AILA supports the advancement of landscape architecture through education. The mission of AILA regarding accreditation is to evaluate, advocate for and advance the quality of landscape architecture education across all universities.

AILA encourages programs offering landscape architecture to offer a high quality academic education, thus enhancing the body of knowledge, strengthening the profession and helping the profession meet the emerging challenges through the application of accreditation standards in the context of each individual university’s mission and vision. AILA accredited courses are listed here.

Being the profession's accrediting body, AILA has developed a fair and transparent accreditation process that recognizes and embraces the diversity and context of the each university program. AILA’s Accreditation policy outlines what is considered to be the essential conditions a Program must meet to gain or continue their accreditation. It also articulates the process by which accreditation is undertaken and granted. The policy can be found here.

The NART is considered a ‘register’ of members, rather than a national committee or group. It is from this NART, that visiting teams are formed which make accreditation visits to Universities that are seeking accreditation for their program of landscape architecture. The purpose of the visiting teams is to advise and report to the National Education Committee (NEC) on matters of accreditation regarding Landscape Architecture Education.

Accreditation reviews provide an important external assessment for programs of landscape architecture. These reviews should provide proactive, constructive and positive insights focused on improving the quality of landscape architectural education. As a member of a visiting team, team members are acting as a liaison between AILA and the institution seeking accreditation for its program – and as such each team member is acting as a representative of AILA.

NART Membership

• AILA members consisting of a mix of practitioners, academics (with a degree in Landscape Architecture) and current students of landscape architecture
• A NART member’s term of appointment shall be five years and is renewable
• The role is voluntary and not paid, however AILA will cover all reasonable travel costs associated with any scheduled visit.
• Once a NART member has confirmed his/her commitment to be part of a visiting team to a specific educational institution, they must attend the site visit (dates will be advised well in advance).
• A detailed guideline of site visits, appropriate conduct, sample questions, assessment tips, and sample reporting templates etc will be provided to all appointed NART members.

In terms of involvement, it is anticipated that approximately 2 visits take place per year, and it would be hoped that you could be available for one of those visits, and if not, then a visit the following year.

Please see attached the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the AILA National Accreditation Review Team (NART) - defining the role of the accreditation visiting team members.

In addition, please take a look at the Guidelines for NART members, which elaborate further on the process of the accreditation policy in relation to the actual visits & process.

We would like to hear from you if you would like to be considered for the National Accreditation Review Team.

To register your interest, please email admin@aila.org.au 

The purpose of the National Education Committee is to advise National Council on matters of policy and its implementation with regard to matters of Landscape Architecture Education, Accreditation and Research.

The NEC Chair provides a significant leadership role in the accreditation process, and the NEC itself continually reviews and monitors the accreditation process, including providing the final sign-off on accreditation decisions. The NEC also appoint and supervise a National Accreditation Review Team (NART) drawn from a panel of practitioners and academics that will conduct the Site Visits as part of the Accreditation Procedures.

The NEC are responsible for the review and continual improvement of AILA’s Accreditation policy (which requires National Council sign-off). The terms of reference for this standing ommittee, as well as the members of the Committee are found here (scroll to bottom)