The prize recognizes individuals who have made exceptional contributions in architectural education through their teaching, research, leadership and community service.

Bentley Systems Incorporated announced that the Bentley Education Network is sponsoring the Royal Australian Institute of Architects’ (RAIA) annual Architectural Education Prize. This is the second year that Bentley has sponsored the RAIA’s Architectural Education Prize, which recognizes individuals who have made exceptional contributions in architectural education through their teaching, research, leadership, and community service.

Bentley supports many other architectural education initiatives, including a five-year sponsorship of the RAIA’s mentoring program. In 2002, the program matched more than 200 architecture students with more than 60 architects.

“We are proud to join the RAIA in honoring educators who have served as role models throughout their careers and continue to inspire their students to excel in the discipline of architecture,” said Stuart Albrecht, global director of the Bentley Education Network. “Bentley has long supported architectural training and education, and through the Bentley Education Network, we are continually investing in programs that support ongoing research and study.”

Separately, Bentley is hosting a series of seminars on the emerging architectural IT strategy called building information modeling (BIM). These seminars outline how BIM captures essential building concepts and information beyond drawings and provides a managed environment for building projects and operations. BIM seminars, registered with the American Institute of Architects, are scheduled in select cities through the month.

“Bentley aims to foster excellence in the practice of architecture with its BIM-based solutions,” said Heather Woods, education manager for the RAIA. “With this sponsorship, Bentley is also fostering excellence in architectural education and research.”

Bentley will also feature dozens of workshops, case studies, and seminars at the 2003 Bentley International User Conference, to be held May 18-22 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Maryland, USA.

Past Architectural Education Prize recipients include Professor Lindsay Johnston FRAIA from the University of Newcastle, and Professor Jennifer Taylor FRAIA, who has taught architecture at several universities including the University of Sydney and the Queensland University of Technology.

Applications for the 2003 Architectural Education Prize are available, and the deadline for submission is June 27, 2003. For more information, go to www.architecture.com.au, under the Education/Prizes pages.