Just a short update this month: the key event of note was the visit to NZ in September of Prof. James Hayter, the new IFLA president, who outlined his global vision for IFLA as well as showing some of the built projects from his landscape practice. One aspect that he sees as a focus for IFLA particularly resonated with the small but interested group at the Christchurch presentation, confirming an increasing emphasis in landscape practice on the cultural components of landscape expressed through indigeneity. This reinforced a statement made several years ago by the Professor of planning at Lincoln University, Hirini Matunga, who suggested that a key question NZ design professionals should be asking in each project is "What does it mean to be Maori [here], today?"

James also confirmed his intention to reinforce the relationship of national and regional accreditation procedures to the 2012 IFLA/UNESCO Charter for Landscape Architectural Education, showing how authority to grant programme accreditation is clearly derived from that Charter. Interestingly, James agrees that a global accreditation approach may still be some way off, but affirmed that the IFLA APR policy and process was a great model for a regional-level process. The IFLA APR has been approached by the presidents of IFLA Africa and IFLA Americas in relation to the potential to adapt the IFLA APR document for their own regions.

A new secretariat has been approved to take over from our existing Singapore-based provider in October, with a much wider mandate to gain sponsorship and corporate membership to provide a firmer financial footing for regional activities. More information about this will be available in due course on the IFLA APR pages.

Mike Barthelmeh
NZILA IFLA Delegte