Accords Between Engineering Bodies
Various international accords have been signed between the bodies responsible for accrediting tertiary-level qualifications in engineering in each of their respective countries. These accords recognize the substantial equivalency of programs accredited by those bodies from the date of full signature status, and recommend that graduates of accredited programs in any of the signatory countries be recognized by the other countries as having met the academic requirements for entry to the practice of engineering. For example, if a person obtains an accredited degree from a South African University that person’s qualifications will be recognized by the signatories of other countries.
The Engineering Council (UK) and the Engineering Council of South Africa signed the Washington Accord in 1989 and 1999 respectively. Both Councils signed the Sydney and Dublin accords in 2001 and 2002, respectively. For example, if a person obtains a degree after 1999 from a South African University that is accredited in terms of the Washington Accord that person’s qualifications will be recognized by ECUK.
It should be noted that the academic qualifications associated with these accords are linked to the following categories of ECSA and ECUK registration
*see https://www.ieagreements.org for full details of all these accords.
The International Engineering Agreements website provides full information and details on all international agreements between the various engineering bodies.
There is a qualification checker function on the front page to see
whether your qualification meets the reuqirements and is acknowledges by
one of the accords.
Mutual Exemption Agreement
ECSA, SAICE and ICE have signed a Mutual Exemption Agreement (see Section 3.6. International Registers and Mutual Exemption Agreements on this page of ECSA Website. In terms of this agreement, members of SAICE who are registered with ECSA as Professional Engineers of at least one years standing and members of ICE who are registered with the Engineering Council UK as Chartered Engineers of at least one years standing will be accorded corresponding membership and professional registration of the other on receipt of a duly completed acceptable application form and supporting documents. (see ICE website: ICE Mutual Exemption Agreement Page and on this page of ECSA Website for more information).
Application via this route is only available to Professional Engineers / Chartered Civil Engineers who qualified via the ECSA / ICE standard route (i.e. by having the required academic qualifications for that grade, by completing the required training and development and by passing a Professional Review).
ICE-SA has requested ICE and SAICE to engage with ECSA to explore the possibility of expanding the Mutual Exemption Agreement to cover Incorporated Engineers / Professional Engineering Technologists and Engineering Technicians / Professional Technicians, however these discussions have stalled.