LI life By Lucy Pickford
Entry standards update
The new framework helps us ensure that we’re meeting the ever-growing needs of the sector as we fight against the climate crisis whilst ensuring we maintain robust and rigorous standards of professionalism. Jane Findlay, FLI, President of the Landscape Institute and Director of Fira
traditional fields of practice, it will also bring us in line with other chartered membership bodies and provide us with a flexible framework that can grow and adapt to suit the needs of the profession.
Overview The Landscape Institute has been working towards some very significant changes over the last few years, and part of this has been the development of a new Competency Framework and entry standards to membership. As the professional body for landscape architects, planners and managers, it is the LI’s role to continually reflect the changing needs of practitioners, helping them remain trusted, relevant and successful, today and in the future. It is with these aims in mind that the LI embarked on the review of entry standards. The focus has been on the revision of routes into the profession, the membership grades available, and most importantly, the standards against which professionals are measured. Not only will it put us in a stronger place as an organisation and help us to broaden the profession whilst maintaining and strengthening
The history behind entry standards This important body of work began back in 2017 as part of a 5-year strategy to renew and reinvigorate the way the LI operates, supports its members and deliver better inclusivity and diversity of access to the profession. After a period of research, the LI began working with the sector to develop a competency framework that reflected current and emerging areas of landscape practice. It was the first major update to our entry requirements in over a decade, and the framework would underpin the routes to membership and replace the LI Elements and Areas of Practice document and the P2C syllabus.
Before we did anything, we needed to understand the current state of the industry and what changes had to be made in order to tackle any issues that we collectively faced. This took the form of the ‘The State of Landscape’ practice review and the Education Review in 2017. These sought to help us understand the challenges faced by the industry, but most importantly, join the dots between education providers, employers and other professional bodies that sit alongside ours. The ‘Future State of Landscape’ report was published in 2018, collating the results of this research and setting out the key areas that we needed to focus on. A united approach We endeavoured to engage with as broad a range of stakeholders as possible, whilst not forgetting our core. As part of the process, we’ve undertaken consultations, surveys,
Timeline of the development of our Competency Framework 2017 • Education and practice review research. This included ‘The State of Landscape’ practice review seeking the views of landscape professionals and the Education Review to help us understand current challenges and trends in the sector, joining the dots between education providers, employers and professional bodies
2018 • Publication of the ‘Future State of Landscape’ report which collates the findings from the above research and sets out the case for updating our entry standards. and developing a Competency Framework • Development of competency areas
2019 • Consultation on competency areas • Establishment of new Entry Standards Steering Group • Recruitment of a team of Technical Authors • Member approval for a new Technician grade of membership
2021+ • Phased implementation of the Competency Framework • June – New online management system for Pathway to Chartership and Pathway to Technician • July – Pilot scheme launches
Entry Standards Steering Group Members Michelle Bolger, previous Chair of EMC Nick Harrison, Chief Examiner Vanessa Howell, Chartered Institute of Housing Sue Ireland, Consultant (past Director of Open Spaces, City of London) Andrew Linfoot, Jacobs Steve Millington, Institute of Place Management Dawn Parke, Birmingham City University
2020 • Board approval of draft Competency Framework • Public consultation – the subject of this paper • Board approval of Competency Framework for consultation – to follow this consultation • December – New Competency Framework published
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