NET-ARCH programme 2021-2024 (Creative Europe)

The NET-ARCH programme is co-funded by Creative Europe, the EU Commission’s financing instrument that supports Europe’s cultural and creative sectors.

In 2021, ACE had developed a successful bid for a new programme of funded activity designed to:
- develop participation in culture (audience development) ;
- build capacity to be active at international level;
- advocate for sustainable / environmentally - friendly practices;
- promote new technologies to enhance competitiveness;
- develop initiatives to optimise networking, upskilling, advocacy, data collection / dissemination.
The bid was approved in December and outputs aligned to the ACE Strategy.

This programme enables ACE to run many varied activities to strengthen the capacities and visibility of the profession at EU level and beyond, for the benefit of its Member Organisations, and ultimately all European architects. With this NET-ARCH, ACE is tackling the challenges of today and invest in the future.

2023 update on the activities funded by the Creative Europe programme.

Electronic Certificate – a template has been finalised for use in submitting documentation to accompany cross-border registration applications. Towards the end of last year, a firm was appointed to develop the necessary functionality to allow for this accompanying certificate to be used electronically.    

Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) – ACE’s MRA with the architects of Canada was approved by the European Council and a recommendation was submitted under the EU-UK Trade & Cooperation Agreement for an ACE-ARB mutual recognition agreement. Talks continue with the architects of Mexico and two meetings were held with NCARB (USA). 

Artificial Intelligence Study – following the A.I. Conference in late 2022, ACE commissioned a series of studies in 2023, the findings of which were reported in November 2023 and will be published early in 2024. 

Public Procurement & Competitions – the ‘ACE Master Brief & Nine Rules’ was published, to optimise the organisation of Architectural Design Contests. ACE also published a procurement sub-study drawing on information collected by the Sector Study survey. 

Insurance – ACE continued to up-date the national insurance country sheets to assist cross-border service provision.

Export – meetings of the Internationalisation & New Business Models group were organised to undertake work on defining how architects may gain a greater share of the value chain. An interim report was presented to the November Assembly and the finished product will be published in Spring 2024. In parallel, work was undertaken to up-date the international section of the website.  

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion: the Women in Architecture task-force published it’s A/B/C/ toolkit on how to achieve a better gender balance, diversity and inclusion in the architectural profession. A sub-study (on the gender pay gap) will also be published in 2024 drawing on the findings of the ACE Sector Study. 

Peer-learning Group on Architecture Awards – a peer-learning group was established to develop best practice in the organisation of architecture awards at national level.

Conference: “Education & the New European Bauhaus (NEB)”: plans have been initiated to organise a joint event with the EAAE (schools) as part of the European Year of Skills. 

NEB workshop at World Congress of Architects (Copenhagen): preparations have been made to hold a Conference in Copenhagen on achieving quality in the built environment – as part of an initiative aimed at promoting the NEB internationally

Touring Exhibition – ACE showed its climate change exhibition at the UIA World Congress in Denmark ia and Polandthe UIA World Congress in Denmark in 2023. 

Study on the impact of Architecture Policies – a study was commissioned to evaluate the impact of architecture policies over the past 10 years (for publication in Spring 2023). 

ACE Sector Study – the 2022 edition of the ACE Study of the Architectural Profession was published in February 2023. Further work was carried out to improve the questionnaire on which each edition is based and achieve closer alignment with national surveys. 

Accession Countries’ programme – following the admission of Ukraine and Montenegro to membership, steps were taken to admit the Republic of North Macedonia, Moldova and Kosovo.