News Article
Engineering for the future
Two of the UK's, and the world's, leading engineering institutions, the IEE and the IIE, have announced that members of both organisations have voted to create a new Institution. The new Institution will be known as the IET (Institution of Engineering and Technology), and will come into being in early 2006.
Two of the UK's, and the worlds, leading engineering institutions, the IEE and the IIE, have announced that members of both organisations have voted to create a new Institution. The new Institution will be known as the IET (Institution of Engineering and Technology), and will come into being in early 2006.
The IEE has 120,000 members worldwide and the IIE 40,000. Members of both institutions completed voting this week. The IEE voted 73.5 per cent in favour while members of the IIE voted 95.7 per cent in favour.
Welcoming the results UK Science and Innovation Minister Lord Sainsbury said: "This is excellent news. The new, multidisciplinary, international and inclusive body will be better able to serve its members' interests and be fit for purpose in 21st century."
Professor John O'Reilly, President of the IEE said: "This is an historic step for both institutions. Members have shown themselves ready to embrace the future and ensure that institutions that have served decades of engineers remain relevant in the 21st Century.
"Engineering is becoming increasingly interdisciplinary and global and it is important that institutions reflect the way in which their members operate," he added
Lord Trefgarne, President of the IIE, commented: "The engineering profession has for far too long been fragmented and undervalued. By bringing together all key members of the technical team, whatever their professional status, IET holds out the hope of creating a more coherent and representative organisation for our profession."
He added: "The new Institution will be better attuned to meet the needs of its members, of employers who need well qualified staff, and of wider society which benefits from the products and services underpinned by our collective efforts."
Once formed, the IET will have the largest number of professionally registered engineers and engineering technicians in the UK. Members work in a wide range of sectors including ICT, robotics, manufacturing, power engineering, transport, contracting and building services, defence and the armed services.
The two organisations will now begin a process to create the IET, which will require approval by the Privy Council.
The IEE has 120,000 members worldwide and the IIE 40,000. Members of both institutions completed voting this week. The IEE voted 73.5 per cent in favour while members of the IIE voted 95.7 per cent in favour.
Welcoming the results UK Science and Innovation Minister Lord Sainsbury said: "This is excellent news. The new, multidisciplinary, international and inclusive body will be better able to serve its members' interests and be fit for purpose in 21st century."
Professor John O'Reilly, President of the IEE said: "This is an historic step for both institutions. Members have shown themselves ready to embrace the future and ensure that institutions that have served decades of engineers remain relevant in the 21st Century.
"Engineering is becoming increasingly interdisciplinary and global and it is important that institutions reflect the way in which their members operate," he added
Lord Trefgarne, President of the IIE, commented: "The engineering profession has for far too long been fragmented and undervalued. By bringing together all key members of the technical team, whatever their professional status, IET holds out the hope of creating a more coherent and representative organisation for our profession."
He added: "The new Institution will be better attuned to meet the needs of its members, of employers who need well qualified staff, and of wider society which benefits from the products and services underpinned by our collective efforts."
Once formed, the IET will have the largest number of professionally registered engineers and engineering technicians in the UK. Members work in a wide range of sectors including ICT, robotics, manufacturing, power engineering, transport, contracting and building services, defence and the armed services.
The two organisations will now begin a process to create the IET, which will require approval by the Privy Council.
