Architects Registration Board

Architects play a crucial role in creating a built environment that is safe and sustainable, and where everyone can live well.

The Architects Registration Board (ARB) is the independent professional regulator of the architects’ profession. Established by Parliament as a statutory body through the Architects Act in 1997, we are accountable to government. We work to ensure that good standards within the profession are consistently maintained for the benefit of the public.

It is an important and exciting time for ARB. We are in the middle of delivering an ambitious five-year corporate strategy which sets our vision and programme of work to modernise and improve the regulation of architects. Our Board is committed to approaching regulation in a positive and purposeful way so that we play the fullest part we can in responding to key challenges including climate change, sustainability and fire and life safety design.

In line with our strategy, we are modernising the way that architects are educated and trained

this is the most significant changes to architectural education and training in 50 years. We have also developed a new mandatory model for the continuing professional development of architects, underpinned by legislation in the Building Safety Act. This was a key recommendation emerging from Dame Judith Hackitt’s report, Building a Safer Future.

An organisational transformation to modernise outdated systems, processes and information technology is also underway so that we can deliver our statutory functions in a more effective and efficient way and make our organisation more accessible to the public and to architects.

Our Board members play a vital role in helping to shape and approve ARB’s strategy and policies and hold the executive team to account for the delivering of its statutory functions. Our Board members find that their roles provide them with the opportunity to shape the future of the architects’ profession and enable the profession to maximise its impact in shaping the built environment. The Boardroom Apprentice Programme would provide opportunities to observe our Board and Committee meetings as we work towards achieving our ambitious strategy. By being involved in the Apprentice Programme, we hope that we will be helping to support a wide and diverse range of future candidates who would like to participate in public life by being board members of public bodies such as ARB, and who would like to be involved in making decisions that shape and deliver government policy and public services.