ARISE project in collaboration with Faculté d'Architecture La Cambre Horta ULB and Netwerk Architecten Vlaanderen (NAV), organized this event to present opportunities for professional upskilling and Continous Professional Development (CPD) for architects.

This event served as a chance to:

• Learn about NAV architectural training initiatives in Belgium
• Participate in ARISE micro-learning pilot module in BIM
• Hear about the European funding opportunities in professional upskilling and ARISE work on a European qualification framework on green and energy skills for design and construction professionals.

The session started with the opening words by Ruth Schagemann, Architects Council of Europe (ACE) president & Master of Ceremonies of the event. She presented ACE, its objectives and interlocutors and introduced the ACE actions in the framework of the EU Year of Skills. 

Then, the audience could hear some words from Prof. Marcelle Rabinowicz, the dean of the Faculté d'Architecture La Cambre Horta-ULB. After that, Steven Lannoo, Director at NAV (Netwerk Architecten Vlaanderen), took the floor to speak about the continous professional development experienced there, highlighting their training actions, courses and workshops that they are working on.

For her part, Amandine Lacourt from the European Climate Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) explained what the agency is and the programmes that have been developed, specially the new LIFE programme (2021 - 2027), the only EU programme dedicated exclusively to the environment, nature conservation and climate action. She had also words for BUILD UP Skills and for the BUILD UP portal, the European reference website for energy efficiency and renewable energy in buildings.

After that, an owerview of the ARISE project was offered by Paul McCormack (Belfast Metropolitan College), stopping at its objetives, processes and innovations, as the project is focussed on the skills system rather than just addressing whatever skills are currently in shortage. "By creating a better skills system, we are addressing the challenges of the here and now, while creating capacity to adapt and deliver the skills we need for the future", McCormack said.

Then, the Why (European skills framework), What (BIM task-based qualification framework and Units of learning outcome) and How (ARISE training and feedback session) were addresed by Anna Moreno (BuildingSmart Italy), Jaap Kolk (Building Changes) and Andrew Hamilton (Belfast Metropolitan College) respectively. 

During the presentation, several questions were asked so that the audience could develop their thoughts, share their experiences and ideas. In addition, a panel discussion and Q&A session was held at the end of the session in which all the panellists participated.

WATCH THE FULL SESSION HERE