Engineers sign accord for standardisation of engineering education
The President of the Federation of African Engineering Organisation (FAEO), Mrs Carlien Bou-Chedid, has led a team of African engineers to sign a historic Africa, Asia, Pacific (AAP) Accord at a virtual ceremony in Zambia.
The African team was in Zambia for the annual symposium of the Engineering Institution of Zambia (EIZ).
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The accord is intended to create a framework for an International standard of engineering education which also covers the education of engineers, technologists and technicians.
It will also facilitate the mobility of graduates holding suitable qualifications in the sector.
Signatories
Mrs Bou-Chedid signed the document for the FAEO, while the President of the Federation of Engineering Institutions of Asia and the Pacific (FEIAP), Prof. Dr Huang Wei, initialled for his organisation.
The ceremony was witnessed by the President of the World Federation of Engineering Organisation (WFEO), Prof. Dr Gong Ke; the WFEO Executive Vice-President, Mr Mustafa B. Shehu, and other dignitaries from UNESCO, the African Union, and members of engineering institutions from Africa and Asia.
Accreditation
Mrs Bou-Chedid said under the accord, engineering courses would be accredited to a uniform standard within each category.
She added that with the signing of the accord, FAEO had come a step closer to realising the vision of harmonising engineering standards in Africa.
Mrs Bou-Chedid expressed appreciation to her predecessor, Mr Martin Manuhwa, for initiating such an important accord.
“Educational institutions in Africa can have quite different standards even within the same country and the opportunity, therefore, that this accord gives for international benchmarking is welcome,” she said.
Mrs Bou-Chedid further said with the take-off of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCTA), the accord would facilitate the mobility of engineering practitioners within the continent.
She explained that FAEO was leading the push for regulation of engineering practice in Africa and expressed delight that the accord would not only help in the assessment of qualifications from other countries, but would also support the deepening of understanding of each other’s culture.
Milestone
Prof. Wei said he considered the signing of the accord as a great milestone in the history of FAEO and FEIAP, as well as for engineers around the world.
That was because Africa was joining hands with other member countries to promote quality engineering education and practice to create a larger market for their services.
For his part, Prof. Dr Ke also said that the accord would harmonise engineering education and practice and provide global benchmarks and standards for engineering education and practice in the world.