Conclusions from IFLA Europe webinar on professional recognition and update on Common Training Framework 9 December 2022
The Webinar on 9th December 2022 with high level attendance was the continuation of the first online webinar held in March 2022 about the Recognition of landscape architecture profession in Europe.
Didier Vancutsem, Vice-President Professional Practice IFLA Europe, invited the presidents and delegates of IFLA Europe to discuss the latest achievements of the Common Training Framework and deliver feedback to the document, which will pave the way to the recognition of the profession of landscape architect in Europe in the next months – together with two presentations of the current state of the profession in Germany and Greece.
IFLA Europe President Katerina Gkoltsiou informed the participants on IFLA Europe’s Member Database available on IFLA Europe website under Professional Practice Strategic Objectives. The project was launched in October during the General Assembly in Helsinki/ While improving the effectiveness of IFLA EUROPE at scaling up the efforts for promoting and championing for quality and excellence in profession, ensuring high standards in profession and education, the Member’s Database will be very soon the reference of Landscape Architects’ expertise.
Didier Vancutsem introduced the Webinar and the speakers. Jeroen De Vries, LE:Notre/InnoLAND project and Prof Gintaras Stauskis, InnoLAND project coordinator, LALA Delegate, Professor at VILNIUS TECH, presented the latest proposal for the Common Training Framework for Landscape Architecture (CTF) and its co-creation process: the following discussion with the participants moderated by Didier focused on questions related to education qualification upgrades, ECLAS affiliation, qualification related to description of construction and technical planning skills in the open space planning, relation with client, commissioner and (public) procurement process, management of quality of continuous education courses and its control, as well as its general education standards.
The discussion was followed by the presentation of the current situation of Germany and its professional practice done by Gwendolyn Kusters, Delegate of BAK Germany
to IFLA Europe. Gwendolyn described the history of the BAK (German Chamber of Architects) and BDLA, the membership and governance system, together with the German accreditation system and the 14 German universities. Lena Athanasiadou, President of PHALA Greece and Delegate to IFLA Europe, described the current professional situation in Greece, as a not recognized officially, protected and registered profession: she emphasised the lack of professional Chamber, the recent academia developments, the ELC ratification and its relationship with Greece, the current role and image of landscape architects, and the way to go on the short and long term.
The presentations were followed by a lively discussion on the aims of the European Landscape Convention (ELC) in formally recognising the profession of landscape architects at national and international level and supporting a multi-disciplinary approach to landscape, the professional valorisation of the landscape architecture, the continuous learning process, and the role of the landscape architect in shaping the world into a better place.
Didier Vancutsem thanked all speakers and participants for their contributions as well as constructive and harmonious discussion and concluded this webinar with an invitation to join the final conference of the CTF presentation on Friday 17th March 2023 in Brussels, and the next professional Webinar in April 2023. He also renewed his invitation to the
Delegates to join the Working Group Landscape Architecture Professionals (WG LAP), which is currently working on mapping the profession, the recognition of the professional practice and the development of an innovative Landscape Architecture Portal for all professionals.
The recordings of the Webinar is available here https://youtu.be/ndOddAQ2_wA
For more information, please contact IFLA Europe
Secretariat, secretariat@iflaeurope.eu
