FEDERATION OF AFRICAN ENGINEERING THE ORGANISATIONS: AREAS OF STRATEGIC CO-OPERATION WITH AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION By   ENGR. JULIUS M. RIUNGU, FIEK President, Federation of African Engineering Organisations Presented at: African Union – Scientific, Technology and Research Commission Abuja – Nigeria 13th January 2017

INTRODUCTION The FAEO has signed a Memorandum of Understanding for Technical Cooperation with the African Union Commission on the 15th December 2016. It is in line with this that the foregoing presentation is being made to highlight some areas of such cooperation to start with in order to move development of Africa forward through Engineering and utilization of African professionals.

Area 1 Establishing/Strengthening Engineering Professional Organizations Aim: To encourage AU member states to establish/ strengthen engineering professional organisations Presently out of 54 countries in Africa, only 24 are members of the World Federation of Engineering Organisations (WFEO) and FAEO. 23 new members are interested to join FAEO and WFEO namely Ethiopia, Burundi, Burkina Faso, Botswana, Namibia, Benin Republic, Togo, Liberia, Chad, Angola and Mozambique.

Area 1 Establishing/Strengthening Engineering Professional Organizations Objectives: To establish engineering professional organizations in countries where they do not exist To strengthen engineering professional organizations in African countries where they do exist To create a forum where professional engineers meet for networking, programme development and mentoring purposes. To establish a repository of engineering professionals To advise Governments on policy and developmental issues in engineering and technology. To develop a government policy on engineering services and goods. Empower the AU member states engineering professionals with updated technologies and training required in the present day professional intra Africa mobility. To bring the practice of Engineering to same pedestal with what is obtainable in the western world, which will naturally create a network for exchange of ideas for all Engineers from AU member states and the Engineers from the other parts of the globe To develop a continuous engineering professional development programmes for the member states. To strategically position the member states Engineers to form a resource for its states governments on all aspects of national policy and infrastructural developmental issues.

Area 1 Establishing/Strengthening Engineering Professional Organizations Expected Outcomes: Strengthening of existing engineering professional organizations in Africa Establishment of new engineering professional organizations in Africa Proactively drive government policy on infrastructural development of AU member states. Mobility of Engineers across the Continent. Strengthening of FAEO in global fora. Enhance professional linkages across member countries. Interests of engineering multidisciplinary professionals are represented and served as the public voice of the engineering professionals at the national and continent levels. The professional bodies act as learned society for the academic disciplines underlying their professionals. Influence national policy to improve standards within the specialties of engineering profession.

Area 2 SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT OF ENGINEERING CURRICULUM AND ACCREDITATION OF ENGINEERING FACULTIES AND DEPARTMENTS Aim: To develop a benchmark of minimum academic standards for engineering programmes for purposes of training, certification and accreditation across AU member states with a view to attain global standards

Area 2 SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT OF ENGINEERING CURRICULUM AND ACCREDITATION OF ENGINEERING FACULTIES AND DEPARTMENTS Objectives: To establish a uniform benchmark standards for engineering curriculum and accreditation of Engineering Faculties and Departments in Africa. To create an African Engineering Council to oversee implementation of the benchmark standards in member states Improve professional inter and intra- continental mobility. Enhance uniformity in the standard of training engineering personnel. Enhance professional collaboration across the continent. Improve business opportunities among member states

Expected Outcomes: Area 2 SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT OF ENGINEERING CURRICULUM AND ACCREDITATION OF ENGINEERING FACULTIES AND DEPARTMENTS Expected Outcomes: Engineering Education curriculum of global standards in member states Proper and regular accreditation of engineering faculties and departments in members states Mobility of engineering personnel amongst member states Cross-border higher education opportunity for engineering students with AU member states Universities Uniform standard for the training and certification of engineering personnel in Africa. African Engineers are given due recognition and are patronised by their governments. Enhance professional linkages across member countries.

ESTABLISHING/STRENGTHENING ENGINEERING REGULATORY BODIES Area 3 ESTABLISHING/STRENGTHENING ENGINEERING REGULATORY BODIES Aim: To encourage the establishment of engineering regulatory bodies in countries where they do not exist and strengthen such bodies in countries where they exist Objectives: To establish an African Engineering Council to oversee the activities of all the regulatory bodies in Africa To establish engineering regulatory bodies in member states where none exists To strengthen and standardize existing engineering regulatory bodies in member states. Improve professional intra- continental mobility of engineering professionals through adoption of a standardized certification protocol.

