RGE Application Form Explanatory Notes (Stage 1 and Stage 2) REVIEW OF GRADUATE EQUIVALENCE (RGE) FINAL ASSESSMENT OF OVERSEAS ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS IN ARCHITECTURE (for those without a student academic portfolio) FOR THE PURPOSE OF MEETING THE ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS LEADING TO THE PROCESS OF REGISTRATION AS AN ARCHITECT Please read these Explanatory Notes carefully before completing the RGE Application Form. This application form is to be used by those who: o have overseas qualifications in Architecture and significant experience, but no longer have a student academic portfolio; and o have ten (10) years of experience under the supervision of an Architect immediately preceding your application and subsequent to graduation from a professional qualification in Architecture; and o have obtained a positive AACA Provisional Assessment or Skills Assessment for migration purpose; and o are an Australian citizen or permanent resident of Australia; or have a visa granting permission to work in Australia (without limitation). 1. GENERAL INFORMATION It is the law in Australia that if you wish to use the title of, and offer services to the public as, an Architect you must be registered. To become eligible to register as an Architect in Australia you are required to have a recognised qualification in architecture of a minimum of five years full-time academic study; undertake a period of practice in Australia; and (where prescribed) pass the AACA Architectural Practice Examination. If you have overseas academic qualifications in architecture your qualifications must be assessed to determine equivalency with a currently accredited Australian qualification in architecture. The Architects Accreditation Council of Australia (AACA) is the recognised assessing authority. AACA is not a registration authority; its role is to provide an opinion by facilitating an assessment process. This process is recognised by each of the state and territory Architect registration authorities as a prerequisite to registration. The decision to register applicants is the sole prerogative of the registration authorities. The AACA assessment of overseas academic qualifications in architecture for the purpose of meeting the academic requirements leading to the process of registration as an Architect in Australia is a two-step process. A Provisional Assessment or alternatively, a Skills Assessment for Migration Purposes; and a final assessment – Review of Academic Equivalence (RAE) or, if eligible, the Review of Graduate Equivalence (RGE). If you have not had a Provisional Assessment or a Skills Assessment for Migration Purposes by AACA you should visit the AACA website. AACA Review of Graduate Equivalence Application Form – Explanatory Notes 1 By submitting an RGE application you: a. acknowledge that you have read and understood the information supplied in the current RGE Explanatory Notes; b. declare that all information and documents provided are complete, correct and up-todate; c. acknowledge that the failure to provide all information required as indicated in the current RGE Explanatory Notes will mean that your application is incomplete and that AACA is unable to complete its assessment and will not be able to express an opinion as to the status of your qualification; d. authorise AACA to make any enquiries necessary to assist in the assessment of your qualifications and to use any information supplied in your application for that purpose; e. consent to the release of any information provided to a state or territory Architects registration authority; and f. acknowledge that the provision of false or misleading information may result in: i that information being provided to a State or Territory Architects registration authority; and/ or ii a decision by AACA to review any opinion provided relating to your application. g. undertake to inform AACA of any changes to your circumstances (e.g. address) while your application is being considered. About these RGE Explanatory Notes Please keep these RGE Explanatory Notes and a copy of all documents and materials sent to AACA in a safe place and refer to them for any queries you may have. At the time of publication the information is accurate but some changes may be made over time. Please consult the AACA website before you lodge your application to ensure you have the current information and RGE application form. 2. RGE An AACA assessment of your overseas academic qualifications in Architecture through a Review of Graduate Equivalence (RGE) is an opinion on the status of your academic qualification in terms of equivalency with a current Australian accredited qualification in Architecture. The RGE is a final assessment available to those who have completed an overseas qualification obtained by coursework and who have significant experience, but no longer have a student academic portfolio. The process is intended for those who hold professional overseas qualifications in Architecture who have received a positive AACA Provisional Assessment or Skills Assessment for Migration Purposes, and who have 10 years of experience under the supervision of an Architect immediately preceding your application and subsequent to graduation from a professional course in architecture. The RGE is undertaken only in Australia. The RGE assessment is undertaken against The National Competency Standards in Architecture (NCSA). The applicable NCSA competencies for RGE applicants are: 1.1 To create an Architectural design through the exercise of knowledge, imagination, judgement and professional responsibility. 