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How to get my Course Accredited
PIA aims to promote the study of planning and the improvement of the skills of planners. To achieve these aims, the Institute has for many years accredited education courses and recognised Australian planning qualifications. Recognition establishes national standards for the educational attainments of entrants into the planning profession. Gaining a recognised qualification followed by two years’ experience as a professional planner is the prime means of becoming a corporate member of the Institute and using the affix MPIA. There are alternative routes to membership, which generally require longer work experience.
PIA’s Accreditation Policy for the Recognition of Australian Planning Qualifications demonstrates the Institute’s commitment to achieving and maintaining high standards in the knowledge, skills and ethics of professional planners and in planning education. This policy describes the criteria for recognition of qualifications, the reasons for these criteria and the procedures followed to evaluate whether qualifications should be recognised. It provides a guideline for universities that apply to have qualifications recognised and for academics and professional planners who assist in reviews to recommend whether qualifications should receive PIA recognition.
For more information about course accreditation contact the National Education manager. Click here for a list of planning courses currently accredited by PIA.
Fees set by the Planning Institute of Australia for Course Accreditation
In 2010 the Board of Directors of the Planning Institute of Australia adopted the following policy regarding fees in relation to Accreditation of Courses to be applied from 1 January 2011.
1. Accreditation of planning programs - Application fee and initial visit fee – for courses seeking accreditation for the first time - $2,200 (including GST).
2. Re-accreditation of planning programs – Application fee to be charged at the time of a re-accreditation (every 5 years). A base fee of $1,650 (including GST) which will cover the re-accreditation of 1-2 planning programs at a single institution and an extra fee of $550 (including GST) if there are 3 or more programs that are to be re-accredited. In addition, if the institution is proposing a new course for interim accreditation at the same time as there is a Visiting Board at the institution for a re-accreditation visit, the charge for the interim accreditation will be equivalent to the charge for 1 planning program course (for example, the fee for a Visiting Board for an institution seeking the re-accreditation of 2 programs and 1 new program would be made up of the base fee of $1,650 plus $550 for the additional course).
3. Annual fee per institution for accredited planning programs ($330 including GST) for maintenance of the accredited course listing on the PIA website, use of the PIA logo on websites and promotional material, and acknowledging the service that PIA provides in dealing with enquiries about planning courses particularly to prospective students.