ESTABLISHING/STRENGTHENING ENGINEERING REGULATORY BODIES Area 3 ESTABLISHING/STRENGTHENING ENGINEERING REGULATORY BODIES Expected Outcomes: Establishment of new engineering regulatory bodies where none exists Strengthening of already existing engineering regulatory bodies Ensure that the interest of the profession and the public is considered at national and continental levels in the practice. Protect the profession by providing guidelines on terms and conditions of employment especially in government establishments with the view of eliminating quackery and its attendant catastrophic results. To influence national policy development for improved engineering standards. To carry out certification, registration and licensing of professionals in the different fields of engineering across member nations. To ensure adequate engineering regulation and monitoring in member states.

ESTABLISHMENT OF ENGINEERING INNOVATION HUBS Area 4 ESTABLISHMENT OF ENGINEERING INNOVATION HUBS Aim: To establish regional engineering innovation hubs in Africa to bridge academia-industry gap and increase the quantum of indigenous African entrepreneurs. Objectives: To establish regional innovation hubs in Africa To facilitate the exchange and transfer of knowledge and information thereby generating a catalyst for positive change.

ESTABLISHMENT OF ENGINEERING INNOVATION HUBS Area 4 ESTABLISHMENT OF ENGINEERING INNOVATION HUBS Expected Outcomes: Collaboration of prospective engineering personnel within a region. Rapid socio economic transformation of the continent arising from new innovations in science and technology. The innovation hub will be a place where engineering personnel can stay, work and play- research and innovation community. There will be offices, research centers and hi-tech space with residences, retail, hospitality and open space for related activities and relaxation centers.  

Area 5 PROMOTION OF KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE AND BRAIN CIRCULATION/SPECIAL PROGRAMME FOR GRADUATES Aim: To provide, encourage and improve rewarding opportunities for skilled and competent engineering personnel by promoting the circulation and exchange of engineering and technical information, knowledge and skills amongst the AU Member States. This being part of the AU Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA 2024), and in support of achieving the goals of the African Development Bank Group’s Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA).

Area 5 PROMOTION OF KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE AND BRAIN CIRCULATION/SPECIAL PROGRAMME FOR GRADUATES Objectives: The relevant engineering Societies and Regulatory Bodies of Member States like Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) and Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) must demonstrate commitments to the programme and must also be ready to make the home governments believe strongly in the programmes with a view to supporting the programmes which will discourage SIM out of the continent. Policy of incentives that will facilitate and encourage the return of SIMs back from around the developed world, promote knowledge exchange and brain circulation should be formulated as a matter of urgency to be put in the right perspectives and solve the problems of vested interests and governments’ inefficiencies that contributed to the SIM from the African continent. The special programme for the engineering graduates should also be formulated into a policy that will promote and encourage the engineering graduates of Member States to want to participate in the special programme. Establish a training and career path in which engineering personnel go abroad/outside their countries to other member states to specialize and then return to their country of origin, drawing on the experience they have acquired to secure more advantageous employment opportunities.

Area 5 PROMOTION OF KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE AND BRAIN CIRCULATION/SPECIAL PROGRAMME FOR GRADUATES Expected Outcomes: Engineering Personnel Skill Intellectual Migration will be controlled within African Continent. Engineering practice, research and development of advancements in and transfer of technology will be greatly enhanced between the SIMs and engineering graduates of Member States and the much needed improvements in quality of lives in Africa will be achieved. Stronger and better ties between SIMs, graduates of engineering and other technical personnel of Member States of AU will be better cemented.

Area 6 ESTABLISHING A REGIONAL FORUM FOR DEVELOPING/ INCREASING WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP POSITION THROUGH WOMEN IN ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY. Aim: To have in place a regional forum that will bring women Engineers from member states together for programme (activities) that will develop their leadership skills while providing an opportunity to increase the number of women generally, in leadership positions. Objectives: Develop cooperative strategies for building effective collaborative programme to promote women in Engineering for leadership at all levels in Government, industry and academia. Network to enable focus on critical need areas Develop policies that will encourage and sponsor women in Engineering and Technology advancement To bring the practice/ development of women in engineering in the continent to be at par.

Area 6 ESTABLISHING A REGIONAL FORUM FOR DEVELOPING/ INCREASING WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP POSITION THROUGH WOMEN IN ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY. Expected Outcomes: The WIE associations will be strengthened. Enhance professional development. Improved collaboration and networking Empowerment and advancement of WIE

Area 7 TO CREATE HARMONIZED ENGINEERING CODES AND STANDARDS FOR BUILDINGS AND INFRASTRUCTURE IN AFRICA Aim: To develop harmonized engineering codes and standards to ease development of infrastructure throughout the African continent. Objectives:

Area 7 TO CREATE HARMONIZED ENGINEERING CODES AND STANDARDS FOR BUILDINGS AND INFRASTRUCTURE IN AFRICA Expected Outcomes: