The RTPI's Education Commission: Context and challenges

This paper is written by the team that supported the RTPI's Education Commissioners in their review of planning education during 2001–02. The paper describes the process of conducting the review and the recommendations of the Commission's final report. It includes an exploration of the background to the report which was conducted during the research and consultation phase. This review of planning education, the most comprehensive in 50 years in the UK, is a response to changing circumstances in society, the profession and education. The societal changes described are global and national, in communications and employment. The changing profession of planning is traced through the last century in terms of disciplinary influences and the spread of planning activity. Finally changes in planning education, its priorities and modes of delivery are examined.