ABSTRACT
Leon van Schaik described how he established and led for almost three decades the first of its kind practice-based research PhD at the RMIT in Melbourne, Australia. The reflections and research of the candidates emerge from their practice, which continues while they are in the program. Schaik affirmed the necessity to invest professional practice with an inquiry of this kind and the need for reflective practitioners to be involved in the future of architectural education.* While every doctoral contribution in the program is unique, the foundation of the research pursued hinges on spatial intelligence, a subject to which van Schaik contributed numerous publications.** During the interview van Schaik delved into the development of the program, expanding on how the model was exported to other institutions worldwide.
