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Qualifications Accreditation
Since its foundation in 1839 the RIAI has committed itself to supporting the education of architects and the evolution of the architectural profession in Ireland.
Consequently, the accreditation of courses and qualifications in architecture and architectural technology is one of the RIAI’s most critical tasks.
The purpose of accreditation is to ensure, in the interests of students, the public and the architectural profession, that the range of skills and the standard of performance attained by students graduating from a programme are adequate with regard to the design, technical and professional skills and ethical formation required for competent architectural practice.
The accreditation process involves an objective assessment of the programme, including the curriculum, assessment and actual learning outcomes achieved by graduates. In particular they are evaluated in terms of their compliance with the requirements of the Building Control Act 2007 and Article 46 of the Qualifications Directive.
The current accreditation status of courses offered by Irish Universities and Institutes of Technology can be found in the ‘Becoming an Architect’ and ‘Becoming an Architectural Technician’.
‘Prescription’
Under the terms of the Building Control Act 2007, the RIAI was designated as the Registration Body for architects and also the Competent Authority for architects under Directive 2005/36/EC on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications (the ‘Qualifications Directive’).
The Building Control Act requires that qualifications in architecture be ‘prescribed’. The prescription process will apply the same standard as before but the procedures, which are being developed, will be modified to meet the requirements of the Act.
Download the RIAI Qualifications Accreditation System document.