THE APEC ENGINEER

A Model for the Mobility of Engineers

The APEC Engineer

The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)

A Consultative Forum of 21 Countries

Member EconomiesCanada; USA; Mexico; Peru; Chile; Russia;

South Korea; China; Hong Kong; Japan; Vietnam; Philippines; Brunei; Singapore;

Malaysia; Thailand; Chinese Taipei; Indonesia; Papua New Guinea; Australia; New

Zealand

OBJECTIVES

Promote Mobility of Qualified Engineers within APEC through mutual recognition of qualifications and experiences.

Establish a strong cooperative network among engineering organizations in APEC member economies.

BACKGROUND

1995 – APEC leader’s meeting in Osaka – agreed to the need to facilitating the mobility of qualified persons

Jan 1996 – APEC HRD Ministers in Manila – urged acceleration of the project on mutual recognition of skill and qualification

May 1996 – APEC HRD Working Group in Wellington, New Zealand agreed to Australia’s initiation on the project focusing on professional engineers

Aug. 1997 – Workshop in Manila to examine, identify and promote best practices APEC Engineer (APEC Engineer Project)

Nov. 1997 – Final deliberation on APEC Engineer in Sydney agreed on the draft framework and concept of establishment

Jan. 1998 – APEC HRD meeting in Bali

July 1999 – APEC Engineering Project Expert Advisory Group Meeting

Nov. 1999 – Final APEC Engineer Steering Committee and Inaugural APEC Engineer Coordinating Committee Meetings identified best practices in accreditation, recognition and development of professional engineering qualifications.

June 2000 – APEC Engineer Register Workshop for Regulatory Authorities and Second APEC Engineer Coordinating Committee Meeting, Vancouver, Canada.

Oct. 2001 – APEC Engineer Register Workshop – Third APEC Engineer Coordinating Committee Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

June 2003 – APEC Engineer Register Workshop & Fourth APEC Engineer Coordinating Committee Meeting in Rotorua, New Zealand.

APEC ENGINEER

Must be a Professional Engineer eligible for independence practice within an APEC Economy

* Completed an accredited and/or recognized engineering programme

* Been assessed within their own jurisdiction as eligible for independent practice

* Gained a total of at least seven years of practical experience since graduation

* Spent at least two years in responsible charge of significant engineering work

* Maintained their continuing professional development at a satisfactory level

TYPES OF STANDARDS

• Standards of Education

• Standards of Professional Practice

• Standards of Individual Practitioner Performance

Indicators

• Standards of Education

• Standards of Professional Practice

• Standards of Practitioner Performance

• Input or process indicators to support learning outcomes

• Demonstration of competence/ achievement of learning

• Practice Guidelines

Inter-relationship of standards for continuous quality improvement

Professional education

Standards of individual

professional performance

Professional services/practice

Input and Process IndicatorsEngineering Education Programme Attributes

• Statement of learning outcomes• Programme structure and process• Resources/Facilities to meet the outcomes

– Qualifications of lectures and selection of students– Programme structure and contents– Programme monitoring and evaluation– Physical facilities, finances and support services– Governance and administration

• Quality Management System• Independent Evaluation/Assessment• Benchmark

Standards of Practitioner Performance

• Demonstration of competence in at least the following areas– Mastery of knowledge

(Engineering Science and Principles, Mathematics, Statistics & Computing and Engineering Applications)

– Research, critical thinking and problem solving– Practical skills– Social & environmental: accountability– Professional ethics and conduct– Information management and CPD– Communication skills and team work

Assessment Procedures

• Establish independent assessment procedures to verify – Standards of Education– Standards of Professional Practise

• Benchmark against International level– Washington Accord– APEC Engineer Register & EMF International

Register of Professional Engineers

Practical Experience

Engineering Fundamentals

Professional Values,

Attitudes

Public Safety

Information Management

Communication Skills

Critical Thinking

Social Accountability

SEVEN BROAD OUTCOME DOMAINS

Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Main Objectives

• Keep up-to-date with the latest technological development and engineering knowledge

• Generally 50 units

Types of CPD

• Formal Courses and Training Activities

• Informal Learning Activities– Professional Memberships

• Conferences and Meetings

• Presentation and Papers

• Services in Professional Bodies

CPD Unit (an example)

