At the 2007 AGM several members raised concerns about the demise of the former registration scheme and whether the new recognition scheme would deliver professional status. The same members were also concerned that these decisions had not been communicated to the wider membership.
National Council is concerned that despite extensive consultations and feedback over several years, that some members still felt that they had not been involved in the consultations.
In response to the members' queries, the National Council undertook to place the relevant documentation back on the web site so that all members could see the processes that were undertaken by National Council.
The concerns raised are outlined in the minutes of the 2007 AGM.
The information on this page and the attached papers has been uploaded to clarify the issues raised.
An overview of the processes whereby the AILA moved from having a separate Professions Registration Board (1996-2005), to amending the requirements for professional membership and to the establishment of the new status of Registered Landscape Architect (as the professional AILA membership category).
The processes of Review involved about 4 years and two important stages:
1. The Review of registration scheme (2002-2006)
2. Changes to the Membership including the amendments to the Constitution (2007)
1. Review of the former Registration Scheme 2002 - 2006
In late 2002 the National Council decided to review the operations of the then Landscape Professions Registration Board (LPRB). The review commenced in 2003 and ran till later in 2004.
Notices about this review were circulated and meetings were held with state groups during 2003. Reasonable number of members attending meetings on the subject in WA, SA, Vic and Qld. There was much debate! The NSW meeting was not well attended. The ACT Group were briefed at one of the normal Group meetings.
A position paper was then developed and placed online and feedback was sought. The paper offered two options. Most responses, and there were not that many, favoured option two. This matched the majority of the feedback from the face to face meetings.
Based on the above consultations, another consultation paper was developed for National Council and uploaded onto the web site for more feedback.
This paper addressed the fact that it was now identified that the former registration structure was not sustainable and was a no longer a financially sound model.
The decision was taken by National Council in late 2004 to move to establishing a registration scheme that would continue a registration process but would be more efficiently structured. This new model was introduced during in late 2005.
However, it became very apparent that despite the changes, the fact remained that the second tier membership model of registration was not well accepted or understood in the market place.
In mid 2006 the National Council explored the proposal to close down the then registration scheme and concentrating the resources in enhancing the present full membership.
The National Council informed the membership through communiques and through a notice in the nation newsletter (LANDMARK Oct 06) about the directions being planned.
The membership was asked for feedback. There was very little feedback to these proposals, with those that were received, being positive.
In January 2006, a letter was sent to all members outlining the changes and forecasting the necessary amendments to the constitution.
Again there was little feedback to the letter.
The concerns raised were about why the scheme had not been successful and that the scheme may have accumulated funds that maybe should be used to benefit those that had paid the fees.
A couple members expressed doubt about why the former registration scheme had not be allowed to continue. (the answer to the latter is within the consultations paper formerly circulated).
Several very brief and very supportive notes were received by the National Office.
2. Changes to the Membership including amendments to the Constitution (2007)
Overview of the Company Constitution amendments March 2007
In March 2007 the AILA held a special general meeting to bring about changes to the Company Constitution to address the change of nomenclature of the full membership title from Associate to Registered Landscape Architect as well as to bring the whole constitution's language up to date.
This paper is a report on the matters that preceded this decision and outlines the changes to AILA membership structures that followed.
At the October 28th meeting of the AILA National Council, the discussion focused on the AILA as the professional recognition body for landscape architects within Australia.
The key topics discussed under this heading were:
- The process of recognising graduates from accredited programs after recommended years of recognised practice; including the role of mentors in this process.
- The status of AILA endorsed landscape architects as perceived by clients and government agencies.
- The link between AILA recognition and continuing professional development (CPD).
- The status of Associate Membership in relation to the present Registered
Changes to AILA membership Entry
As a result of Council’s decisions, changes were prepared for introduction in mid 2007.
A formal mentoring process was introduced for the August 2008 submissions for new membership.
Applicants were required to register their intent to undertake the professional registration process, then enter a formal period of mentorship and submit an online self-assessment prior to being assessed by an interview panel.
The new assessment covers the range of sub-disciplines within landscape architecture and is a guide to those competencies required to be achieved in the workplace over the two years of employment.
The assessment takes into consideration that the University program has delivered the essentials to commence a career as a landscape architect but that the workplace is the only place to gain the final set of competencies and expertise required for on-going practice.
It is these final set of competencies that need to identified and then assessed. There should be no duplication of assessing the knowledge, the expertise and competencies already gained through the university program.
The graduates now submit for assessment with the AILA after at least two years practice and professional development following the gaining of the recognised and accredited qualification.
The first part of submission process for membership is to be made in August each year.
In August of the year prior to the interview and assessment, the graduate will need to register for the assessment and include in the submission the names of their sponsor(s). The sponsor will be required to co-sign the online assessment to signify that they consider that the candidate has satisfied the criteria.
The graduate then undertakes a period of mentorship whereby the applicant would work through a program with their mentor(s) with the aim to submit documentation in February the following year.
The applicant must have the minimum two years of recognised practice at the time of the February application being received.
