International Agreements on Recognition of Equivalence at the Practicing Engineer Level

8/12/2019 International Agreements on Recognition of Equivalence at the Practicing Engineer Level

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Eulogio Amang Rodriguez

Institute of Science and Technology

Nagtahan, Sampaloc, Manila

College of Engineering

Electronics and Communications Engineering Department

ECE 516 ECE Laws, Contracts and Ethics

APEC and ASEAN Registry

ANTIGUA, Joshua C.

OLAZO, Janet F.

ECE-5

Engr. Rene Gene R. Repique

Professor


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International Agreements on Recognition of Equivalence at the

Practicing Engineer Level

International Trade

Exchange of capital, goods and services across international borders or territories.

Liberalization: allow transactions with minimal interference from the government

Goods

o

Lower or zero tariff rates and taxes

o No quotas or subsidies

Services

o Mutual recognition of skills

o

Free movement of labor

Trade Agreements

World Trade Organization (WTO)

European Union

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)

AFTA (ASEAN Free Trade Area)

All these trade agreements appreciate the need for recognition of skills, whether for trade in goods and

trade in services.

This gave rise to the setting up of registries of professionals

Architect Registry Nurses Registry

Dentists Registry

Engineers Registry

Accountants Registry


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Engineering Occupancy Groups

Problem Expertise

Well defined Technician

Broadly defined Technologist

Complex

Professional

Engineers Registry

A listing of qualified engineering professionals with the substantial equivalency in professional

practical experience

Not a license to practice in other economies

Can be recognized through:

o Multilateral or bilateral agreement

o Inter-institutional recognition (ex. Engineers Australia or IPENZ)


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Qualifications Must have completed an engineering degree with a substantial equivalency

Must be licensed to practice in the home economy

Must have the minimum required professional practice

7 years with 2 years of significant engineering work

Committed to Continuing Professional Development

Bound by Professional Code of Ethics

Engineering Registries

FEANI Register

NAFTA Engineer Registry APEC Engineer Registry

International Professional Engineer (INT PE) Registry

ASEAN Engineer Register

ASEAN Chartered Professional Engineer Register


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Related Registries

Engineering Technologists Register

APEC Engineer Registry Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation

Started in 1989

Fourteen (14) member economies

Managed by the APEC Human Resource Development

APEC Engineer

Completed an accredited or recognized engineering program, or assessed recognized

equivalent; and

Been assessed within their own economy as eligible for independent practice; and

Gained a minimum of seven years practical experience since graduation; and Spent at least two years in responsible charge of significant engineering work; and

Maintained their continuing professional development at a satisfactory level

Bound by the codes of professional conduct established and enforced by their home jurisdiction

And by any other jurisdiction within which they practice; and be

Held individually accountable for their actions, both through requirements imposed by the

licensing or registering body in the jurisdictions in which they work and through legal processes.

APEC Engineer Register

In the Philippines, current assessment process requires candidates to be a graduate of a

COE/COD program awarded by the Commission of Higher Education

Graduates of non-COE/COD status can still be accepted under track B by submitting additional

150 Continuing Professional Development units, which is equivalent to three (3) years of CPE.

Must be a member in good standing of their professional organization

Applicants are required to complete an Engineering Practice Report

o Documentation of significant engineering work undertaken

o Consists of one or more Career Episode Reports which describes the competencies

proven

Subject to an interview by professional peers

Must have satisfied Continuing Professional Development throughout his career (150 weighted

hours for any given 3 year period)

A. Formal Education and Training Activity 2

B. Informal Learning Activities 0.5-1

C. Conferences and Meetings 1

D. Presentation and Publication of Papers -

E. Service Activities 1

F. Industry Involvement (for the academe) 1


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ASEAN Federation of Engineering Organizations (AFEO)The ASEAN Federation of Engineering Organizations (AFEO) is a non-governmental body. Its members

are the engineering institutions and organizations of ASEAN countries with the following main objectives:

To promote goodwill and mutual understanding

To establish and develop an ASEAN baseline standard for the engineering profession with the objective

of facilitating the mobility of the engineers within the ASEAN countries.

AFEO Member Organizations

The ASEAN Federation of Engineering Organizations (AFEO) is formed by 10 ASEAN member organizations.

