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CPD Policy
RIAI Policy on CPD can be summarized under the following headings:
- Application
- Standard
- Requirements
- Recommendations
- Sanctions
- Confidentiality
- Supports
Download the RIAI's CPD Policy document (updated July2011)
Summary of Changes to the RIAI's CPD Policy
Dowload the RIAI's guide to Evidence items for Structured CPD
Download the RIAI CPD Exemption form
View important CPD deadlines 2010/2011
This Policy comes into force on 1st October 2009 and applies to any person who is registered on the Register for Architects (registrants) and to RIAI members in all categories - Fellows, Members, Architectural Technologists and Graduates - , except those who are no longer professionally active. For those on maternity, parental, carer, or long-term sick leave, not involved in architecture or construction, or unemployed it will be deemed sufficient to complete 20 CPD hours through Structured or Unstructured CPD including, where possible, relevant online programme provision.
For new registrants/members (i.e. people who have not heretofore been registered or held RIAI membership in any category) admitted before 1 May in any year it will be sufficient to complete a total of 20 hours of structured and/or unstructured CPD in that cycle. New registrants/members admitted after 1 May are exempt from the CPD requirement for the remainder of the cycle during which they join.
The RIAI, or the case of registrants the Registrar, may at its absolute discretion waive or relax CPD requirements in any particular case if its satisfied that doing so will not result in undue risk to clients or the public.
Where a registrant/member is responsible for the employment of others, he/she shall support them in meeting their CPD obligations and shall develop and maintain a CPD policy within the employing organisation.
Standards
The RIAI Standards of Knowledge, Skill and Competence for Architects and for Architectural Technicians/Technologists represent the minimum standards required. Any person to whom the Policy applies must take all reasonable steps to maintain an appropriate level of professional skills and, at a minimum, to maintain on a consistent basis the requirements of the relevant RIAI Standard of Knowledge, Skill and Competence.
While the Standards represent the baseline requirements that can be expected of a general practitioner at a given level, registrant/members can be expected to have greater expertise in certain areas, and indeed additional areas of expertise according to their specialism and/or career progression. The Standards provide a benchmark against which registrant/members can measure themselves and thus identify areas where development may be required or desirable.
Requirements
The RIAI requires the following minimum level of CPD involvement.
1) In the course of each year, each registrant/member must accumulate a total of 40 hours of CPD activity, pided as follows:
a. 20 hours Structured CPD
b. 20 hours Unstructured CPD
The year runs from October to September.
1 hour of learning time = 1 CPD point unless otherwise specified by the RIAI.
Up to 20 excess hours in one cycle may be carried over into the next cycle.
Structured’ CPD is a learning activity for which the learning outcomes are identified in advance. (A ‘learning outcome’ is a statement of what the learner intends or is expected to know, understand or be able to do on successful completion of the activity.)
Structured CPD does not have to be provided, approved or accredited by the RIAI.
Structured CPD
Provided that they confirm to the definition for Structured CPD, activities qualifying as Structured CPD Activity can include:
- Relevant conferences, lectures, seminars and workshops (including in-house CPD sessions)
- ‘CPD designated’ RIAI events (including educational events organised by Regional Groups, etc.)
- Structured events recommended or listed by the RIAI
- RIAI/UCD Professional Practice Lecture Series
- Online seminars incorporating assessment
- Relevant educational events run by IEI, SCS, and other professional organisations
- Events recommended or listed by the RIAI in its CPD Resources information
- Relevant courses/programmes run by recognised educational institutions
- Relevant conferences, lectures, seminars and workshops
- Structured site visits and study tours delivered by a third party
- Technical demonstrations
- RIAI CPD Network seminars and visits
- Service on Council or on an appropriate RIAI Committee or Taskforce
- Active participation on relevant non-RIAI committees (e.g. BRAB, Timber Consultative Council, etc.)
- Case studies, other than for course requirements.
- Participation in structured and recorded QA or Peer reviews (routine in-house design reviews are excluded)
- Participation in formal mentoring sessions or organised study/discussion groups
- Original research
- Study/Investigation of new or unfamiliar concepts, systems, materials, processes, etc. for project purposes
- Preparation of lectures/training materials for first, but not subsequent, delivery (promotional lectures about one’s own practice excluded)
- Writing for publication (promotional books/articles about one’s own practice excluded)
- Setting and marking examinations
- Attendance at relevant court cases, oral hearings, etc.
- The number of Structured CPD hours that can be claimed is limited to learning-time; time spent in registration or coffee/meal breaks does not count. Participation in Structured CPD must be supported by attendance records/certificates, test results or other evidence of participation*. Excess hours of Structured CPD can be offset against the 20 hour requirement for Unstructured CPD.
*Download the RIAI's Guide to Evidence Items for Structured CPD
Not more than fifty percent of ‘Structured’ activity in any one year should be spent on any one topic or in any one activity. For example, serving on Council is equivalent to approximately 25 structured hours per year. Only ten of these hours can be counted towards the required 20 hours of structured CPD; the other ten hours must be spent other kinds of activities. This condition does not apply to someone engaged in a formal educational programme or working towards a particular qualification (certificate, diploma, degree, or accreditation).
Unstructured CPD
Activities qualifying as Unstructured CPD Activity can include:
- Reading Architecture Ireland
- Reading RIAI E-Bulletins
- Unstructured Site visits (site visits to one’s own projects are excluded) and Study Tours
- Reading books, journals, technical literature, etc.
- Videos, TV, distance learning or online programmes without assessment
- Carrying out normal working activities is not CPD, either structured or unstructured, unless it involves research or study undertaken to improve one’s ability to carry out the job.
Whether Structured or Unstructured, each learning activity or event must be completed by a ‘Reflection’ prepared by the participant. This is an integral part of the process of adding the activity to the registrant/member’s CPD Record and advice and worked examples are provided in the RIAI CPD Engage User Manual. However, someone engaged in a formal educational programme or working towards a particular qualification - certificate, diploma, degree, or accreditation - need complete only one Reflection for that activity at the end of the course or of the CPD year, whichever is earlier.
2) Where the registrant/member is providing services on the basis of a specific RIAI Accreditation (e.g. Conservation, PSDP, etc.) at least 8 hours of CPD must relate to that topic.
3) Every registrant/member must read Practice Notes, Practice and/or Member E-Bulletins, the CPD E-Zine and all other circulated material which is given a ‘CPD Designation’ by the RIAI and make themselves familiar with the contents of those items which are relevant to their own responsibilities. Apart from the CPD E-Bulletin, this contributes to the Unstructured requirement. If carried out consistently and conscientiously this could in some cases meet the full requirement for Unstructured CPD.
4) Registrant/members must use RIAI CPD Engage to record their CPD. Registrants/members who do not have access to a computer may keep a hard copy record of their CPD activity. They must notify the RIAI of their intention to keep a hardcopy by 1 May in the year of the relevant cycle and must provide a valid reason, in writing, for not using the online system. Hardcopy submissions will only be accepted in the format of the RIAI CPD Submission Template which is available for download from the RIAI Website.
5) EEA Registrants/and Architect Members who have been admitted without the requirement to complete an Irish examination in or assessment of professional practice have undertaken to ensure that they have sufficient knowledge of Irish Law, Regulations and Professional and Contract Procedures for practice in Ireland. This undertaking must be fulfilled within one year of the date of Registration/Membership by attendance at the lectures delivered at an RIAI approved course in professional practice. Where the CPD hours involved exceed 40, the balance of hours can be credited towards their CPD obligation for the following year.
Note: CPD completed to meet the requirements of other professional or registration bodies can count towards RIAI requirements provided that it relates to the relevant RIAI Standard of Knowledge, Skill and Competence.
Recommendations
Professionals have a duty to ensure that they are capable of providing the services they offer. Within the context of RIAI CPD Requirements it is the responsibility of each registrant/member to judge the best approach to undertaking the CPD activity necessary to;
a. maintain compliance with the relevant Standard of Knowledge, Skill and Competence, and
b. acquire and maintain the skills appropriate to their current activities and chosen career path.
