Who can enter the Student Awards?

The President's Medals awards invite nominations from students enrolled (or who have just graduated) from courses validated by the RIBA world-wide. For the last few years, a selection of schools with non-validated courses have been invited to nominate entries by paying an entry fee. Each school can submit two design projects for Part 1, two design projects for Part 2 and one dissertation, to be made up of work undertaken in the current academic year from courses validated by the RIBA.
 
Part 1 is the equivalent of a university level undergraduate honours degree which is normally the first three years of a student's course. Part 2 is the equivalent of a university level post graduate degree / masters degree / diploma - awarded at the end of the full five year course. Each School can submit one dissertation in English from either the Part 1 or Part 2. All nominations have to be submitted through the password protected online entry form.

What are 'validated' courses?

The RIBA has had a long-standing involvement in promoting high quality and innovative architectural education throughout the world.  Through validation the Institute identifies courses and examinations which achieve the standards necessary to prepare students for the professional practice of architecture. Validation is a peer review process that monitors compliance with internationally recognised minimum standards in architectural education and encourages excellence and diversity in student achievement.

Visiting Boards, composed of experienced practising architects and academics, visit schools of architecture to assess the standard of output of courses for exemption from the RIBA's Examinations in Architecture. Validation is undertaken against a set of Validation Criteria held in common by the RIBA and the UK national registration body, the Architects Registration Board (ARB). 

For more information on the procedures and criteria for validation, see the Validation section of the RIBA website.

Tomorrow's Architect

Students, prospective students, academics, teachers and careers advisors are also advised to consult Tomorrow's Architect: the RIBA Outline Syllabus for the Validation of Courses, Programmes and Examinations in Architecture, available from www.ribabookshops.com.