The RIBA

Understanding different educational routes and qualifications practised and permitted across the globe can be a complex subject. Timothy Onyenobi, Architect and member of RIBA Expert Advisory Group; Diba Salam, Creative Director of StudioDS; Azlina Bulmer, Director of RIBA International; and Bin Sheng, Architect and partner at PLP Architecture explore how international architects are often not recognised as such in countries where they did not obtain their qualification, often needing to undergo local exams. They unpack different facets of this barrier, and ways in which this can be addressed by improving international partnerships and making assessments more accessible.

From 18 to 26 November 2021, our annual Inclusion Festival took the form of a dedicated radio station, broadcast live from the bookshop at the RIBA's HQ in London.

Marsha Ramroop, former BBC journalist and the RIBA's Director of Inclusion & Diversity, hosted a lively mixture of music, live and pre-recorded interviews, discussions and debate - featuring over 90 special guests from across the worlds of architecture, design, arts, culture, and sport, as well as key leaders from the worlds of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI).

Dr Neal Shasore, Head of School and CEO of the London School of Architecture; Dr Corinne Fowler, Professor at the University of Leicester and specialist in colonialism; and Harsha Gore and Jasmine Lawrence from Decolonise Architecture Group (collective aiming to decolonise architectural education) discuss how the practice of decolonisation can spark creative exploration within the architecture profession. They also discuss different opportunities to manage the narratives around decolonising architecture, and how this is necessary to create an inclusive profession.

From 18 to 26 November 2021, our annual Inclusion Festival took the form of a dedicated radio station, broadcast live from the bookshop at the RIBA's HQ in London.

Marsha Ramroop, former BBC journalist and the RIBA's Director of Inclusion & Diversity, hosted a lively mixture of music, live and pre-recorded interviews, discussions and debate - featuring over 90 special guests from across the worlds of architecture, design, arts, culture, and sport, as well as key leaders from the worlds of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI).

Some say that we shape our buildings, and thereafter, our buildings shape us. In a pre-recorded interview with the Mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees discusses how the profession needs to address the complex range of challenges present when planning the future of cities and include people from a variety of backgrounds with a diversity of lived experience who can help us better understand these. This is followed by a panel discussion featuring Julie Fleck OBE, strategic access and inclusive design adviser; Zoe Partington, Co-Director of Dis/Ordinary Architecture; Iain McKinnon, Director of Inclusive Design at Global Disability Innovation Hub who share ways in which the lived experiences of people with disabilities could be better embedded in architectural education and practice, making it part of the everyday conversations.

From 18 to 26 November 2021, our annual Inclusion Festival took the form of a dedicated radio station, broadcast live from the bookshop at the RIBA's HQ in London.

Marsha Ramroop, former BBC journalist and the RIBA's Director of Inclusion & Diversity, hosted a lively mixture of music, live and pre-recorded interviews, discussions and debate - featuring over 90 special guests from across the worlds of architecture, design, arts, culture, and sport, as well as key leaders from the worlds of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI).

In a one-to-one session, Marsha Ramroop and Sally Leech, Director at Henpicked: Menopause in the Workplace discuss how to talk about menopause so that the individual experiencing menopause can comfortably and safely share their experience and find the right support. They cover the ideal approach to addressing menopause in workplaces, exploring the culture, training, policies, guidance, communication and engagement necessary to effectively support people experiencing menopause.

From 18 to 26 November 2021, our annual Inclusion Festival took the form of a dedicated radio station, broadcast live from the bookshop at the RIBA's HQ in London.

Marsha Ramroop, former BBC journalist and the RIBA's Director of Inclusion & Diversity, hosted a lively mixture of music, live and pre-recorded interviews, discussions and debate - featuring over 90 special guests from across the worlds of architecture, design, arts, culture, and sport, as well as key leaders from the worlds of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI).

London has the highest concentration of architects in the world – and 70% of the income generated by architecture in the UK comes from London and the South East region – so, what does this mean for inclusion and the perception of those who are based outside of London? Grace Choi, Director at Grace Choi Architecture; Sue Emms, North Region Chair of Building Design Partnership; and Elena Marco, Head of Dept. of Architecture and the Built Environment of UWE discuss how to retain architectural talent in different areas across the UK, so that the profession is less centred around London. Proposed creative solutions include ensuring that architectural apprenticeships and higher-education courses were present across all regions in the UK.

From 18 to 26 November 2021, our annual Inclusion Festival took the form of a dedicated radio station, broadcast live from the bookshop at the RIBA's HQ in London.

Marsha Ramroop, former BBC journalist and the RIBA's Director of Inclusion & Diversity, hosted a lively mixture of music, live and pre-recorded interviews, discussions and debate - featuring over 90 special guests from across the worlds of architecture, design, arts, culture, and sport, as well as key leaders from the worlds of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI).

