MULI, CHRISTIAN M.

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE 3
 
COMPARATIVE OF V.M.G.O: ASEAN ARCHITECT VS APEC ARCHITECT
 
THE ASEAN ARCHITECT AND APEC ARCHITECT PROGRAMS ARE TWO INITIATIVES THAT AIM TO
PROMOTE THE MOBILITY OF ARCHITECTS ACROSS SOUTHEAST ASIA AND THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION. THESE
PROGRAMS HAVE SIMILAR GOALS, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE DIFFERENCES IN THEIR APPROACHES AND FOCUS.
THE ASEAN ARCHITECT PROGRAM WAS LAUNCHED IN 2005 BY THE ASEAN FEDERATION OF
ARCHITECTS (AFA) TO FACILITATE THE RECOGNITION OF PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS AND PROMOTE THE
MOBILITY OF ARCHITECTS WITHIN THE ASEAN MEMBER STATES. THE PROGRAM FOLLOWS THE VMGO (VISION,
MISSION, GOALS, AND OBJECTIVES) OF THE AFA, WHICH AIMS TO PROMOTE THE PRACTICE OF ARCHITECTURE
AS A PROFESSION AND ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT IN THE REGION.
ON THE OTHER HAND, THE APEC ARCHITECT PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1992 BY THE ASIA-
PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION (APEC) TO PROMOTE THE MOBILITY OF ARCHITECTS ACROSS THE 21 APEC
MEMBER ECONOMIES. THE PROGRAM OPERATES UNDER THE VMGO OF THE APEC ARCHITECT PROJECT,
WHICH AIMS TO FACILITATE THE MOVEMENT OF SKILLED PROFESSIONALS ACROSS BORDERS, PROMOTE
ECONOMIC GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND ENHANCE REGIONAL INTEGRATION.
WHILE BOTH PROGRAMS HAVE SIMILAR GOALS, THEY HAVE DIFFERENCES IN THEIR FOCUS. THE ASEAN
ARCHITECT PROGRAM PRIMARILY AIMS TO PROMOTE THE MOBILITY OF ARCHITECTS WITHIN THE ASEAN
REGION, WHILE THE APEC ARCHITECT PROGRAM AIMS TO PROMOTE MOBILITY ACROSS THE WIDER ASIA-
PACIFIC REGION. ADDITIONALLY, THE APEC ARCHITECT PROGRAM PLACES MORE EMPHASIS ON THE
ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF MOBILITY AND REGIONAL INTEGRATION, WHILE THE ASEAN ARCHITECT PROGRAM IS
MORE FOCUSED ON THE PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE OF ARCHITECTURE AND THE QUALITY OF THE BUILT
ENVIRONMENT.
BECOMING A MEMBER OF EITHER PROGRAM CAN PROVIDE NUMEROUS BENEFITS TO ARCHITECTS,
INCLUDING INCREASED MOBILITY AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. BEING
RECOGNIZED AS AN ASEAN OR APEC ARCHITECT DEMONSTRATES AN INDIVIDUAL'S PROFESSIONAL
QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCE TO WORK ACROSS BORDERS WITHIN THE REGION, WHICH CAN LEAD TO
INCREASED EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND THE ABILITY TO WORK ON PROJECTS IN OTHER COUNTRIES.
MOREOVER, BEING A MEMBER OF THESE PROGRAMS CAN PROVIDE ACCESS TO A NETWORK OF
OTHER ARCHITECTS AND PROFESSIONALS WITHIN THE REGION, AS WELL AS OPPORTUNITIES FOR
KNOWLEDGE-SHARING, COLLABORATION, AND LEARNING. ARCHITECTS CAN ALSO BENEFIT FROM INCREASED
EXPOSURE TO DIFFERENT CULTURES AND DESIGN PRACTICES, WHICH CAN ENHANCE THEIR SKILLS AND
KNOWLEDGE AS PROFESSIONALS.
BOTH PROGRAMS OFFER SIMILAR ADVANTAGES FOR INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS, SUCH AS THE ABILITY TO
PRACTICE ARCHITECTURE IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES WITHOUT ADDITIONAL LICENSING REQUIREMENTS,
EXPANDING ONE'S PROFESSIONAL NETWORK AND GAINING EXPOSURE TO DIFFERENT ARCHITECTURAL
PRACTICES AND CULTURAL PERSPECTIVES, ENHANCING PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE THROUGH THE
EXCHANGE OF KNOWLEDGE AND BEST PRACTICES, AND INCREASING EMPLOYABILITY AND CAREER PROSPECTS
THROUGH MOBILITY AND EXPOSURE TO DIFFERENT MARKETS.
HOWEVER, IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT SPECIFIC BENEFITS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR EACH
PROGRAM MAY VARY DEPENDING ON THE PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES AND THEIR SPECIFIC REGULATIONS AND
AGREEMENTS. OVERALL, THE ASEAN ARCHITECT AND APEC ARCHITECT PROGRAMS ARE CRUCIAL INITIATIVES
FOR PROMOTING THE MOBILITY OF ARCHITECTS AND ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST ASIA AND ASIA-PACIFIC REGIONS.