Between 2021-23, the gathering of evidence and information on the Institute's accreditation policy and procedures from a wide range of sources was completed. This has been 'Part 1' of the education policy review. The Board of Trustees then took stock of the project outcomes to date and set up an 'Oversight Group' to provide advice to RTPI officers on the management, engagement and strategic implications of the project, and ensure alignment with relevant projects and initiatives, rather than undertaking the review itself: EDUCATION FOR EVERYONE.
Further discussion across the Institute's membership and with relevant stakeholders including standing committees, the Planning Schools Forum and the RTPI General Assembly has occurred.
The intention is, by the end of 2024, that 'Part 2' will complete the research and policy phases related to initial planning education and relevant implications for the APC. It is focused on whether any strategic or technical policy changes should be made to:
- Learning outcomes, including practical and academic content, and other methods of quality assurance procedures.
- Time taken to study for an accredited degree.
- Progression and conversion from student to graduate and into the workplace.
- How the Institute accredits Planning Schools, including review of the term ‘Planning School’ and the five Effective Planning School criteria.
- Consideration of the possibility of expanding accreditation to or creating a recognition process for cognate courses.
- Academic levels of accredited degree appropriate for Licentiate status.
- Additional eligibility requirements where appropriate i.e. post-qualification experience; and implications for levels of APC competencies.
- Definition, level and type of planning experience; and implications for levels of APC competencies.
'Part 3' will recommence the APC Review in 2025, and an implementation phase is likely to run to at least 2026, developed with university partners who deliver initial planning education.
Purpose:
The Board convened the Group to champion the project as part of the eight recommendations from the project diagnostic undertaken by Clever Together Consulting in 2023:
Recommendation 1: Rescope the Education Policy Review as a component of a set of wider strategic initiatives, with the intent to build confidence in stakeholders that the RTPI recognises and is already undertaking action across the whole pathway to chartered membership. This rescoping should encompass all the initiatives that attract new planners, retain planners, further educate and train planners throughout their careers, and assess planners for chartered membership.
Recommendation 2: The RTPI should consider establishing a unified governance structure that draws on all the relevant Committees for delivery of the strategic ambitions to increase the number and diversity of planning professionals. This will ensure alignment and demonstrate to stakeholders that the RTPI’s approach is comprehensive of the entirety of pathways to planning careers.
Recommendation 3: Following recommendation 1, the RTPI should develop a clear narrative for the overall strategic change programme and the position that the Education Policy Review has in it. This narrative should be used to frame further engagement and consultation activities. It will be important that this narrative is communicated to the stakeholders in education providers who are not RTPI members.
Recommendation 4: Consultation periods should be sufficient in length to permit organisational stakeholders to consider responses gain internal approval prior to submission.
Recommendation 5: As part of the engagement and consultation in the next stage, the RTPI should make efforts to bring the different stakeholder groups together so that their different perspectives can be shared. This could be done using a number of methods, including face-to-face or online engagement techniques.
Recommendation 6: The RTPI should continue its planned activity to collect and analyse information about the entry and departure of students from planning degrees. This work should be undertaken with the support offered by the Planning Schools Forum to help access information from planning schools.
Recommendation 7: The RTPI should consider the minimum duration of planning degrees in the context of the whole pathway to chartered membership, including continuing professional development, the development activities undertaken in the licentiate stage and the requirements of the APC. In taking this approach, the RTPI should consider the pedagogical approach to teaching, learning and assessment across the whole pathway to chartered membership.
Recommendation 8: The RTPI should reset the timetable for the planned implementation period from September 2023 to September 2024. This will provide the necessary time for a consultation on the proposals and implementation, prior to the Board of Trustees decisions.
Composition:
All Group members are appointed at the discretion of the Chair of the Board of Trustees and includes a representative from the Young Planner Chairs Committee, Membership & Ethics Committee, Education & Lifelong Learning Committee, Partnership & Accreditation Panel, Membership Assessment Advisory Panel.
The RTPI Chief Executive and relevant RTPI officers with responsibility for education and membership matters will attend all meetings of the Group. Observers from external stakeholders may be invited, from time to time, at the discretion of the Chair of the Board of Trustees and on advice from the Chief Executive to attend a meeting of the Group.
