The LE:NOTRE Thematic Network in Landscape Architecture is a three year European Union funded project aimed at strengthening co-operation between universities and higher education institutions involved in teaching and research in landscape architecture. Landscape architecture is the discipline concerned with the planning, design and management of the human environment.
The project will also draw on the experience and expertise of outside organisations involved with different aspects of landscape architecture practice at the European level as well as landscape architecture students and academics from neighbouring disciplines.
The general goal of the LE:NOTRE Thematic Network Project is to increase the quality of landscape architecture teaching and research undertaken by higher education institutions within Europe, taking the discipline to a new level of maturity, by building on and developing European best practice and identifying key needs and urgent areas for action in education and research within the discipline.

To achieve this it will be necessary to fulfil the following objectives:

- strengthen the European landscape architecture academic community and to highlight the European dimensions and identity of the discipline in order to bring about improvements in all aspects of education and scholarship

- move towards the convergence of undergraduate curricula throughout Europe by the identification of broadly agreed core elements, while seeking to develop specialisms at more advanced levels, which grow out of the existing variety of landscape issues and professional needs and the environmental conditions within the different countries of Europe

- develop improved teaching methods and common teaching resources for landscape architecture education, building on best European practice and emerging new directions, methods and technologies

- strengthen the potential for research in landscape architecture at the European level, as an important precondition for research-led teaching, by seeking to co-ordinate existing activities and define common and urgent research agendas, developing common research methods teaching as well as seeking new means to disseminate research findings

- improve communication with professional bodies and public authorities, landscape students and related disciplines at the European level in order to ensure educational and research needs at all levels can be identified and addressed to the highest possible standards and new needs effectively predicted

- establish a long-term framework through which this process of dialogue and co-operation can continue at the same level of quality and intensity beyond the time scale of the Thematic Network Project, and to initiate measures necessary to facilitate the improved future mobility of staff and students

The project is divided into three interdependent stages:

1) Year one focuses on building up a detailed and well-documented picture of the ‘state of the art’ of landscape architecture education in Europe as a firm empirical foundation for the project

2) Year two involves a rigorous analysis of the survey results from the first year, by means of both critical reflection from landscape architecture academics representing the relevant subject areas, as well inputs from the external project partners

3) Year three will build on the conclusions of the year two assessments to propose a series of new collaborative initiatives for European landscape architecture education and scholarship

In its first year the Network will involve 73 landscape schools from 26 countries (with a further 9 schools from countries not currently eligible to receive ERASMUS programme funding) each contributing information, experience and ideas using a project web site as the main communication medium.

Main focus for the operation of the Network will be a series of subject area working groups reflecting the main sub-disciplines of landscape architecture. Each participating school will nominate a direct representative to sit on one of the working groups. In addition, all staff members of network member schools will be encouraged to contribute ideas and exchange experience, via the internet, with as many working groups as they wish. Working groups will meet at an annual spring workshop to clarify, review and assess the information communicated electronically, and to prepare each year’s project outputs.
First year outputs will include a project internet site; a detailed survey of European landscape architecture schools and courses; a review of taught research components of landscape architecture programmes, and a European glossary of landscape architecture terms and concepts. In year two, the results of the surveys will be critically reviewed both internally as well as by a wide range of representatives from European landscape practice and by student’s representatives. Inputs will also be invited from representatives of neighbouring academic disciplines regarding areas of potential common interest. These deliberations will result in both internal analysis and external reports on the substance of teaching within each of the sub-disciplines, as well as the identification of European dimensions of the landscape architecture curriculum, both existing and potential. In the final year, building on this critical review of best practice, proposals will be made for the development of joint teaching resources, outline course accreditation standards, common research methods teaching and continuing education programmes.
An international steering committee will coordinate the activities of the individual working groups and to take responsibility of the overall management of the project. A scientific advisory board of eminent European landscape architecture academics will act both as advisors to the project and provide external quality control.

Download: LE:NOTRE Folder (.pdf, 822 KB)

This Project is being carried out with the support of the European Community in the framework of the Socrates programme.

The Content of this project does not necessarily reflect the position of the European Community, nor does it involve any responsibility on the part of the European Community.