1.2 To formulate an Architectural design in response to a project brief, sufficient to obtain endorsement of overall objectives and design concept by a client and other interested parties. 1.3 To develop a detailed design which is consistent with the design concept. 1.4 To resolve a detailed design sufficient to obtain agreement and authorisation to proceed to documentation for its translation into built form. 1.5 To continuously comply with the project brief and meet contractual agreements throughout the course of implementation of a design project. 3.1 To confirm objectives and conditions at inception of project. 4.1.4 To comply with the law and regulations governing the conduct of an Architectural practice. 4.1.5 To observe the standards of conduct expected by the community of a professional in the practice of Architecture. The following documentation, containing further information, may be accessed from the AACA website, www.aaca.org.au/publications: National Competency Standards in Architecture (NCSA) Guide for Applicants (NCSA (GC)). If, in addition to your overseas academic qualification, you have completed Australian postgraduate qualifications in architecture by coursework, and you wish to have these qualifications considered, you should also submit the required documentation for those qualifications. Please Note: AACA assesses only completed academic qualifications in architecture. AACA only assesses qualifications obtained by course work. AACA Review of Graduate Equivalence Application Form – Explanatory Notes 2 • AACA will only assess complete applications, including provision of an adequate work experience portfolio. (Further information on the portfolio requirements is provided in Section 8. of these Explanatory Notes.) AACA considers RGE applications on a case by case basis. In forming its opinion on the status of an overseas qualification AACA considers the material submitted by the applicant along with a range of factors, including the education system in the country from which the qualifications were obtained, the status of the school and the level, structure and content of the program of study undertaken. The RGE process is conducted in two stages: Stage 1: Submission of the RGE Application Form Section 1 and your qualification documentation; a Summary Matrix of Experience with ten (10) years of experience under the supervision of an Architect immediately preceding your application and subsequent to graduation (RGE Application Form Section 2); Employer References (RGE Application Form Section 3); and a C.V. (RGE Application Form Section 4). Stage 2: Submission of your RGE Application Form Section 5 and three (3) copies of your work experience portfolio. A failure to complete all procedural requirements will result in your application being incomplete (see Section 3. of these Explanatory Notes). AACA accepts no responsibility for the judgments made by individuals or third parties that may disagree with its assessment. 3. COMPLETING STAGE 1 You will need to complete the RGE Application Form Sections 1, 2, 3 and 4, provide all the information and documents asked for and pay the required fee before your application for Stage 1 can be accepted. Answer all questions in English, unless otherwise requested. Initial and date any alterations on the form. If you have more than two qualifications in architecture, and you wish to have these additional qualifications considered, please provide details of these in the same format as required on the form but provide this information on a separate sheet of paper and sign and date it. Please send all required documents and your assessment fee to AACA at the address shown on the application form. If the documentation is in order AACA will invite you to lodge an application for Stage 2. Your acceptance of that invitation must be received by AACA within 3 months of the date of the offer by AACA. Please note: Applications which are incomplete or do not conform to AACA’s requirements as set out in these Explanatory Notes cannot be processed and will be returned to applicants – in particular see Sections 5,6,7 and 8 of these Notes. 4. ENGLISH PROFICIENCY English proficiency with the overall band score of 6.5 IELTS or equivalent is required. (Refer to Section 3 of the RGE Application Form). 5. DOCUMENTS TO BE PROVIDED (with your RGE Stage 1 application) Please note: Applicants must use the AACA forms indicated below. The documents required are: a. RGE Application Form Section 1 – this form must be completed, signed and dated. b. degrees or diplomas in the original language c. official transcripts of educational courses completed (or student book or mark sheets) in the original language. A transcript is a list of the subjects studied by the individual student each year, the weighting of each subject in hours or credit points, and the marks obtained. d. Summary Matrix (RGE Application Form Section 2) – An analytical summary of your work experience emphasising key projects with ten (10) years experience under the supervision of an Architect immediately preceding your application and subsequent to graduation, cross referenced to the NCSA competencies and to employer references, as