The Board of Architects Malaysia was formed under the provisions of the Architects Act 1967 and it is responsible for the enforcement of the said Act. Section 10 (1)(a) of the Act, stipulates the following :

"10(1)(a) Subject to this Act, any person who holds the qualification recognised by the Board, shall be entitled on application to be registered as a registered Architect"

Under Section 4(1) of the Act, the Board is empowered :

"(g) to appoint a council, consisting of such members of the Board and Professional Architects as may be determined by the Board, to conduct examinations for admission to the profession and other examinations as deemed necessary by the Board.
(h) to appoint persons to represent it on any body or panel of examiners which may be appointed by any institute, body or society for the time being representing the profession and to make recommendations in relation to any examinations for qualification for admission to the profession;".

In line with the above functions, the Board is responsible for determining the standard for entry into the architectural profession and the accreditation of programmes of study in architecture.

For this purpose, the Council of Architectural Education Malaysia (CAEM) was formed under the auspices of the Board to regulate all matters relating to architectural education.

This document provides information on the objectives, criteria and procedures of accreditation for programmes of study in architecture.

Accreditation of educational programmes in architecture seeks primarily to ensure that the standards attained by successful graduates of the programmes are adequate with regard to the design, technical and professional skills required for competent architectural practice.

Graduates from an architectural programme which has been accredited by the Board shall be deemed to have satisfied the requirements of either the Part I or the Parts I & II of the Board's examination in architecture.

Towards this objective, the Board of Architects Malaysia assesses the programmes of study leading to the award of a professional degree in architecture and accredits programmes which are in line with the requirements of the Board.

Accreditation process is conducted at the application of the institution offering the architectural programme.

If the institution runs more than one programme of study in architecture and wishes the programme to be accredited, the institution is required to apply for the accreditation of each of the programme separately.

Accreditation of the programme of study is for a period of not exceeding five years and shall lapse at the expiry thereof

When there are shortcomings, the Panel may recommend conditional accreditation for a period not exceeding two years during which the school must take necessary corrective measures failing which the accreditation will be withdrawn.

Architectural education should ensure that all graduates have knowledge and ability in architectural design, including technical systems and requirements as well as consideration of health, safety and ecological balance; that they understand the cultural, intellectual, historical, social, economic and environmental context for architecture, and that they comprehend thoroughly the architects' roles and responsibilities in society, which depend on a cultivated, analytical and creative mind. The programme of study should address the various issues outlined in APPENDIX A.

Education for architects shall be of no less than five years' duration after Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) or the equivalent, or of no less than six years' duration after Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) or the equivalent, delivered on a full time basis

The minimum requirement for an academic programme in architecture is 150 accumulated semester credit hours and a minimum of two-thirds of these credit hours (i.e. 100 credit hours) are of "architectural core subjects". For details please see APPENDIX B.

The admission system must ensure that only qualified candidates are admitted. For details please see APPENDIX C.

The teaching staff must be sufficient in number and capability to ensure the quality of the programme. For details please see APPENDIX C.

There must be adequate studios and related facilities such as laboratories, facilities for research, advanced studies, information and data exchanges for new technologies to enable students to learn the use of modern architectural tools and explore beyond the formal dictates of their specific programme of study.

The programme must have adequate access to institutional support and financial resources to ensure the ongoing viability of the programme.

Schools of Architecture seeking accreditation from the Board should apply to :
Honorary Secretary
Council of Architectural Education Malaysia
c/o Lembaga Arkitek Malaysia
Tingkat 17, Blok F, Ibu Pejabat JKR
Jalan Sultan Salahuddin
50582 Kuala Lumpur

Newly established schools seeking accreditation are advised to apply before the first cycle of the programme is completed, i.e. when the first batch of students are in their final year.

A Panel from CAEM would visit the School to assess the standard of architectural education at the end of either Part I or at the end of the Part I & II of the School's syllabus, where relevant.

The information as prescribed in APPENDIX D should be submitted to CAEM three months prior to the visit of the CAEM Panel.

The School should make ready and prepare for the CAEM Panel's visit items as described in APPENDIX E

Where conditional accreditation has been awarded (Paragraph 3.4 refers), interim visits may be necessary and/or the School may be required to furnish the Panel with information as prescribed by the Panel

The preparation for the visits and the expenses incurred by the Board shall be borne by the School