he determination to ensure an appropriate interpretation and evolution of the UNESCO-UIA Charter on Architectural Education led these two organisations to create the UNESCO-UIA validation council for architectural education (VCAE), and entrust it with the following objectives:
evaluate the conformity of architectural degree programmes to the Charter upon request by schools or universities
assess and validate the quality of programmes based on clear, predefined criteria
establish recommendations for the global, regional, and eventually local levels that will encourage a universal application of the Charter and improve the quality of education
offer technical assistance in applying the rules of the Charter.

n 1999, a protocol of cooperation was signed between the French Ministry of Culture and Communication (Department of Architecture and Heritage – DAPA), the mixed research centre “UMR-CNRS 694 MAP”, and the International Union of Architects, with the goal of developing an Internet project dedicated to the architectural heritage of the 20th century.

This initiative aims to conduct a worldwide programme to recognise architectural realisations that have marked 20th century architectural history and to promote projects carried out by the UIA Member Sections on this theme. It also encourages the diffusion of Member Section's data through the creation of a website that offers Sections the possibility to index significant edifices and provides intelligent search capabilities to users.

A pilot committee representing the three participating organisations was set up to ensure the advancement of the project, managed by the UMR-CNRS 694 MAP, at the Marseille faculty of architecture with the collaboration of the Research institute of the National Autonomous University of Mexico.