The assessment will require the applicant to satisfy a set of units of professional practice. The mentor would be required to assist the applicant to satisfactorily achieve these new units. The candidate would have 6 months to work with their mentor(s) to complete and submit the online documentation. This documentation would be assessed and deemed satisfactory or not. Those applicants deemed unsatisfactory would not continue to have their application assessed and would be asked to resubmit in the following year.
Once this submission stage has been completed, the AILA, through their state groups, would call the on-going candidates to interview for an oral assessment in April/May of each year.
The oral assessment reviews each candidate’s commitment to professionalism and the AILA as is done under the present system. However, the panel also carries out a limited (random) audit of the written submissions as part of the oral assessment.
A new emphasis on CPD
As part of the renewal process in 2007 and beyond, all members now to be regarded as registered members are required to supply basic information on their on-going CPD.
Members will be encouraged to use an online process to renew their membership, complete CPD requirements and pay annual fees in mid 2007. (hard copy to be also available)
There is the requirement for all registered members to annually supply basic details on their professional development.
Council recognises that its members undertake professional development and the system should be a tool to provide recognition for the members’ on-going commitment to their own professional practice.
The process presently previously used by the Registered Landscape Architects till 2006 under the Landscape Professions Registration Board was used to inform the model for this new process. However, while the former RLA renewing process was used to identify CPD, it was proving too onerous and very complicated.
The new online system not only records CPD but also encourages all landscape architects to seek new opportunities for CPD and to consider CPD as life-long.
The other factor to be recognised is that many professionals are mentors to others and/or continue to have life-long mentor relationships with their colleagues.
Changes to the nomenclature for AILA full Members:
The title Registered Landscape Architect can only be used by those Australian professionals who are professionally recognised through the AILA.
Those who were formerly Associates of the AILA (AAILA) were re-classified as Registered Landscape Architects (AILA or FAILA).
Those who were formerly Registered Landscape Architects maintained their current status.
The term Associate (AAILA) is to be no longer used as the nomenclature for full AILA Membership. From July 2007 all Associates (AAILA) were reclassified as Registered Landscape Architects.
This removed the former nomenclature of ‘Associate’ and the acronym AAILA and replaced it with the more universal and easily understood professional status of being a Registered Landscape Architect.
Using the term ‘Registered’ aligns the profession easily with other professions and reduces the chances of confusion by agencies seeking to employ ‘registered’ professionals and consultants.
The AILA henceforth has one class of full professional membership again and be able to market its professional recognition (membership) more easily.
Recognised professionals are called Registered Landscape Architects, the acronym is used after the members name is simply AILA; or FAILA for fellows; or with an additional (PP) if the member is a former National Past President.
Reasons for the change:
Agencies were looking to the profession to provide an easily understood status of professional recognition that they could use alongside that being provided by other professional groups.
The term 'Registered' remains the most accepted in Australia. For instance, agencies establishing competitions have struggled to understand the relationship between the Associate and the former Registered Landscape Architect. Most used the term "registered with the relevant association/institute" as their terminology for identifying professionals.
The reality was that clients and those running competitions, despite many marketing attempts, did not understood why the AILA had two layers of membership (ie Associates and Registered Landscape Architects).
However, the former registration scheme had identified that the AILA needed to ensure that there are processes for providing the professional recognition and that agencies need to have confidence in those recognition processes.
By moving to this one nomenclature for all fully recognised members, agencies now have a much easier means of recognising, and therefore employing or choosing for competitions, AILA landscape architects as their preferred consultants.
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The former registration scheme was not successful in introducing recognition for the range of sub-disciplines within landscape architecture. The National Council has now introduced processes whereby the five sub-disciplines of landscape design, landscape planning, landscape management, urban design and academic can now be recognised as Registered members.
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The AILA will no longer have to expend energy dealing with graduates or others may wish to call themselves landscape architects.
Until they successfully apply and are accepted, graduates from accredited programs are not able to call themselves Registered Landscape Architects - ie professionally recognised landscape architects.
However, the AILA continues to advocate that agencies should employ those landscape architects that are Registered Landscape Architects and that agencies need to be aware that using the title 'landscape architect' does not alone denote a recognised professional status.
What changes will there be for former Registered Members?
For former Registered Members there has been little change. The former onerous reporting processes are to be replaced with something more accessible.
All registered members now participate in a CPD reporting process in conjunction with their mid year renewals.
The former separate registration fees no longer apply. All members are be subject to the same annual fee scales.
Fellows
Please note that there was no change to the status of Fellows – being an honour bestowed on full members. Beyond 2007, all Fellows continued as Registered Landscape Architects and are required to fulfil the same requirements as other Registered Landscape Architects.
How does this effect Graduates, Students and Affiliates?
All these categories of membership were not effected by these changes to full membership. Except that graduates now have new processes to plan for when they are considering applying for full membership - to be recognised as an AILA Registered Landscape Architect.
Footnote: Were there finances remaining from the former scheme?
The former registration scheme had accounts within the AILA National Office accounts. Once the scheme had closed, the remaining funds were transferred to an investment account. These funds will be used at a future date to benefit the members. The funds will most likely be used to assist with CPD initaitives or other matters relating to registration and membership.
>> return to the new membership application page to view the current membership processes