Professional Requirements

ECIA on self-regulation

One of ECIA's main goals is to receive the general recognition of the profession by the public and legislative bodies at local, national and EU level, and to discuss banning of protective legislation by national and local governments.

Associated Interior Architects are well-trained and skilled professionals, who distinguish themselves by intensive training and practical professional experience. At the General Assembly held in Verona (It.) in September 2004 all ECIA member organizations adopted a uniform admittance policy for Associated Interior Architects. In practice, this means that all Associated Interior Architects have a level of education in accordance with the ECIA Charter of Interior Architecture Training, in addition to sufficient professional experience. This ensures clients that the work is carried out by experienced and highly trained professionals. It also ensures that rules and regulations, in particular concerning health, safety and well being of the service users and general public, are adopted as required by local governments.

Uniform Admittance Policy

Interior architects who are full members of a ECIA member-organization, shall comply with minimum education standards as follows:

  • 5 years of professional education in accordance with the ECIA Charter of Education plus 1 year of professional practice in an interior architects or architects office, or as a self-employed interior architect, proven by employers recommendation letter or by portfolio

or:

  • 4 years of professional education in accordance with the ECIA Charter of Education plus 2 years of professional practice in an interior architects or architects office, or as a self-employed interior architect, proven by employers recommendation letter or by portfolio

or:

  • in the case of insufficient education, 1,5 year of professional practice is needed as a substitute for every year of missed education, proven by employers recommendation letter or by portfolio and checked by an admission committee of the national organization.

ECIA on international exchange

ECIA recognizes the impact of globalization and the new opportunities and fields of activity for Interior Architects created by it. However, ECIA also recognizes that the increased mobility makes a significant impact on unique local cultural and social contexts, and therefore sees the need to engage in the debate and analysis of best ways to responsibly and sensitively preserve and add to the European cultural diversity.

ECIA encourages the reciprocal exchange of students, teachers and professional practitioners, with respect to these values. In order to facilitate this exchange, the ECIA member organizations have introduced a guest membership, offering all Associated Interior Architects full membership benefits in the host country when working, teaching or studying abroad.

ECIA Guest Membership

To further enhance the possibilities of exchange of people, ideas and knowledge in the field of interior architecture, and to further increase the importance and radiation of the membership of a European Professional Organization, ECIA members choose to introduce a guest membership status for personal members of another ECIA member organization.

  1. All ECIA member organizations will introduce a Guest Membership.
  2. Guest Membership applies to interior architects who are full members of ECIA member organizations, in addition to their membership of that organization.
  3. A guest membership is granted by the host organization, which is a member of ECIA, upon request by the applicant’s home organization.
  4. The requesting organization vouches for the professional qualifications (as set fort in ECIA’s Internal Regulations, Art. 11,sub. vi.) of the applicant.
  5. A guest membership is granted for a minimum of 3 consecutive years. After 3 years, the board of the host organization may evaluate the guest membership, and convert it into a normal full membership, or end the guest membership. If ended, the host organization will send its decision with the substantiated reason thereof to the guests home organization.
  6. The guest member is due to pay a normal, full membership fee to the host organization, in addition to the membership fee for his home organization.
  7. Guest members are entitled to all duties and benefits of the host organization, as if they where normal full members.