AIA UK Amended Mission Statement + Future Goals
Fiona Mckay
Climate Change by Creative Mania from the Noun Project
The AIA UK Board met on October 12 for its annual Strategic Planning session to review the chapter’s current initiatives and plan for its future. The board has voted to approve proposed amendments to the chapter’s mission statement to include wording that incorporates current thinking on diversity and inclusion, as well as climate change, as follows:
AIA UK Mission Statement
To serve members and the architectural community of the UK by:
providing relevant and innovative educational opportunities;
promoting ethical and inclusive practices in the architectural industry;
promoting good design in all aspects of the built environment;
advocating on behalf of the profession in the context of our position in the local community;
acting as a liaison between AIA jurisdictions and local UK organisations;
facilitating interaction and communication between members, other professionals and industry leaders; and,
leading and supporting the adoption of progressive initiatives that address the urgent challenge of climate change.
The mission statement can be downloaded from the AIA UK website, here.
Following a rousing debate and considered deliberation at the November board meeting, the board has also agreed key short and long-term goals that expand upon its 2019 focus on equity, diversity and inclusion, as well as a forthcoming focus on addressing climate change. These goals include:
Perform an annual audit of the integration of diversity and inclusion in the chapter's programming and outreach to measure alignment with the chapter's mission and identify opportunities for improvement. At the January 2019 AGM, the chapter announced a focus on equity, diversity and inclusion with three key aims; you can read more about this initiative on our blog. By measuring performance, the board aims to hold itself accountable to this initiative in the years to come. Results of each annual audit will be announced at the AGM.
Integrate sustainability into the Design Awards. We recognize that the industry can no longer turn a blind eye to the role it plays in affecting climate change. The Design Awards, which celebrates excellence in design will now also look to celebrate those projects that make efforts to go beyond business as usual in sustainable practice. Details of the implementation of this initiative will be released during the call for submissions for the 2020 Design Awards.
Streamline the Design Awards submissions process. Architects are a busy sort, and with modern society’s increasing pressures on time, we’re looking to overhaul the submissions process to make it easier for practices to participate and to encourage individuals and businesses of all scales to submit their work.
Reinstate the Noel Hill Award as an annual student prize for architectural travel and/or research. After a brief hiatus, the relaunch of the Noel Hill Award was announced at the 2019 Student Charrette. Eligibility criteria and submission timelines for the £2,000 travel and research grant will be announced shortly.
Promote member projects through social media platforms. Over the last few years, the AIA UK chapter has increased its presence on social media platforms including Instagram. We’re looking to continue to promote members’ achievements and are developing a program to allow our membership to quickly and easily share their projects with our press team.
Develop an AIA UK Roadshow to raise awareness of the chapter with UK-based practices and universities. Though our chapter is over 25 years old, we realise that many recent expats and US companies with a local office may not be aware of the multitude of ways they can benefit from being members. The Roadshow will bring the AIA UK directly to members and their colleagues to answer any questions you may have about our events and how the AIA can serve you.
Develop a policy and budget to cover travel for attendance of directors to board meetings. Currently, board meetings are held in London. Board members residing outside Greater London are able to dial in for meetings; members within London are encouraged to attend in person and to use public transit where possible. The new policy will enable greater in-person attendance from board members residing outside Greater London.
As we look to the next year, we welcome the thoughts, comments and participation of our membership. If you are interested in contributing to one of the above projects, or have ideas for how we can improve our chapter services, please get in touch at chapterexecutive@aiauk.org or membership@aiauk.org.
Written by: Amrita Raja AIA
