About Us

Who we are

Established by the State and Territory Architect Registration Boards in the 1970’s, AACA establishes, coordinates, and advocates national standards in the practice of architecture for the benefit of the Australian community.

AACA programs facilitate a nationally consistent approach to the accreditation of architectural education and assessment programs on the path to registration as an architect.

AACA’s mission is to support architect registration boards by providing high quality nationally consistent assessment programs on the path to registration as an architect in Australia.

What we do

Locally we:

  • Consult with key organisations to develop, maintain and promote the National Standard of Competency for Architects.
  • Develop and provide competency-based assessment programs to determine eligibility for registration as an architect in Australia.
  • Administer the Architecture Program Accreditation Procedure in Australia and New Zealand on behalf of the architect registration boards.

Internationally we:

  • Facilitate international mutual recognition agreements in regard to architectural education and registration as an architect in Australia.
  • Assess overseas qualifications for architects seeking to register as an architect in Australia.
  • Provide accurate data on the profession of architecture in Australia and overseas.

Who we work with

AACA operates as the gatekeeper of threshold standards for eligibility to practice as an architect in Australia. We work with:

  • State & Territory Architects Registration Boards.
  • Australian Institute of Architects.
  • Associations of Consulting Architects in Australia.
  • Association of Architectural Schools of Australia.
  • Australian Deans of the Built Environment and Design.
  • Commonwealth Government Departments of Education, Immigration,  Border Control, and Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Collaboration with Architect Registration Boards

Each of the Nominating Bodies (architect registration boards) is an independent statutory authority and is responsible for administering the Architects Act in its jurisdiction. The Boards and the AACA work in collaboration on matters of national interest to the profession, industry and the public.

Directors

Dr Giorgio Marfella, President

Dr Giorgio Marfella is a senior lecturer at the University of Melbourne and a registered architect in Victoria. He is the current chairperson of the Architects Registration Board of Victoria (ARBV), where he is appointed as the nominee of the Victorian schools of architecture. Giorgio is an overseas qualified architect from the University of Florence (Italy) with a PhD from the University of Melbourne. He is an internationally recognised researcher of high-rise architecture and author of several scholarly publications in construction history and tall building regulations and technology. Before becoming a full-time academic, he has worked in several large practices in Australia, developing an expert profile in facades and high-rise projects. Giorgio is a registered expert of the Australian Tertiary Education and Quality Standards Agency (TEQSA) and he has an extensive teaching track record in post-graduate subjects of architecture, architectural engineering, and construction management programs

Paul Boyce

Paul’s experience over the last three decades has covered all aspects of the role of the AACA. Paul has been an examiner for the Architectural Practice Board of South Australia since 1998, moving into the role of State Convenor in 2009. Paul was elected a member of the Architects Board of South Australia and was then elected for three terms on the Architectural Practice Board of South Australia. During which he was presiding member and contributed to drafting the Code of Conduct, the Board branding, the What Does an Architect Do video series and the introduction of mandatory Compulsory Professional Education.
Paul is the National APE Convenor, a NAP member, an AMC member and an ASP member and has been an AACA director, an assessor for the PASA, RAE, RGE and OQA programs and a moderator for the NPrA program. He has also taken part in two ARPs, one NVP and several IRPs and SVPs. As State and National APE convenor he has provided input into the development of the National Standards of Competency for Architects in both 2015 and 2021.
Paul is cognisant of his obligation to effectively identify, disclose and manage any actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest to protect the integrity of the AACA and manage risk.

Sue Crawford

Sue is the Registrar of the Architectural Practice Board of South Australia. She has a diverse background in  executive leadership roles with a focus on education and training, human resources management, as well as consulting and coaching. Sue’s capabilities include leading strategy, managing growth and profitability, financial and operational reporting, regulatory compliance, stakeholder management and staff development.  

She has significant experience working with private sector, not-for-profit and government organisations, through previous roles, in particular working as the Executive Director- Personal Injury Education Foundation ( a member organisation in the personal injury and financial services sectors). She has a strong understanding of and commitment to regulation gained through her role of  Managing Director of various Registered Training Organisations (RTOs). Sue holds a Bachelor of Laws from Melbourne University, as well as Diplomas of Management, Sales and Service, and is a qualified Trainer and Assessor.

Dr Glenice Fox

Glenice is the Registrar and CEO of the Architects Registration Board of Victoria. With a diverse background in law and mediation, she is a highly accomplished senior executive who has managed two statutory registration boards responsible for professional regulation: the Veterinary Practitioners Registration in Victoria (2016 to 2019) and the Architects Registration Board of Victoria (2021 to present). She strongly believes in the importance of regulatory stewardship to ensure that regulation is effective at meeting its goals to protect the community while minimising regulatory burden. She also believes that effective professional regulation supports and benefits practitioners and strengthens their profession overall.

Glenice has a Doctor of Juridical Science degree from Monash University, is an Associate Member of the Governance Institute of Australia and has previously been a Nationally Accredited Mediator under the National Mediator Accreditation System and Specialist Accredited Mediator with the Law Institute of Victoria. As an experienced mediator Glenice has made significant contributions to the Victorian community for more than 20 years including with the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal and Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria. Glenice has also worked on significant government projects and initiatives and been a board member and chairperson on a number of statutory decision-making panels and community boards.

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Architects Accreditation Council of Australia
Gadigal Country
Suite 3, Level 5, 75 Castlereagh Street
SYDNEY NSW 2000

Located on Gadigal Country, the AACA acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.