Architecture LGBT+ Academic Champions Network

A new alliance of academic champions - one per School of Architecture in the UK - working to catalyse change in architectural education.

Champion nominations due before Aug 22nd.

ACN MISSION

The Architecture LGBT+ Academic Champions Network - an alliance of academics working to improve representation and understanding of queer identity and action in architectural education.

We are looking to build a collaborative community of queer spatial practice in higher education. Our shared mission is to catalyse change within universities and schools, leveraging queerness as a lens to scrutinise and dismantle entrenched and uneven hierarchies within the education of the built environment. The ACN will together develop clear strategies for real change based on aims below:

[1] To instigate a greater sense of understanding, safety and belonging for queer educators and students operating within architecture schools and programmes, leading to improved student and staff experiences and an uptick in work addressing queerness

[2] To generate discourse centred on queer space, pedagogy, design, theory. To establish queer spatial pedagogy as a new rigorous, well supported line of research enquiry, complementing and extending a growing body of work in queer spatial studies.

[3] To challenge and engage with the PSRBs. To lead on and contribute to inclusionary innovation in the processes and considerations that form architecture programme validation and accreditation in the UK.

WHAT IS A CHAMPION?

Serve as champion for LGBT+ identifying staff and students in their school of architecture.

Champions must be:

• committed to safety, equity and liberation in the teaching and learning of architectural disciplines

• committed to widening the academic studies, research and applications of queer theory, queer spatial pedagogies (and more) into the school of architecture.

• committed to meet with the network twice a year.

The UK ACN will be chaired by Gem Barton, Architecture LGBT+ Lead Academic Advisor and founding chair of QuEAN - the global Queer Educators in Architecture Network. From the applications received will be looking to recruit a small committee to support the growth and establish terms of reference.

CALL FOR CHAMPIONS

The terms:

• Each institution should nominate only one candidate for the ACN.

• Get support from your Head of School to take on the voluntary role. Your HoS should confirm in writing their support of your engagement in, preparation for and attendance at, two yearly strategic/organisational meetings online (October, Feb) and one in-person meeting/event for dissemination and celebration (April).

• The role will begin 01 Sept 2024, with the first in-person meeting/event to be held at the RCA, then rotating host institutions between champions.

Please send the following to Gem Barton by August 22nd 23:59 BST

• Statement of interest including name, role and reason for wanting to represent your institution (500 words max). Please state if you would be interested in taking up a role of the committee.

• Signed letter from Head of School confirm their support of you undertaking the role for a minimum term of 2 years

• Full academic CV