From the National President
As we prepare to launch membership renewals for 2021, I’d like to reflect on the benefits of being a member of this architectural community.
The Institute is the peak body for the profession; it has supported and championed our architect members for over 90 years. As your voice to the public and local and national governments, we’re committed to representing your views on the issues that matter most and generating demand for your professional skills.
This year, ensuring you could connect virtually with your peers became more critical than ever. In March we launched our Lean In series and sparked meaningful conversations on a variety of topics, from shoring up your pipeline, to copywriting that lands clients, and project case studies from across Australia and beyond. These free sessions became invaluable for many members, regardless of locale, from our city centres to our regions and even those overseas. I’m delighted to announce that these will continue in 2021.
Our virtual prizes and awards experiences were also a great achievement allowing for a vastly expanded audience, with our presentations totalling over 40,000 views, and the Mentoring Program brought sage eminents of the profession and our fledgling architects together to learn from one another.
The Institute’s digital transformation proved timely and successful, as our new look member portal and Online CPD website made accessing your membership details and CPD courses much easier. Undoubtedly the most revolutionary change for our members has been the launch of Community, our members-only networking platform. Not only does Community provide members with a way to connect on important topics, it will also house a curated research library (coming soon in 2021!).
Looking to 2021, I’m delighted to say that we have more initiatives on the way. At the same time, we are freezing our fees for A+ practices and students and reducing individual membership fees by up to 12%. We have also reduced the fee for retired members.
Next year, Architecture Australia magazine will continue to be delivered digitally to all members. This supports the Institute’s ongoing commitment to becoming a carbon neutral operation while also ensuring the viability of the publication in challenging times. Should you wish to continue your magazine collection, a discounted print subscription covering the cost of printing and delivery can be added to your membership ($30 per annum within Australia or $70 per annum to overseas addresses).
I look forward to your joining us next year as we continue to celebrate the Institute’s 90th anniversary. We can all share an immense pride in celebrating this milestone of our professional collective, with its strong history, glorious past and promise of a magnificent future. With your continued membership, our network of over 12,000 members will become even stronger, so that we, your Institute, can do more for you.
