Aims and scope

The Education WG develops and coordinates ACE policy on architectural education, qualification requirements, Professional Practice Experience (PPE) and Continuing Professional Development (CPD), promoting the highest educational standards and a coherent approach to professional formation. In particular, it aims to:

• Develop ACE positions on the evaluation, modernisation and revision of the Professional Qualifications Directive (PQD).
• Promote the internationally established 5+2 model – five years of accredited architectural education followed by two years of supervised PPE – as the appropriate professional standard for independent registration.
• Address mixed qualifications and related recognition issues.
• Address questions concerning traineeships and supervised Professional Practice Experience.
• Promote lifelong learning through CPD as a professional competence requirement and deontological duty.
• Support upskilling in key areas, including sustainability, digital tools, resilience and financial literacy.
• Support Member Organisations and EU Member States in strengthening CPD, advocating mandatory systems and harmonisation on a proportionate basis.
• Collaborate with schools of architecture, the European Association for Architectural Education (EAAE), the International Union of Architects (UIA) and other relevant organisations and bodies to strengthen links between education and professional practice.
• Coordinate and collaborate with other ACE workgroups on matters relevant to the scope of the Education WG.

Policy focus in 2026– 2027

• Professional Qualifications Directive (PQD) – Developing ACE’s contribution to the upcoming revision of the PQD, promoting high educational standards and safeguarding the breadth of knowledge, skills and competences reflected in Article 46’s eleven requirements.
• Single Market Strategy and skills portability – Assessing EU initiatives affecting architectural qualifications, professional mobility and recognition, including mixed qualifications, third-country qualifications, notifications, accompanying certificates and electronic recognition tools, while maintaining robust standards of professional competence and the responsibilities of competent authorities.
• Qualification frameworks and access to the profession – Mapping qualification frameworks, competency requirements and access-to-the-profession models across Member Organisations to inform evidence-based ACE positions.
• Professional Practice Experience (PPE) – Comparing the duration, structure, supervision, documentation and assessment of PPE across Europe, strengthening ACE’s position on supervised experience as preparation for independent professional responsibility and supporting the 5+2 standard.
• EU traineeship initiatives – Assessing their implications for architectural PPE, with particular attention to educational quality, remuneration, supervision, fair access and the avoidance of disguised employment.
• Strengthening Continuing Professional Development (CPD) – Supporting Member Organisations in developing CPD systems, exchanging good practice and improving access to quality learning, while advancing mandatory CPD and greater harmonisation of approaches.
• Upskilling and emerging competence needs – Connecting CPD with relevant EU priorities and evolving professional needs, including sustainability, resilience, digitalisation, financial literacy and the assessment of architectural service costs, drawing on relevant ACE project outcomes.
• Cooperation with education and regulatory partners – Strengthening dialogue with schools of architecture, EAAE, ENACA, UIA and relevant EU bodies on educational standards, professional formation and the relationship between education, practice and regulation.