well as to your work experience portfolio which you intend to submit at Stage 2. You must provide details of at least two projects against each of the relevant competencies. e. Employer References (RGE Application Form Section 3) – References from employers, validating your authorship/role in relevant projects contained in your work experience portfolio, as identified in the Summary Matrix (RGE Form Section 2). References must be from employers who are Architects. Please note: The Summary Matrix AND relevant documents need to be sighted by the employer to enable them to validate the evidence you are providing. f. Curriculum Vitae (CV) (RGE Application Form Section 4) – A concise cv covering ten (10) years experience under the supervision of an Architect immediately preceding your application and subsequent to graduation g. evidence of English proficiency AACA Review of Graduate Equivalence Application Form – Explanatory Notes 3 h. i. j. evidence of change of name (where applicable) evidence of residence status in Australia evidence of AACA Provisional Assessment or Skills Assessment for Migration Purposes. To support your application, you will need to provide certified copies of all academic documents listed. (Further information on certification is provided at Section 6.). Please do not send the originals of these documents or photocopies of certified copies. AACA does not return original documents. Documents not in English must be translated and certified copies attached to the documents from which they have been translated. (Further information on translation requirements is provided in Section 7.) Extract translations are not acceptable. printed below the signature. It must be possible, from the details provided, for AACA to contact the certifying officer if necessary. 7. TRANSLATION All documents you send to AACA must be translated into English. If the documents are translated in a country other than Australia, the translator must be approved by the authorities in the country where the translation is made. Ask the Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate for advice if you are unsure. Translators in Australia are listed in the Yellow Pages telephone book and should be accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI). All documents provided must be officially issued in hard copy by the relevant institution or authority. In AACA’s experience, it is unusual for an educational institution or authority not to have records. Keep the original English translation for your future use. Send only certified copies of the English translation. Documentation must be submitted in unbound loose-leaf format. Documentation that is not provided in the required format will be returned without assessment. 8. All personal information received by AACA will be handled confidentially. 6. CERTIFICATION All copies of documents that you send to AACA must be certified by an authorised person. A certified copy is a copy of an original document that is certified as a true copy by an authorised person. In Australia, AACA only accepts documents certified by Justices of the Peace, legal practitioners, and Admission Officers at all Australian universities. If certification is provided as a separate document, you must send both the certification and the copy of the document being certified. AACA will not provide an assessment on the basis of certification only. To have your copies certified you will need to provide both the original and the copy of the document to the person certifying the documents. Each copy of the document must be certified separately, and must show clearly: the words ‘certified true copy of the original’ the signature of the certifying officer, and the name and address or provider/registration number (where appropriate) of the certifying officer legibly Extract translations are not acceptable STAGE 2 – PORTFOLIO REQUIREMENTS If all documentation submitted in Stage 1 is in order you will be invited to undertake Stage 2 of the RGE application. Acceptance of that invitation must be received by AACA within 3 months of the date of the offer by AACA. In Stage 2, you are required to forward to AACA three (3) copies of your work experience portfolio with ten (10) years experience under the supervision of an Architect immediately preceding your application and subsequent to graduation. When lodging your work experience portfolio you must complete and include RGE Application Form Section 5. The portfolio must be legible and of sufficient quality to evidence competence in each of the NCSA criteria relevant to the RGE. If relevant, you may include supplementary material in the portfolio. All material lodged at Stage 2 must have been cited in, and cross referenced to, the Summary Matrix (RGE Application Form Section 2), Employer References (RGE Application Form Section 3) and Curriculum Vitae (RGE Application Form Section 4). Applications which are incomplete or do not conform to AACA’s requirements as set out in these Explanatory Notes cannot be processed and will be returned to applicants. Presentation of your work experience portfolio for Stage 2 You must submit three (3) labeled legible sets of your work experience portfolio. Each copy of your work experience portfolio must AACA Review of Graduate Equivalence Application Form – Explanatory Notes 4 be provided in (and not exceed) an A4 plastic document wallet as shown below. Large scale material may be reduced to A3 and folded to fit into the A4 plastic document wallet. All pages of your work experience portfolio must be numbered and cross referenced to the RGE Summary Matrix. The fee is payable to “AACA” and is to be paid by one of the following methods: a bank cheque drawn by an Australian bank a money order issued by Australia Post. AACA does not accept cash, personal cheques, travellers cheques, payment by credit card or electronic funds transfer. AACA is not responsible for the loss of cash if sent. A receipt will be issued to acknowledge AACA has received your application. 