Senlina Mayer on how to shake up architectural education

The rising cost of living is outstripping architects’ salaries, leaving many feeling frustrated. There are currently few viable alternatives other than leaving the profession entirely. To maintain interest and commitment to the profession, systemic changes are needed at all levels of the industry, starting at the university level. ArchitectureAu asks Senlina Mayer: What changes can be initiated in higher education to financially support students and future architects now and in the future?

As a professionWe design for people – people of different backgrounds, cultures, views and experiences. To empathize with the users of the spaces we imagine, draw, and design, we must experience the foreignness of new climates, languages, and practices, and learn from local ideas and strategies.

International experiences require students to navigate unfamiliar systems, which requires critical thinking and resilience—invaluable qualities in today’s fast-paced and dynamic job market. However, while the benefits are clear, access to this experience remains limited due to logistical barriers and is undoubtedly considered a luxury by most.

By incorporating short-term, structured and financially supported international study opportunities into degree programs such as Aarhus Summer University, onerous time and financial commitments are reduced and the benefits of international experience can still be enjoyed.

Partnerships can be initiated by international companies, research institutions or NGOs seeking to develop short-term, intensive work placements or research projects. Moreover, international participation has the potential to become more accessible—and less environmentally damaging—through virtual exchange programs in which students collaborate on projects with their peers, university faculty, and industry experts from around the world.

This cross-pollination of ideas and experiences leads to more diversified and empathetic design thinking—skills in demand by the architects of tomorrow. As the demand for globally minded architects increases, a practice that values ​​the international experience of its staff will ultimately position itself to thrive in the marketplace.

– Senlina Mayer is SONA National Vice President of Professional Development 2025. Working as an architecture student in Australia and Europe, Senlina continually learns and explores the frontiers of architecture. She will begin a Master of Architecture at the University of Melbourne in 2025.

This article is one of five answers to the same question: “People are leaving architecture – is their education to blame?” Read Melonie Bale-Smith’s views on the same issue here, Dom Cerantonio here, Paul Boyes here, and Donald Bates here.