A panel discussion on architecture education with Dr Jenny Russell, Director of Education at RIBA; Charlie Edmond from Future Architects Front (campaign to challenge and end exploitation in architecture); and Paul Crosby, Architect, and Head of Professional Practice Part 3 at AA School. The panel explores how fundamental issues around cost, curricula, decolonisation, mental health and professional support within education are currently being addressed, and propose some more inclusive alternatives.

From 18 to 26 November 2021, our annual Inclusion Festival took the form of a dedicated radio station, broadcast live from the bookshop at the RIBA's HQ in London.

Marsha Ramroop, former BBC journalist and the RIBA's Director of Inclusion & Diversity, hosted a lively mixture of music, live and pre-recorded interviews, discussions and debate - featuring over 90 special guests from across the worlds of architecture, design, arts, culture, and sport, as well as key leaders from the worlds of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI).

Susy Ridout, mentor, author, and trainer in the field of neurodiversity; Pooja Agrawal, co-founder of Public Practice and co-host of SOUND ADVICE; and Dr Binna Kandola OBE, Business Psychologist and co-founder of Pearn Kandola discuss the current recruitment landscape, and evaluate how recruitment processes that are reliable and fair can be created.

From 18 to 26 November 2021, our annual Inclusion Festival took the form of a dedicated radio station, broadcast live from the bookshop at the RIBA's HQ in London.

Marsha Ramroop, former BBC journalist and the RIBA's Director of Inclusion & Diversity, hosted a lively mixture of music, live and pre-recorded interviews, discussions and debate - featuring over 90 special guests from across the worlds of architecture, design, arts, culture, and sport, as well as key leaders from the worlds of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI).

Jane Simpson, Architect and access consultant; Ed Warner, government champion for accessible design at Motionspot join Shani Dhanda, disability activist to explore how more can be done to attract disabled people into the profession, as well as how architects and the wider construction sector can better address and serve the needs of people with disabilities. This conversation centers on prioritising awareness of the strategies and guidance that already exist to improve design for people with disabilities in the built environment. Some highlights from this discussion include a call for clear leadership and accountability to champion inclusion in workplaces, the dissemination of design and knowledge and support for designing accessible spaces (or readapting them for accessibility), as well as involving people with disabilities into the entirety of the design process beyond the initial design phases in order to create truly inclusive spaces.

From 18 to 26 November 2021, our annual Inclusion Festival took the form of a dedicated radio station, broadcast live from the bookshop at the RIBA's HQ in London.

Marsha Ramroop, former BBC journalist and the RIBA's Director of Inclusion & Diversity, hosted a lively mixture of music, live and pre-recorded interviews, discussions and debate - featuring over 90 special guests from across the worlds of architecture, design, arts, culture, and sport, as well as key leaders from the worlds of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI).

A one-on-one discussion with Shani Dhanda, disability activist, The BBC's 100 Women in 2020. As a keynote speaker and practitioner for inclusion across business, government, non-profit and wider society, Shani discusses her work, explaining how she helps organisations break down barriers and integrate inclusion into their business frameworks.

From 18 to 26 November 2021, our annual Inclusion Festival took the form of a dedicated radio station, broadcast live from the bookshop at the RIBA's HQ in London.

Marsha Ramroop, former BBC journalist and the RIBA's Director of Inclusion & Diversity, hosted a lively mixture of music, live and pre-recorded interviews, discussions and debate - featuring over 90 special guests from across the worlds of architecture, design, arts, culture, and sport, as well as key leaders from the worlds of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI).

Guests Adam Nathaniel Furman, artist, designer, and editor of ‘Queer Spaces’, 2022; Dr Joshua Mardell, architectural historian, and editor of ‘Queer Spaces’, 2022; Tabs The Butch Gardener, club promoter, musician, and gardening writer and Christina Riley, Planner and co-founder of Building Equality and Construct-Ability discuss how queerness must be allowed to exist and normalised at every level of the profession. From education, to practice, planning, construction, ownership, and architectural history, this conversation examines what is being done in these areas, and how to move forward to create safer environments for LGBTQ+ people in the profession and protect existing queer spaces.

From 18 to 26 November 2021, our annual Inclusion Festival took the form of a dedicated radio station, broadcast live from the bookshop at the RIBA's HQ in London.

Marsha Ramroop, former BBC journalist and the RIBA's Director of Inclusion & Diversity, hosted a lively mixture of music, live and pre-recorded interviews, discussions and debate - featuring over 90 special guests from across the worlds of architecture, design, arts, culture, and sport, as well as key leaders from the worlds of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI).