It is clear from COP26, that engineering needs to creatively respond to make good, and drive further the promises made by governments to mitigate and adapt to create a safe and just future for all. This triggers a fundamental reflection of the role of engineering and what competencies are most important within this critical discipline.
Last year, Engineers Without Borders International and Engineers Without Borders organizations from Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, the Netherlands, the Philippines, UK and USA pulled together to influence change at the highest level of engineering governance, to push for the transformation of engineering competencies towards a greater beneficial impact for people and the planet.
Together, we called for three core competencies to be universally incorporated into the international benchmark values for engineering graduate attributes and professional competencies hosted by the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO) and the International Engineering Alliance (IEA). We advocated that critical reflection be included, with a deeper comprehension of ethics and a more inclusive view on those that were valued in decision making.
Our input was warmly welcomed as the voice of the future of engineering and the benchmark values have been updated. We’re now working with WFEO to scope out more opportunities where the Engineers Without Borders vision of engineering can become mainstream.
Join us today, to drive this change into how engineering is taught and practiced. After all, it is only words on paper, unless this version can successfully be a mandate to expand and change the culture of what it means to be an engineer, and the responsibility of engineering itself.
See the competencies in detail here.