Pertubuhan Ukur Jurutera & Arkitek (PUJA)

Board of Engineers Cambodia (BEC)

Persatuan Insinyur Indonesia (PII)

Lao Union of Science and Engineering Associations (LUSEA)

The Institution of Engineers Malaysia (IEM)

Myanmar Engineering Society (MES)

The Philippine Technological Council (PTC)

The Institution of Engineers Singapore (IES)

The Engineering Institute of Thailand (ETT)

Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA)

The ASEAN FEDERATION OF ENGINEERING ORGANISATIONS (AFEO) brings together national engineering

organisations from ASEAN countries as national members. It was founded in 1982 and the Secretariat is rotated

among member organizations hosting the annual Conference of the ASEAN Federation of Engineering

Organizations (CAFEO). The permanent Treasurer of AFEO is The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia, in KualaLumpur.

The AFEO Governing Board at their meeting in Manila on 23rd November 1998 had agreed on the

formation of the ASEAN Engineers Register (AER) hereafter referred to as the Register.


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ASEAN Engineering Register Historical Background

The idea to set up the ASEAN Engineering Register was first mooted at the 14th AFEO Governing Board

meeting held in Air Keroh, Melaka, Malaysia on 25 November 1996. The meeting agreed to set up an ASEAN

Engineers Working Group to collect, tabulate and disseminate information on the education systems

engineering curriculum, recognition of degrees and qualifications, accreditation of qualifications and

requirements for achieving professional engineer status of each ASEAN Institutions.

Philippines Technological Council (PTC) was nominated and appointed the permanent Chairmanship to

prepare the findings and to standardize the level of engineering competence required for attainment o

professional engineer status with relation to the regulation of each of the ASEAN countries.

At the 15th meeting the following year (27 November 1997) in Chiangmai, Thailand, the AFEO Governing

Board noted the benchmarking of the APEC Engineer Register and agreed that IEM should host a forum on the

ASEAN Engineer and to look into avenue for the AFEO Engineers in APEC. As PTC could not progress due to

change over of Chairmanship and lack of information on the procedure for the set-up of ASEAN Engineering

Register, IEM undertook to finalize this issue.

Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (IEM) at the 16th AFEO Governing Board meeting on (23 November1998) in Clarkfield, Angeles City, Philippines, tabled the first working paper on the Guidelines for the setting up

of the ASEAN Engineer Register. The paper detailed the objective, concept, minimum requirements and

operation of an ASEAN Engineer Register. Procedure of application and registration was also included in thi

presentation. The report was an output of the ASEAN Engineers Roundtable meeting. At the 16thConference o

the ASEAN Federation of Engineering Organizations (CAFEO) Workshop Forum (held a day before the governing

board meeting) proposal was made to include Architects into the Register and be named as ASEAN

Engineering/Architect Register.

The AFEO Governing Board approved in principle a meeting amongst the Institution on the developmen

of ASEAN Engineer in March 1999 to be hosted by IEM to consider the standing or status of AFEO Engineers in

ASEAN. The AFEO Governing Board also agreed to establish the ASEAN Engineer/Architect Register and AFEO

Board members unanimously agreed that IEM be appointed the Secretariat to maintain the Register.

The first text of the Register was prepared and finalized on (8 January 1999). The text was amended and

presented to IEM Council the same month. A letter was sent to Wisma Putra to inform the Ministry of Foreign

Affairs of the setting up and formation of the ASEAN Engineer. A progress report on the ASEAN

Engineering/Architects Register was tabled eventually on (4 May 1999) to IEM Excomm for approval to be tabled

to AFEO Board meeting later part of the year.

After the 16th meeting of the AFEO Board, a special committee has been set up in December 1998 and

to be spread-headed by The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia to proceed with the formation of the RegisterSeveral meetings were held to design an application form. In February 1999 the forms were issued to member

of The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia to test its response. Lots of inquiries were received and by then 50 IEM

members were the first batch to sign up for the Register. From the feedback, the application form was amended

and a second trial run took place in July 1999.

At the 17th AFEO Governing Board meeting held in Singapore on 19 November 1999, the AFEO

Governing Board supported the urgent need to start the Register using the IEM model as the guide.


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At the 18th AFEO Board meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam on 24 November 2000, PTC was appointed to remain

as the Chairman of ASEAN Engineering Register whilst the IEM was appointed the Secretariat responsible for its

implementation and maintenance. It was agreed at this meeting that it should be solely a register for Engineers

and the name was altered to ASEAN Engineer Register. Each AFEO member organization was requested to

establish a National Monitoring Committee (NMC) made up of a maximum of five (5) members to undertake the

role of examining each application before it was submitted to the ASEAN Engineering Register Commission

meeting for approval.

During 19th AFEO Governing Board meeting on 23 October 2001, the AFEO Board agreed that the AER

will be operating as a Trade Register that will provide a complete database of practicing engineers within the

ASEAN countries. At this date 240 engineers all from IEM had been registered. The AFEO Heads at this meeting

in Brunei Darussalam also officially signed the AER Guidelines after some minor amendments were made to the

draft.

The AER Secretariat was set up on 3rd September 2002. Since 23rd October 2003, a permanent AFEO

Secretariat has also established.

The ASEAN Federation of Engineering Organizations (AFEO) Governing Board at its meeting in Vientiane

Lao PDR in June 2011, have agreed to expand the ASEAN Engineers Register (AER) into the ASEAN EngineeringRegister (AER) to include the registration of the entire engineering team comprising the Engineers, Engineering

Technologists and Technicians, and related Associates.

Objectives

The objectives of the Register are as follows:

a)

To promote recognition of ASEAN engineers within and outside ASEAN;

b)

To safeguard and promote the professional interests of engineers;

c)

To foster high standards of formation and professional practice and regularly review them;

d)

To promote cultural and professional links among members of the engineering profession within ASEAN

e)

To enhance the wealth of ASEAN countries;

f)

To provide sufficient data regarding the formation of an individual engineer for the benefit ofprospective employers;

g)

To encourage a continuous updating of the quality of engineers by setting, monitoring and reviewing

standards.

h)

In pursuit of these aims, AFEO shall maintain the Register into which individuals may be admitted

provided they meet the specified minimum requirements.


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Minimum Requirements

The criteria stipulated below are the minimum requirements for an applicant to be admitted into the

Register:

Must possess an Engineering Degree recognized by the home country;

Must be a full-time member of the Engineering Organization or Technological Association in

the home country and is licensed to practice engineering in the home country;

Must have a minimum of seven (7) years of post-graduate professional working experience in

an engineering environment, of which two years of experience involve the responsible charge

of significant work;

Must maintain his professional development at an acceptable level; and

Must agree to be guided by the ASEAN Engineers Code of Practice.

Composition

1.

ASEAN Engineers Register Commission (AERC)The Register shall be maintained by a commission called the ASEAN Engineers Register Commission

(AERC). The AERC shall comprise of ten (10) Country Registrars from each member organization and a Head

Commissioner.

The AERC shall review and endorse the list of approved applications before forwarding it to the AFEO

Governing Board. The Register shall be maintained by the member organization hosting the AER Secretariat.

1.1.

Country Registrars

Each member organization shall appoint its own country representative, called the Country Registrar

to serve on the AERC. The Country Registrar shall be the Chairman of the National Monitoring

Committee (NMC) in the home country.

1.2.Head Commissioner

The Institution hosting the AER Secretariat shall nominate a Head Commissioner to preside over the

AERC. The nomination of the Head Commissioner is to be approved by the Country Registrars and

endorsed by the AFEO Governing Board.

The Head Commissioner shall attend the meeting of the AFEO Governing Board as an observer to

present the list of approved applications and the activities of the AER.

2.

AER Executive Committee (EXCO)

The Head Commissioner may establish an AER Executive Committee (EXCO) to help to deal with day-to-day

operations. The members of this EXCO are to be appointed by the Head Commissioner.

3.

National Monitoring Committee (NMC)

Each member organization shall establish a National Monitoring Committee (NMC) chaired by the Country

Registrar, which will vet all applications and submit the approved applications to the AERC six weeks before

an AERC Meeting.


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4.

AER Secretariat

The office of the Secretariat shall be located in the country of the member organization hosting the Register

The AFEO Governing Board shall appoint the member organization to host the AER Secretariat. The

Secretariat is to work under the instruction and supervision of the Head Commissioner.

4.1.

