Towards a connected curriculum in architectural education: research-based education in practice.

This paper outlines a long-term flexible education strategy for integrating research and teaching at a research-intensive UK university. The "Connected Curriculum" is part of a recently launched twenty-year vision and a wholesale commitment to changing programmes of study. Its goal is to enable all students to participate in research and enquiry throughout their education. In addition, it aims to allow students to make connections both vertically across a programme's year groups and horizontally across disciplinary divides, as well as beyond the university setting. The paper begins by outlining the Connected Curriculum, including its framework of six dimensions of connectivity. Then it moves to look specifically at research-based education in practice. In doing so it pulls together a number of relevant curricula examples from built environment disciplines and further afield, which have clear implications for architectural education. Through illustrating relevant international and interdisciplinary praxis, in the context of an internationally-recognized strategic approach, the aim of the paper is to inspire curricula enhancement relevant to diverse architecture programmes.