The International Engineering Alliance (IEA) is a global not-for-profit organisation, which comprises members from 41 jurisdictions within 29 countries, across seven international agreements. These international agreements govern the recognition of engineering educational qualifications and professional competence.
Through the Educational Accords and Competence Agreements, members of the International Engineering Alliance establish and enforce internationally bench-marked standards for engineering education and expected competence for engineering practice.
WFEO has a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IEA to collaborate on projects relating to engineering education and professional mobility.
The annual meetings and inaugural General Assembly was held in early July 2022. Dr Marlene Kanga, WFEO President 2017-2019, presented a report on the collaborative projects that are being undertaken by UNESCO, WFEO and IEA.
Mr Damien Owens, Chair IEA Governing Group, complemented WFEO on the progress that has been made on the projects and looked forward to further collaboration in future years.
Significant progress has been made on three projects:
- WFEO IEA Working Group #1 – Established in November 2019, the Working Group includes representatives of IEA Signatories and WFEO Members and was chaired by an IEA Signatory. The Working Group conducted a review of Graduate Attributes and Professional Competencies (GAPC) – the international benchmark for engineering education across more than 30 nations in every continent. The revised Framework was approved at the IEA Annual meeting in June 2021 and presented at WFEO General Assembly in March 2022. The Framework has been translated by WFEO partner ICEE into six official UNESCO languages: English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Russian and Chinese. The translated documents are awaiting approval by IEA.
- WFEO IEA Working Group #2 – Capacity Building in Engineering Education established in November 2019, the Working Group includes representatives of IEA signatories and WFEO members. The Chair of the Working Group is the Chair of the WFEO Committee on Education in Engineering. There are three projects at various stages of development to mentor and support the accreditation bodies of Mauritius, Kenya and Ghana.
- WFEO IEA Working Group #3 – the Working Group has been established to provide training to build Capacity Building for Engineering Education Systems and is led by the WFEO Committee on Education in Engineering. Dr Marlene Kanga is the Chair of the Working Group which has members from IEA Signatories, WFEO Members and WFEO Partners.
A training portal, the WFEO Academy uses UNESCO Open Science principles to provide vital training at no cost to all. The website uses innovation and advanced technology to make content available inclusively to all. Individuals will be encouraged to register and take up the courses and will be issued with certificates of completion with additional bronze, silver and gold awards to encourage the uptake of multiple courses. Individuals can access the courses at no cost as long as they are a member of a WFEO member, associate or affiliate organization.
Article Contributed by Dr Marlene Kanga WFEO President 2017-2019
Participants at the IEA General Assembly I (virtual) 8 July 2022.
L to R Top Row: Prof Elizabeth Taylor, Chair Washington Accord, Dr Marlene Kanga WFEO President 2017-2019, Mr Chris Johns, IEA Secretariat, Ms Rachel McKeag, IEA Secretariat, Mr. Damien Owens, Chair IEA Governing Group.
Mr Damien Owens, Chair IEA Governing Group, opens the IEA General Assembly, 8 July 2022.
SEP
2022