MAY 2025

CELA and CLARB announce collaborative partnership

The Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture (CELA) and The Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards (CLARB) have entered into a strategic partnership by signing a memorandum of agreement (MOU) to advance the discipline of landscape architecture through education, research, practice and public service.

"This new strategic partnership between CELA and CLARB marks an exciting new chapter between landscape architecture academic and professional practices,” said CELA President Taner R. Ozdil. “By reaffirming our mutual understanding and intent through this foundational partnership we create valuable opportunities that will strengthen our discipline and benefit educators, practitioners, scholars, researchers and students alike.”

To formalize the partnership, leaders from both organizations signed a memorandum of understanding at the CELA Annual Meeting in Portland, Oregon on March 28, 2025. The agreement outlines the two groups’ efforts to collaborate, share thought leadership and mutual support to advance issues affecting educators, education, research and licensure, including:

• Create programs and pathways to advance licensure among landscape architecture academic practitioners (faculty) and students
• Explore collaborative research, education and continuing education opportunities to advance both academic and professional practice in landscape architecture
• Promote active participation in education and research activities and events put together by the parties

“Working with CELA allows us to better integrate education and practice in meaningful ways,” said CLARB President Joel Kurokawa. “Our recent work to define experience pathways for educators seeking CLARB Certification and licensure demonstrates our commitment to recognizing academic contributions while maintaining the high standards essential to landscape architecture licensure.”

Left to right: CELA Past President Jun-Hyun Kim, CELA President Taner R. Ozdil, CLARB President Joel Kurokawa and CLARB CEO Matt Miller at the CELA Annual Meeting March 28, 2025.

ABOUT CELA

The Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture (CELA) is an international academic organization dedicated to advance landscape architecture education, research, scholarship and public service. CELA supports educators to advance the profession, by connecting educators, researchers, scholars and students with the goal of fostering academic excellence, supporting innovation in teaching and practice, and shaping the future of the profession.

For over 100 years, CELA has served as the premier academic organization for landscape architecture programs worldwide. The organization provides a platform for educators, researchers and scholars to collaborate, share knowledge and promote the development of rigorous, forward-thinking curricula that prepare students to address the evolving challenges of the built and natural environments.

CONTACT
Jennifer McNally 
Communications Manager, CELA
Phone: 1-919-674-4185
Email: jenniferm@imiae.com

ABOUT CLARB

The Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards (CLARB) is a US-based organization that works to protect the public’s health, safety and welfare by establishing and promoting professional licensure standards. Its 56 members are the licensure boards across the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands.

CLARB prepares, administers and scores the Landscape Architect Registration Examination (L.A.R.E.) which assesses the ability of prospective licensees to protect the public’s health, safety and wellbeing. CLARB also manages a professional information system called the CLARB Record, through which landscape architects document and verify their education, experience, examination and licensure history. The Record helps reduce barriers to mobility by streamlining the initial and reciprocal licensure processes. For more than 50 years, CLARB has worked to defend landscape architectural licensure in support of protecting both people and planet.

CONTACT
Alyssa Torrance
Communications and Outreach Manager, CLARB
Phone: 1-571-432-0332
Email: atorrance@clarb.org