Internship programmes in Architecture. Towards a new model of relationship between University and business community

Abstract

This paper aims to recognise the possibilities that Spanish architecture students currently have for the acquisition of professional competencies collaborating as interns in an architecture office. Since the approval in 2007 of the Royal Decree which establishes the new structure of the official university diplomas within the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), bachelor studies have progressively adapted to a new system based on a competence perspective, as a way to guarantee the learning of skills and abilities for the development of the future professional activity. The increase in the degree of employability of graduates should be a priority objective of the degrees. Thus, it is necessary to analyse the mechanisms that the different Spanish Schools of Architecture are currently developing to achieve this goal. In Architecture, compared to other professions regulated by the Government, professional internships are optional, whereas in others as is compulsory. However, in other European countries such as France or the Netherlands, they are compulsory -in some cases, only if graduates want to exercise professional architectural on their own-. Many authors emphasise on the practical experience as one of the main tools to guarantee the success of graduates in their job search. The level of unemployment among recent graduates in Spain is at a 30%, three times higher than the European average, according to the latest CYD Foundation report. Undoubtedly, internships represent an opportunity to generate professional synergies, in which students can acquire complementary skills to face their future work with higher guarantees. The research will start analysing the architectural internship programmes trajectory in Architecture after the adjustment of the Bachelor of Architecture to the Bologna Process. The first stage for this connection with the profession may appear from the teaching methodologies used. Traditionally, in Architecture, they have been based on problem-based learning approaches since students are required to make decisions, evaluate actions, and make judgments for architectural and urban designs. The link of architecture students with professional firms during their university education has also been a common practice. These internships have been linked to local companies and, more recently, to international internship programmes such as Erasmus or Faro. The trajectory of Arquia Foundation is highlighted, although its scope is quite low. Since 1999, this organisation has annually awarded around 15 and 20 internships for students and young architects. However, many of them were not included in the pre-Bologna curriculums. The conclusions of this retrospective analysis will be confronted with the professional competencies currently required for architects, through the revision of the present regulatory framework. We will consider the European guidelines and the specific competence content included in the White Paper on Architectural Education. In this sense, the revision of the curricula of different Spanish Architecture Schools will be approached from various perspectives. The selection procedures of companies and candidates would be analysed, as well as and their degree of adaptation to the new professional demands and the existence or not of a remuneration. Finally, they will be compared to references in architectural internship programmes in other European contexts.