ABSTRACT
Over the last 10 years numerous reports and studies have described how changes in society and in the construction industry are impacting on architecture and the other construction professions. A need has been identified for greater client sensitivity and responsiveness to user needs in construction and for more effective cross-disciplinary teamwork amongst industry professionals. Also, nowadays, not all architecture students go into mainstream architecture when they leave formal study: an increasing number are embarking on careers that only have a marginal connection with the construction industry. And as a result of changes in society, technological advances and the rapid growth in information, those entering a profession are likely to have to update their knowledge and skills many times over a lifetime. All this is calling on architects to become more skilled in the human dimensions of professional practice and more adaptable, flexible and versatile over the span of their professional careers. Architectural education must respond to these changes: it must enable students to develop the skills, strategies and attitudes needed for professional practice and it must lay the foundation for continuous learning throughout life.
