The interest in housing education and the housing profession is continuing to grow in the UK and world-wide, with record numbers of students, a growing number of education centres, and increasing levels of enquiries from abroad.
In the last full academic year (2004-2005), a record 4,100 plus students were undertaking Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) accredited housing programmes.
Significantly, the profile of new students shows high levels of interest from people from Black and Minority Ethnic Groups, with 27% of housing students now coming from diverse communities.
The increased interest in housing is continuing to be supported by a package of improvements to the CIH's education activities. In July 2006, CIH was re-approved by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) and retains its Awarding Body status.
Earlier this year the CIH established a new set of professional standards for people entering the housing profession. All education centres in the UK are being re-accredited against this revised standard over the next 18 months and many first-year students will start the new specification in 2007.
Graduates of the revised specification will be equipped with a wider set of knowledge and skills, including leadership, to support the creation of sustainable communities.
CIH Education is also developing a suite of new qualifications in partnership with the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). The qualifications are scheduled for introduction in 2007 and will help develop technical staff operating within the Social Housing Sector. The CIH already has a partnership commitment with the Academy for Sustainable Communities to support skills development in communities.
Tenants and residents too will be able acquire CIH qualifications in an innovative project called 'Active Learning for Residents'.
More new education centres, accredited by the CIH, are being established across the globe. The CIH accredited the first University (Wuhan) in mainland China in 2005. A second mainland University has requested accreditation in China's largest city, Chung Qing. Interest is continuing to increase in Macao and Taiwan to complement the CIH's already well established accredited education centres in Hong Kong.
The CIH's links with the housing sector in Canada and USA will be strengthened further in the autumn, when CIH hosts the Tri-Nations Conference in Edinburgh.
From 2007 the CIH will be introducing a new international membership grade to satisfy the growing interest in housing world-wide.