Yet Another Major Achievement for the Capacity Building Committee
The Capacity Building Committee published its Capacity Building Guideline in early 2011 and almost immediately there was the realization that this publication needed to evolve into a "live" source of information on Capacity Building, rather than be reprinted as new editions in hard copy in the future as updates are made. The idea emerged of developing an electronic Capacity Building Compendium, which is largely based on the Pillars identified in the Guidebook. The principle idea was to develop a structured electronic repository for all kinds of information related to Capacity Building, ranging from articles, to Toolkits and Technical Papers.
The WFEO Engineering Capacity Building Compendium was to become the gateway for information sharing specific to the Human Capital skills challenge where ideas and programmes could be shared between Countries and Organizations where in some cases there is sufficient Capacity whilst in others not.
Fast forward to 2013... and the Committee is proud to announce that this facility has been launched at the 2013 General Assembly and all interested in the subject of Engineering Capacity were invited to visit the site, add information or even use it to source ideas for their own local use. The next step in the process is to link it directly to the new WFEO Website, but for now you may simply access the site using the following address: www.rawmediatesting.com/ecsa
Enjoy the Journey ! And Oh, lookout for the App which will be available for your mobile soon soon...
The Committee on Disaster Risk Management reports in Singapore
The Chair, Dr. Ishii showed his expectations concerning the CDRM activities that should help avoid human loss and economic damages induced by disasters. The various Sub-committee leaders reported on their activity through a CDRM Overall Report as well as on Water-related Disaster Risk Management.
Dr. Kanga, the new vice-chair of CDRM, set the focus on natural disasters, international action on natural disaster risk management and the need for capacity building around these issues.
Two new members joined CDRM, Dr. Nobuaki Kimura (Japan) and Eng. Ahmad Bahmans (Kuwait). The Chair Dr. Ishii reported on the Chair's activities of the year, including the Executive Board meeting in April 2013, Rio+20, and the status of cooperation with UNESCO/OECD.
Dr. Komatsu, the newly nominated CDRM chairman reported on two main objectives for the committee: internationalization of CDRM and development of implementation oriented to technology. Prof. Tsukahara is the new leader of the Water-related Disaster Risk Management Sub-Committee.
Finally, Prof. Ikeda introduced a research paper that highlighted social responsibility of engineers and the good practices in design and engineering of a nuclear plant facility that was not damaged in the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami in March 2011.
International Social Science Council General Assembly - Montréal, Quebec
Speech of David Lapp from the WFEO Committee on Engineering and the Environment to the ISSC general assembly on October 10, 2013 in Montreal
On behalf of President Marwan Abdelhamid and President Elect Jorge Spitalnik, I bring greetings from the World Federation of Engineering Organizations. WFEO is the international non-government organization representing engineers and the engineering profession. Our membership consists of national engineering organizations from more than 90 countries as well as international members from regional and engineering organizations. Collectively these organizations represent more than 15 million engineers working around the world to help maintain and improve the quality of life and services needed by society.
Much of the WFEO's work is achieved through its 10 standing committees. These committees cover a broad range of subjects such as education, capacity-building, energy, anti-corruption, disaster risk management to name a few. I am the Secretary for the Committee on Engineering and the Environment, which focuses on environment, sustainability and climate change issues.
Engineers and others need to consider the economic, social and environmental consequences of their work. Sustainable development and environmental stewardship are key strategies in achieving this aim. Recently the WFEO approved a Model Code of Practice on Sustainable Development and Environmental Stewardship. This code provides engineers with ten principles to meet our responsibilities in sustainable development and preservation of our environment. This code was developed by our Engineering and the Environment Committee.
You might say that WFEO is the United Nations of the engineering profession. In fact one of the primary goals of the Federation is to support the achievement of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals and the development of Sustainable Development Goals that are currently in development. The Federation has a United Nations Relations Committee chaired by President-Elect Jorge Spitalnik that handles the WFEO interface with the UN.