What is appropriate for a partner in an architectural practice will differ from what is necessary for a junior employee; the needs of a lecturer in the history of architecture will differ from those of a technician/technologist working for a Local Authority. Many registrants and members are involved in professional roles other than the provision of architectural design services, and this will clearly influence what topics are most relevant to their responsibilities. However, registrants should be mindful that their inclusion in the Register for Architects implies that they have the knowledge and skills set out in Article 46 of Directive 2005/36/EC on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications. Consequently they need to maintain a general awareness of developments relating to the RIAI Standard of Knowledge, Skills and Competence for practice as an Architect.
Each registrant/member should carry out a self-assessment against the relevant Standard of Knowledge, Skill and Competence, develop a personal CPD strategy, and at least once a year should review progress and consider an outline plan of action for the months ahead.
Once a registrant/member has ensured his/her compliance with the relevant Standard he/she is free to choose the CPD topics which are most relevant to his/her own interests and responsibilities. Registrant/members are encouraged to consider their CPD activities in terms of both organisational and personal needs.
It is important that any CPD activity undertaken, whether Structured or Unstructured, is deliberate, focused and planned with a particular educational end in view. To this end the RIAI recommends adoption of the cycle of Self Assessment – Planning – Learning – Reflection – Self Assessment which is supported by the RIAI CPDEngage system. This can result in what has been described as an upward “Virtuous spiral” of positive self awareness, self-confidence and professional improvement.
Monitoring
Compliance with RIAI CPD Requirements is mandatory. Registrants/members must keep records to demonstrate their compliance and should do so using the online system provided by RIAI CPD Engage. Members will periodically receive automatically generated notifications of their current CPD status. At the end of each cycle the number of CPD hours recorded for each member will be monitored automatically through RIAI CPD Engage. In addition, a proportion of CPD records will be randomly selected by computer for detailed audit each year. Registrants/members whose records are being audited will be notified on 1 June each year and will be required to submit their completed accounts for audit on CPD Engage (or in hardcopy if applicable*) by the CPD Deadline on 30 September of that year. The CPD audit will be carried out during the 6 week grace period. RIAI education staff will have no involvement in monitoring members’ records. The monitoring function will be carried out separately under the supervision of the Registrar.
Sanctions
Any person failing to achieve 70% of their CPD requirement by the cycle deadline on 30 September will have their CPD record display as “Incomplete” for that cycle. Registrants/members who have completed 70% of the full CPD requirement by the cycle deadline on the 30 September will be granted a period of 6 weeks grace within which to complete their CPD requirement. Any person who has been admitted to the grace period but fails to achieve 100% of their CPD requirement by the grace period deadline will have their CPD record display as “Incomplete” for that cycle.
A registrant/member whose CPD record is “Incomplete” at the end of the grace period will be asked to provide an explanation for non-compliance. Unless there is good reason the matter will be referred to the Professional Conduct Committee. Sanctions open to the Processional Conduct Committee include censure, fines, suspension, conditions for continued registration, and removal from the register.
Reinstatement
The CPD obligations of a registrant who resigns his/her membership for a year or more and then seeks reinstatement are subject to the Rules for Registration.
Confidentiality
Every RIAI member has password-protected access to their own RIAI CPD Engage account, and should not pulge their password to any third party. RIAI education staff will have no function in monitoring members’ records. Any procedures relating to non-compliance will be carried out under the supervision of the Registrar on terms of strict confidentiality. Every member’s CPD record is given by the member on the basis that the RIAI will keep it confidential and the RIAI agrees to do so. The RIAI regards the CPD record as personal information for the purposes of the Data Protection Acts and the Freedom of Information Act 1997, as amended.very RIAI member has password-protected access to their own RIAI CPD Engage account, and should not pulge their password to any third party. RIAI education staff will have no function in monitoring members’ records. Any procedures relating to non-compliance will be carried out under the supervision of the Registrar on terms of strict confidentiality. Every member’s CPD record is given by the member on the basis that the RIAI will keep it confidential and the RIAI agrees to do so. The RIAI regards the CPD record as personal information for the purposes of the Data Protection Acts and the Freedom of Information Act 1997, as amended.
