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Changes to CPD Requirements

Posted 24 08 2023

in News

Image: uploads/2023_08/tamara-gak-8StnO-aqV7o-unsplash.jpg

Important Update for Tuia Pito Ora Registered members 

Over the past year, the CPD working group has been reviewing the existing CPD structure and speaking with institute members to gather their feedback. We are happy to share with you the changes to CPD requirements and the adjusted timeline for implementation. 

Aiming to ensure the relevance of the Institute, both now and into the future, the changes will more closely align Tuia Pito Ora with other professional bodies and help maintain a level of industry professionalism of which we can all be proud.

 1.0 Calendar Change:
To better align the functions of the Institute with CPD processes, the CPD calendar will move to a 01 January – 31 December calendar year from its existing 01 April – 31 March calendar year.

How does this affect 2023 CPD requirements?
To enable this change, the current CPD year has been shortened by 3 months. To compensate for the reduced CPD calendar year, the CPD requirement for this year will be dropped to 10 points (members are still encouraged to enter 15 points).

To be registered for the period 01 January - 31 December 2024 a member must enter:
• 10 CPD points by 31 December 2023 (reduced points to compensate for the shortened CPD year)

To be registered for the period 01 January - 31 December 2025 a member must enter:
• 30 CPD points by 31 December 2024 under the new point system / activity categories


2.0 CPD Plan
The CPD plan requirement has been removed effective immediately.

Many members have existing internal professional development plans as part of their employment agreements. The working group agreed that whilst it is important to encourage members to have an annual personal CPD plan, there is no reason to duplicate it, nor does it need oversight by NZILA.


3.0 Annual Amount of CPD
Feedback from members suggested that the number of points required to maintain registration was minimal and that it did not encourage serious engagement with the CPD programme. The points have also been increased to reflect the removal of the CPD plan.

From 1 January 2024, each Registered Landscape Architect will be required to achieve and submit a minimum of 30 CPD points each year between 01 January to 31 December to maintain registration. This is a change from the current 15 CPD points.

There are some mandatory requirements within the new CPD points structure, and this is outlined in the detail below in section 6.0.


4.0 Approved CPD

What constitutes ‘approved CPD’?
Continuing Professional Development should relate to the Landscape Architecture Profession and include tasks that are likely to be of greater overall benefit to an individual's knowledge and skills, broaden a Landscape Architect’s experience in practice, and maintain an understanding of core competencies applicable to Landscape Architects.

The CPD programme is based on a system of weighted points allocated according to the hours of CPD activity undertaken, with weightings related to the type of activity.


5.0 Types of CDP
Effective from 1 January 2024, approved CPD Activities have been simplified and classified into two categories: FORMAL and/or INFORMAL as outlined below.

FORMAL CPD: an activity with learning opportunities that involves significant participation and interaction between presenter and learner and / or can be formally assessed

INFORMAL CPD: an activity that involves no formal assessment or process and can be self-driven.

 

 

 

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6.0 CPD Points Allocation
Effective from 1 January 2024, the points allocation system will be as follows:

FORMAL CPD = two points per hour.
INFORMAL CPD = one point per hour.

Points should come from a range of activities to ensure a broad approach and include the following mandatory requirements/entries:

  • A minimum of 3 different types of activities within either the FORMAL or INFORMAL categories are required for any one year 

  • One entry for attendance at an NZILA (national or branch level) organised event either in person or online

 

FORMAL CPD - 2 points per hour | max 20 points per activity

• NZILA Volunteering and Participation: volunteering or participation in an NZILA organisational activity such as: committees, executive, working groups, award juries, registration mentoring and panels.

• Professional Participation: participation in professional committees, advisory groups related to government bodies or regulatory authorities where it can be demonstrated that involvement led to the extension of the applicant's knowledge and skills.

• Publication: Active participation as the author of a paper (or similar) related to the profession and presented at a conference/seminar/training course, etc. and/or published by the individual or a professional journal conference proceeding, etc.

• Training Courses: participation and satisfactory completion of a training course (in person or online) that extends the applicant's professional knowledge and skills e.g., cultural competencies, technology courses etc. Includes in office courses provided by your employer.

• Focused Individual Research: with/without mentor assistance and relevant to the theory/practice of Landscape Architecture (involves posing a question/ problem and undertaking rigorous academic research to formulate a response to the hypothesis and achieve specified learning outcomes). Research undertaken as part of an advanced academic qualification.

• Tertiary Teaching: (when teaching is not the individual's main practice) involving preparation of course outlines, content delivery and evaluation of student/teaching performance; where it can be demonstrated that involvement led to the extension of the applicant's knowledge and skills.

 

INFORMAL CPD – 1 point per hour | max 10 points per activity

• Attendance at an NZILA Event: NZILA nationally or branch organised events (including online NZILA webinars), conferences, presentations, and seminars, NZILA AGM, attendance at a local branch event including branch meeting/AGM/speaker event. (Compulsory activity - one per CPD Year)

• Study Tour: individual / group organised tour; the focus of which is relevant to or extends existing areas of knowledge and skills.

• Self-directed study: personal study/personal professional research - can include technical reading (Maximum 10 points in any one year)

• Public Lectures/Seminars: attendance at a public lecture, exhibition, talks by members or visiting lecturers, etc. relevant to the area of practice or watching an equivalent talk such as a TED talk