The United Nations is where our two organizations work together. ISSC together with WFEO and the International Science Council (ICSU) are the member organizations that lead the Major Group on Science and Technology. Our Major Group is one of nine recognized by the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development and the new High Level Political Forum and Open Working Group bodies that are working on the new Sustainable Development Goals. Together our three organizations can present a unique, combined perspective on natural and social science evidence and the engineering and technological solutions needed to achieve the new Sustainable Development Goals. In the coming months and years WFEO looks forward to building our relationship with ISSC and ICSU on these and other related matters.
On this note, the World Federation of Engineering Organizations wishes the ISSC a successful General Assembly and expresses our thanks and appreciation for being invited.
Mechanical Engineering Program Receives Formal Accreditation
Formal accreditation of the University of Guelph's mechanical engineering program in June now allows members of the program's first graduating class to be licensed as engineers.
The Guelph program began in September 2009 and had its first graduating class this summer. The program has been accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB).
The CEAB appointed a team of senior engineers to visit campus in February to review the program. The board reviews new programs during the final semester of studies by the first graduating class.
"A detailed questionnaire is completed by the institution and sent to the team prior to the visit," said Bob Dony, associate director of undergraduate studies in the School of Engineering. "During the visit, the team examines the academic and professional quality of faculty, adequacy of laboratories, equipment and computer facilities, and the quality of the students' work."
WFEO Model Code of Practice for Sustainable Development and Environmental Stewardship
The WFEO Model Code of Practice for Sustainable Development and Environmental Stewardship was presented by the WFEO standing committee on engineering and the environment. It was unanimously approved by the general assembly on 14 September 2013 in Singapore
It aims at defining what engineers mean by sustainable development and environmental stewardship and how these relate to each other.
The purpose of the document is:
to provide objective guidance to individual engineers on responsible engineering practice as it relates to sustainable development and environmental stewardship
to provide a policy and implementing document to WFEO and its membership to use within their own organizations and countries
to inform United Nations organizations and International Financial Institutions of the role, responsibility and practices of engineers towards achieving sustainable development and environmental stewardship
to increase the profile and authority of WFEO in these subject areas
This document includes a one-page listing of ten principles and an interpretive guide which provides further amplification and commentary on ways to incorporate into an individual engineer's daily practice.
The listing and the interpretive guide will be distributed to the WFEO members and posted on the website in the coming weeks.
Water for Today and Tomorrow 2014
The Chinese Hydraulic Engineering Society (CHES) and the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (CSCE) are jointly hosting an international conference on water resources to be held in Tianjin (China) between 28 and 30 October 2014.
The purpose of the conference is to present and discuss latest research and practice in all aspects of water resources. An international audience will be brought together to discuss the latest advances in the ever more pressing arena of water resources. The need for the conference and its relevance to China and the world is obvious in the face of increasing populations, climate change impacts, and decline in availability of water resources.
International Conference on Sustainable Infrastructure 2014
The International Conference on Sustainable Infrastructure (ICSI) 2014, which will be held in Long Beach, California (USA) from 6 to 8 November 2014, will focus on sustainability in the built environment, presenting relevant engineering research, demonstrations and applications that contribute to competitiveness and well-being.
Presentations and panel discussions will cover sustainable infrastructure planning, financing, design, construction and operation: how practitioners are improving sustainable performance to meet the critical challenges of a changing operating environment.
The aim of the set of tools below is to provide knowledge, information and support to various stages of a campaign focused on the importance of agriculture within climate change negotiations.
To explore the various sections of the guide just follow this link
Source: Farming First
Anti-Corruption Day: 9 December
9 December has been adopted as the International Anti-Corruption Day, to raise awareness of corruption in order to fight and prevent it. This global campaign, focuses on how corruption hinders efforts to achieve the Millennium Sustainable Goals and impacts education, health, justice, democracy, prosperity and development.
For more information related to the International Anti-Corruption Day, follow this link
