Functions


Monitoring Committees, when authorised, carry out the following functions and manage the section of the APEC Architect Register, with delegated authority of the Central Council, for which they are responsible, in accordance with Central Council policy, guidelines and rules of procedure.


Constituent Bodies of the Central Council

Monitoring Committees that have been authorised to maintain a section of the APEC Architect Register are the constituent bodies of the Central Council. Each Monitoring Committee must nominate at least one representative to the APEC Architect Central Council, although there is no restriction on the number of members they appoint. However, it is expected that representatives will be able to speak on behalf of the regulatory authority in their economy.

Each authorised Monitoring Committee is entitled to one vote on the Central Council.


APEC Architect Register

The central duty of an authorised Monitoring Committee is to establish and maintain a section of the APEC Architect Register for the enrolment of APEC Architects registered/ licensed in that economy. It is responsible for the enrolment and periodic renewal of the names of architects on the Register who satisfy APEC Architect criteria, and the removal of the names of those who no longer comply. Each Monitoring Committee must establish, monitor and regularly update the database of the section of the Register for that economy and publish a list of APEC Architects enrolled on that section.

Monitoring Committees issue Certificates of APEC Architect Registration and APEC Architect Identification Cards, and provide advice on registered particulars of APEC Architects, on request.


Assessment of Candidates for Registration

Monitoring Committees must authenticate the architectural education and practical experience of each candidate and certify it as satisfying APEC Architect criteria. They are also required to evaluate the subsequent seven-year period of professional experience as a registered / licensed practitioner for compliance with APEC Architect requirements in accordance with Central Council guidelines on the information required, to ensure uniformity between economies. Assessments are conducted at least annually and applications dealt with in a timely manner.

Opportunities are provided for individuals to request a review of an adverse judgement.


Maintaining Standards

Monitoring Committees must equally ensure that the required standards continue to be maintained by the architects enrolled on their sections of the APEC Architect Register. To provide assurance that the professional competence of APEC Architects remains at an acceptable level, the Central Council requires confirmation that renewal of registration in the home economy is subject to compliance with professional development requirements or similar tests of continued competence.

Similarly, Monitoring Committees have a duty to monitor the continued compliance of the systems employed for accreditation/recognition of architectural education and the professional recognition of architects in their economies with the standards originally authorised by the Central Council. The procedures adopted by Monitoring Committees for this purpose are subject to periodic review by the Central Council. Monitoring Committees must immediately notify the Council of any changes to professional recognition requirements that might conflict with APEC Architect criteria and policy.


Information and Communication

To ensure transparency of process in facilitating the mobility of architects throughout the APEC region, each Monitoring Committee publishes on its website any requirements that its economy places on APEC Architects from other economies.

At six month intervals Monitoring Committees are required to complete a Council Report on their APEC Architect registration activities and any other significant developments during the period, for circulation to all participating economies. The Secretariat also posts updates of its activities and other relevant information on the Central Council website every three months. Another important function of Monitoring Committees is to promote the benefits of registration as an APEC Architect to members of the profession, both nationally and internationally, and to regulatory authorities and other relevant organisations.

The APEC Architect Secretariat maintains regular dialogue with the APEC Secretariat.

Central Council Obligations

As the constituent bodies of the Central Council, Monitoring Committees act as the point of contact and centre of information for the APEC Architect project in each economy. They have responsibility for promotion of the project, and for the publication and distribution of relevant documents and the provision of advice on all APEC Architect matters to architects, government authorities and other external agencies. Monitoring Committees, or their representatives, also contribute to the administrative and review functions of the Central Council as required. From time to time participating economies are called upon to act as Secretariat, on a rotating basis, and to provide administrative services for the Central Council for a limited period.

Termination of Authorisation

A Monitoring Committee may surrender its authorisation to maintain a section of the APEC Architect Register after giving due notice to the Central Council.


AUTHORISATION OF MONITORING COMMITTEES


An APEC economy seeking to operate a section of the APEC Architect Register must first constitute a Monitoring Committee to submit an application to the APEC Architect Central Council, through the Secretariat, for authorisation to do so. (Note: In economies with multiple domestic jurisdictions, where applicable, the professional standards and criteria established by national organisations acting as councils of individual regulatory authorities are those to be evaluated for the authorisation of Monitoring Committees.)

Application for Authorisation

To promote consistency and transparency of process, the Central Council has prepared guidelines on the information to be provided by Monitoring Committees in support of their applications for authorisation to show conformance with APEC Architect criteria. It will require advice on:

• education and practical experience/training requirements for registration/licensure as an architect in that economy;
• the accreditation/ recognition procedures employed to assess them;
• procedures adopted to assess compliance with the required professional practice experience as a registered/licensed architect.

Additional information required by the Central Council will include the composition of Monitoring Committees, the procedures they will employ for management of the section of the APEC Architect Register for which they will be responsible, and the resources available for undertaking these responsibilities. In reaching its decision, the Council will assess the professional recognition criteria and assessment systems in place in the economy applying for authorisation to determine their compliance with APEC Architect criteria. It will also take into account quality assurance provisions adopted by the economy to monitor continued conformance with required standards of competence and of professional conduct.

Economies, authorised to do so, may establish a section of the APEC Architect Register. Economies not authorised to operate a section of the Register will receive guidance on rectifying deficiencies and have the right to reapply.

Continued Authorisation

Authorised Monitoring Committees, and the procedures they adopt, are subject to periodic review by the Central Council to ensure that they continue to comply with agreed standards. They must immediately notify the Central Council of any material changes in education provision, accreditation/recognition systems and registration/licensure requirements to those which were approved for initial authorisation, or of any other significant developments concerning the professional recognition of architects in their economies that might conflict with Council policy.

A Monitoring Committee whose authorisation has been suspended by the Central Council because it no longer conforms with APEC Architect criteria may, with reason, request an independent review of the decision.