARB.

 

2. Duties

The Committee will:

2.1  consider whether qualifications can be accredited. In doing so, the Committee will consider whether the qualifications will enable students to meet the required competency outcomes and whether providers meet the ARB’s standards for providers.

2.2  review evidence and recommendations prepared by the Executive, and where relevant the Visitors Panel, and make decisions about whether to accredit, whether to continue to accredit the qualifications required for registration as an architect in the UK or whether to withdraw accreditation from qualifications.  Where appropriate, the Committee may be provided with evidence from third party organisations, including other regulatory bodies, but this data must be verifiable and relevant to the competencies and standards for providers.

  • provide reasons for its decisions which include specific evidence relating to the competency outcomes and the standards for providers.
  • review evidence and recommendations prepared by the Executive, and where relevant the Visitors Panel, where Causes for Concern have been raised.
  • provide regular reports to the Board, including an annual statement of compliance with the Committee’s terms of reference.

 

3. Membership

3.1  The members of the Committee will be appointed by the Board and shall consist of the following:

  • An independent, lay Chair, with experience of higher education quality assurance
  • Three architect members, drawn from architectural academia and have experience of higher education quality assurance and/or architectural practice
  • Three lay members, with higher education quality assurance experience and/or relevant professional regulatory experience.

3.2 No members of the Board shall be members of the Committee.

3.3  Other regular attendees at the Committee shall be:

  • Director of Registration and Accreditation
  • Accreditation Manager
  • Accreditation Officers
  • Chief Executive and Registrar (where appropriate)
  • Other relevant members of the staff (on invitation)
  • Minute taker
  • The Committee may ask any other member of staff, or such others as may be appropriate, to attend to assist it with its discussions on any particular matter.

 

4. Quorum

4.1   The quorum shall be not less than half of the number of members of the Committee. The quorum must include the Chair, one lay member and one architect member.

4.2   In the event that the Chair has any direct and significant conflicts of interest or is unavoidably absent for any item, the Committee may ask one of the lay members to stand in as Chair for the relevant items.

5. Meetings and Procedures

5.1   The Committee will normally have up to eight times per year. Additional meetings can be called by the Chair of the Committee at any time, giving at least 14 days’ notice.

5.2   Meetings will typically be held online.  One meeting per year will be held in person.

5.3   Meetings will be held in confidential session in line with the Board’s policy.

 

6. Reporting requirements

6.1  A draft of the minutes will normally be circulated to the Committee Chair for initial approval within five working days of the meeting taking place. The Committee Chair will normally approve the draft minutes within a further five working days of the meeting taking place. The Chair-approved minutes will then be circulated to members of the Committee (and any attendees as appropriate) as a draft before they are presented at the next Committee meeting for formal approval. The minutes will be presented for noting at the next Board meeting whether they are draft or have been approved by the Committee.

6.2  The Committee Chair will provide and present an annual report on the Committee’s work to the Board.

6.3  Any urgent or important issues, including decisions regarding the withdrawal of accreditation, will be reported to the Board in a timely way.

6.4  Once the Committee has made a decision in relation to the accreditation of a new qualification or the continued accreditation of an existing qualification, Accreditation Reports will be published on ARB’s website.

 

7. Papers and Agendas

7.1   The Executive shall circulate the agenda and papers five working days before each meeting.

 

8. Declarations and Conflicts of Interest

8.1   Declarations of Interest must be made in line with ARB’s Declarations and Conflicts of Interest Policy. In line with ARB’s policy, any member or attendee of the Committee who becomes aware of a potential conflict of interest, relating to matters being discussed by the Committee, must give immediate notification of that interest to the Governance Team if they become aware of it prior to the meeting; or must notify the interest at the meeting if they become aware of an interest once the meeting has commenced in line with ARB’s policy.

 


Committee Members