ACE: guide to working internationally

Trading successfully across borders can strengthen your practice and help to make it more innovative and resilient to economic fluctuations. The Architects’ Council of Europe (ACE) encourages dynamic, enthusiastic practices with the necessary drive to grow internationally.

This guide aims to assist architects to develop international business opportunities and secure longterm success by adopting a strategic approach to their ventures into new markets. Although produced by the ACE in Europe, this guide could be equally valuable to all architects who wish to internationalise their practices, wherever they are located. Some of the support services listed in this guide are specific to the EU, but the principles are universal.

Their advice to architects is to take control of their international activities by, first, identifying those countries that offer the best potential markets for their specifi c services and, second, developing a strategy for approaching those countries that offer the best chance of success.

The guidance is presented in six sections, detailing the key elements for internationalising your practice, to help you structure your approach:

1. Why export?
2. Are you ready to export?
3. Researching international markets
4. Planning and market entry
5. Finance
6. Useful information