11. Note: if you do not have originals of these documents a Commonwealth Statutory Declaration, stating that the documents are true copies of the originals must be included. You are encouraged to submit your own work only; if evidence represents the output of a team in which you were a member, your specific contribution to the collaborative work must be clearly identified, and validated by the employer’s reference. 9. RGE INTERVIEW REQUIREMENTS The RGE assessment requires you to attend an interview with an RGE Panel. The interview is usually held at the office of the Architects registration board in the state/territory in which you are living. If all the documentation and material you forward to AACA is in order, AACA will notify the relevant Architect registration board and request an interview to be arranged. You will be advised of the time and place for the interview. AACA will forward documentation and material that you submitted with your Stage 1 and Stage 2 application to the assessors. It is essential that you bring to the interview: The original degree certificates and academic transcripts. If you do not provide the originals of these documents, the interview will be concluded and you will need to apply for a second interview. An additional fee will apply. Please note: The interview is not an opportunity for the presentation of additional material. Material which was not included at the time of application will not be considered in the interview. 10. FEES Please consult the AACA website for current information about fees. Fees are subject to change without notice and are not normally refundable. ASSESSMENT OUTCOME AACA will write directly to you with its decision, normally within three weeks of the interview informing you whether or not, in the opinion of AACA, your qualifications are assessed as academically equivalent to a currently accredited architectural qualification from a recognised school of architecture in Australia, which is the standard required for registration in Australia. Equivalent Qualification If your qualifications are assessed as equivalent and you wish to become registered as an Architect in any state or territory of Australia you will need to have your RGE assessment accepted by the relevant registration authority. You should also be aware that before being eligible to apply for registration as an Architect, you must have completed a period of approved Architectural practice and have obtained a pass in the AACA Architectural Practice Examination (APE). Successful RGE applicants may claim relevant Australian practical experience from the date of their arrival in Australia. Non-equivalent Qualification If your qualifications are assessed as not equivalent to a currently accredited architecture qualification in Australia, the subject areas in which you are deficient will be identified so that you may undertake further study in these subjects from a professionally accredited architecture course at a recognised Australian school of architecture, in order to raise your qualification to equivalence. Alternatively you may consider applying for the National Program of Assessment (NPrA), if you meet the eligibility requirements. Information about the NPrA is available on the AACA website. 12. APPEALS If you disagree with the assessment provided you may appeal to AACA against the outcome. The appeal must be lodged in writing with the Chief Executive Officer of AACA within 28 days from the date of notification of the result. Applicants must state clearly the grounds for appeal. AACA Review of Graduate Equivalence Application Form – Explanatory Notes 5 Further information may be obtained from the Publications section on the AACA website, Booklet 2: Guide for Candidates (NCSA GC). Please consult the AACA website for current information about the appeal fee. Fees are subject to change without notice and are not normally refundable. 13. PENALTIES By submitting your RGE application you acknowledge that the provision of false or misleading information may result in: • That information being provided to a state or territory Architects registration authority; and/ or • a decision by AACA to review any opinion provided relating to your application. AACA reserves the right to contact educational and government institutions, professional bodies and agencies for additional information and/or verification of the authenticity of the material presented. 14. HOW TO CONTACT AACA For information or advice on completing the RGE form contact: Architects Accreditation Council of Australia (AACA) PO Box 236 Civic Square CANBERRA ACT 2608P Ph: 02 6230 0506 Email: [email protected] Web: www.aaca.org.au January 2014 AACA Review of Graduate Equivalence Application Form – Explanatory Notes 6
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