Continuing education

As a registered architect, you are legally obliged (NL) to follow at least 16 hours of continuing education per year. This obligation applies per registration

The responsibility for continuing education lies with you. This applies not only to the fulfilment of the annual obligation, but also to the quality of the training.

The value of continuing education

After registration in the register of architects, there are several ways to continue to guarantee quality during the career. Continuing education and training is an important part of this. A client who hires a registered person or an employer who hires a registered person brings in someone who understands his profession and is aware of current needs.

The world around us is changing and the profession is constantly evolving. For example, more and more interdisciplinary work is being done. The sustainability and climate challenges, new design questions as a result of the coronavirus, circular construction and technological developments have a major impact on professional practice. Keeping up with the times is therefore important for everyone. It is not for nothing that individual (knowledge) development is regulated in the collective labor agreement for the architectural sector. Subsidies are also available for training through 'Tools for Development' (NL).

Continuing education is a broad concept. A lecture by a colleague can be part of continuing education, a study trip, an intensive training module of one year and everything in between. In principle, continuing education activities can be followed anywhere: in-company training courses, symposia, lectures or courses at a (recognised) institute, both at home and abroad. Consciously thinking about the above questions and making an annual plan of action on which themes and topics continuing education and training is most appropriate is part of your responsibility to be able to practice the profession well. You can find part of the continuing education on our website, but also on those of the professional organisations NVTL, BNA, BNI and BNSP.

Lifelong learning
In order to continue to guarantee quality, continuing education and training is important

Keeping track of continuing education in the register

The register of architects is the place where you are registered. Your personal digital environment is therefore also a logical place to keep track of all continuing education activities. This overview can help you when clients ask about your qualifications.

In order for an activity to count towards the minimum of 16 hours per year of compulsory continuing education per registration, a number of criteria apply from the government.

The criteria for architects can be found here (NL).