Wednesday 12 October 2022

Last week in Killarney, Engineers Ireland hosted workshops of the International Engineering Alliance (IEA). The IEA is a global not-for-profit organisation, which comprises members from 41 jurisdictions within 29 countries, across seven international agreements. These agreements govern the recognition of engineering educational qualifications and professional competence. 

This was the first physical meeting of the IEA since Hong Kong in 2019 as annual business meetings took place online in 2020, 2021 and 2022. The workshops were a fruitful opportunity to reconnect with IEA members and to progress the work of the alliance. A meeting also took place of the Seoul Accord for computing and IT professionals, of which Engineers Ireland is a provisional signatory.  

L-R: John Power, president of Engineers Ireland with Damien Owens, Shirley McDonald, Aoife Ní Mhaoláin and Richard Manton

Delegates were welcomed with an address by president of Engineers Ireland, John Power. The Irish delegation included Damien Owens, interim director general who is also chair of the IEA governing group, Shirley McDonald, membership director, Richard Manton, deputy registrar, and Aoife Ní Mhaoláin, governance executive. Professor Edmond Harty, vice president, and George McMahon, member of Council and An Ríocht, also attended. 

Among the topics discussed during the week were: 

• Global collaborations 
• IEA strategy 
• Revised Graduate Attributes and Professional Competences 
• Accord and agreement procedures 
• International mobility 
• Networking 

The next meeting of the International Engineering Alliance will take place in Taichung in June 2023. Further information: https://www.ieagreements.org/