Duties of the Secretariat

The duties of the AER Secretariat shall be to:

Maintain the AER

Maintain and monitor the AER Website

Implement decisions of the AERC

Handle the day to day duties of the AER and make reports to the Head Commissioner

Procedures

Applications

Applications are open only to individuals from the member organizations. Applications must be made through

the member organization to their NMC. On-line application is acceptable.

The registration form must be completed in the English Language accompanied by the appropriate applicationfees.

1. Approval of Applications

The NMC shall verify that the duration of the professional engineering experience of the applicant meet

the minimum requirements.

2.

Application Fees

The application fees are as follows:

a. Entrance Fees

i.

AER new member : USD10.00 per entry

b. Annual Subscription

i.

PUJA, PII, IEM, PTC, IES, EIT : USD20.00 per year

ii.

EIC, LUSEA, MES, VUSTA : USD10.00 per year

c. Administration fees

3. Any other administration fees as and when decided by the individual National Monitoring

Committee (NMC) for its own members.

Renewal of Registration

A.

Certificates

A certificate issued by the AER Secretariat and signed by the respective President of the member

organization and the Head Commissioner will attest the registration of an applicant as an ASEAN

Engineer.

B.

ASEAN Engineer (AE) Title

All ASEAN Engineers are entitled to use the title ASEAN Eng..


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C. Annual Subscriptions and Life Composition Fees

The AFEO Governing Board based on recommendations from the AER from time to time shall establish a

schedule of annual subscription and life composition fees payable by all ASEAN Engineers.

i.

Renewal of Registration

The ASEAN Engineer title may be retained as long as the holder remains registered and

observes the AFEO Code of Ethics.

Registration should be renewed triennially and the fees paid through the relevant NMCs.

ii. Arrears in Subscription

Any members whose subscription is more than three (3) months in arrears shall be notified

by the respective NMC.

An AER member whose subscription becomes twelve (12) months in arrears shall lose the

right to receive any benefits accorded to AER members.

The Secretariat shall mail a final notice by post or e-mail to the last known address of any

AER members whose subscription becomes nine (9) months in arrears. The name of any members

whose subscription becomes twelve (12) months in arrears shall be reported to the AERC so that the

appropriate action, including possible removal from the Register, can be taken.

iii. AFEO Individual Honorary Member

Members who are conferred the AFEO Individual Honorary Membership is automatically

conferred the status of Honorary ASEAN Engineers.

Honorary ASEAN Engineers are exempted from the payment of Annual Subscription fees.

iv.

Life Membership

Life membership can be obtained via one of the following criteria:

An eligible candidate can opt to pay a one-time fee of USD200.00 to become a Life Membe

(LM) of the AER.

If a member has paid the annual subscription fees for the past few years, the member he

could top up the balance to USD200.00 and become a Life Member (LM).

If a members payment of the annual subscription totals USD200.00 or more, the membe

could be considered for conversion to life membership, upon submission of a forma

application.

For ASEAN Engineers to be able to continue to maintain the status of Life Member, members are

required to fulfill and maintain at a satisfactory level, their continuous professional developmen

(CPD) hours.

Removal from the Register

Termination of MembershipAt any time if comes to the notice or knowledge of the members organizations that the qualifications of any AE

of the Register is not one that is recognized by the member organizations, or if the AE has in some manner been

wrongly admitted, then in such cases the AFEO Governing Board may at its sole discretion remove the membe

from the Register.

I.

Dismissal

The following are possible grounds for the removal or dismissal of an AE from the Register:

Misconduct, such as violation of any of the provisions of the Constitution or Regulations of

member organization and/or AFEO and is prejudicial to the interests of the Register.


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Failure to pay the annual subscription fee to renew membership.

Death, mental retardation, criminal convictions.

The AFEO Governing Board may at its sole discretion, based on recommendation from the AERC

remove an AE from the Register.

Resignation from the Register

Resignations

Any AE of the Register in good standing may resign his membership by a written communication to the

Country Registrar of his own member organization, who shall then present it to their individual NMC

Acceptance of any resignation shall be by the NMC for their own members and notify the AER Secretariat of the

resignations. Any AE of the Register whose subscriptions are not in arrears and against whom no complaint or

charge is pending shall be considered in good standing.

A member who resigned from the Register after paying all the fees due shall have his name removed

from the Register.

A.

Reinstatement

Any former member of the Register may re-apply for re-admission.

International Agreements on Recognition of Equivalence at the Practicing Engineer Level

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