TYPE TIMES WEIGHTED FACTOR

MAX. PER YEAR

a. Formal Education and Training Activities

2 x No Limit

b. Informal Learning Activities 1 x – on job learning

0.5 x – private study

Max. 20

Max. 10

c. Conferences and Meetings 1 x No Limit

d. Presentation and Papers 10 x Max. 30

e. Service Activities 1 x Max. 30

f. Industry Involvement (for academia)

1 x Max. 30

ROUTE TO BECOME AN APEC ENGINEERTHE APEC ENGINEER FRAMEWORK

Secondary Education Diploma

ACTIVITY BY/THROUGH INDEPENDENT AUTHORISED BODY FOR APEC ENGINEER

REGISTER

Accreditation / Recognition of Engineering Program

Qualifying Experience Individual Assessments Established by Home

Economy

Individual Assessments

Assessment of Continued Practice and Continuing Professional

Education

Mutual Recognition of Engineering Education and Advanced Level

Experience

APEC Engineer Registry (Monitoring Committee Independent Authorised

Designated Professional Body)

Completed an Accredited / Recognised Engineering Program

Eligible for Independent Practice

Total of at least 7 years practical experience since graduation

2 years Responsible Charge of Significant Engineering Work (in the course of 7 yrs practical experience)

Continuing Professional Development at Satisfactory Level

APEC Engineer

NATIONAL MONITORING COMMITTEE

• Monitoring Committee established in each participating economy

• Maintains register of APEC Engineer

• Independent authorised body

ORGANISATION STRUCTURE (EACH ECONOM Y)

LICENSINGBODY

INST ITUT IONOF

ENGINEERS

ASSOCIAT IONOF

CONSULT INGENGINEERS

M ONITORING COM M ITTEE

SUBSTANTIAL EQUIVALENCE FRAMEWORK

DOCUMENTATION

FRAMEWORK

1. Principles

2. Mechanism

SCHEDULE

(Definition of APEC Engineer Discipline by each member

economy Monitoring Committee)

STRUCTURE

APEC ENGINEER

Coordinating Committee within APEC HRD

Framework

Member economy

Monitoring Committees

APEC Engineer Coordinating Committee

• To ensure consistency in application of agreed criteria

• One voting representative from each monitoring committee

• Facilitate the maintenance and development of authoritive and reliable decentralised Registers of APEC Engineers

• Promote acceptance

Chairman up to 2001 : Australia : Mr. Barry Grear

Current Chair (2001-2005) : Malaysia : Ir. Dr. See-Sew Gue

Secretary (2001-2003) : Canada

Secretary (2003-2005) : Australia

OR GAN ISATION STR U C TU R E (M AIN )

APECEconom y

R epresenta tive(1)

APECEconom y

R epresenta tive(1)

APECEconom y

R epresenta tive(1)

APECEconom y

R epresenta tive(1)

APECEconom y

R epresenta tive(1)

APECEconom y

R epresenta tive(1)

APECEconom y

R epresenta tive(1)

APEC Engineer C oordina ting C om m ittee

APEC Econom yRepresentative (1)

APEC Econom yRepresentative (1)

APEC Econom yRepresentative (1)

APEC Econom yRepresentative (1)

Registers of APEC Engineers

• Criteria and procedures for application

• Review of Assessment Statement

• Authorisation to operate Register

• Other undertaking

MUTUAL EQUIVALENCE FRAMEWORK

APEC Engineer

Adjustments As Required by Host

Jurisdiction

Code Knowledge

Law / Ethics of Jurisdiction

Customs & Practices

Liability Protection

Host Jurisdiction Permit to Practice

(Sponsored)

Host Jurisdiction Permit (License) to

Practice (Independent)

MEMBERSHIP

7 Founding Members- Australia

- Canada

- Hong Kong

- Japan

- Korea

- Malaysia

- New Zealand

2001 -2003- Indonesia

- Philippines

- United States of America

- Thailand

STATUS OF REGISTRATION AS AT JUNE 2003

Australia 467

Canada 12

Hong Kong 84

Indonesia 28

Japan 2161

Korea 520

Malaysia 49

New Zealand 70

Philippines 50

United States of America 12

ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATIONHUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT WORKING GROUP

The APEC Engineer Manual  

THE IDENTIFICATION OF SUBSTANTIAL EQUIVALENCE

 

APEC Engineer Coordinating Committee

  November 2000

Websites: http://www.ipenz.org.nz/ipenz/finding/apec/http://www.iem.org.my/wapi/mctxwapi.dll/getObject?mid=IEMWEB-MAIN2&ObjID=16

THANK YOU

Q & A