1. The Joint Board of Moderators
JBM Chairman & Executive Director of Operations, Jacobs
Dr John Roberts
The Joint Board of Moderators

2. The Joint Board of Moderators
The JBM has now been joined by:
The Institution of Highways and Transportation, and
The Institute of Highway Incorporated Engineers.
Members from these two new constituent bodies sit on the board and contribute to Visiting Teams.
Members of the their secretariats attend meetings of the Board
Staff from each institution may be asked to act as secretary to Visiting Teams.
The Joint Board of Moderators

3. The main activities of the JBM:
To formulate and publish guidelines agreed upon by the institutions for the design of Civil Engineering courses for Bachelors and Masters degrees (
To undertake accreditation of the educational base both for institution membership and the award, by license, of the EC CEng and IEng designations.
To publish a web-accessible database of accredited degree courses.
EC licences require the institutions formally to accredit, so the JBM makes recommendations to the institutions for them to consider and adopt.
I am very pleased to have been asked to speak to you on the work of the Joint Board of Moderators.
My main regret is that the Chairman, Professor Jim Croll, is not able to be here to make a presentation himself. His academic duties have prevented.
Jim has a quite remarkable grasp of the many issues being addressed by JBM and has helped steer the Board through the storms of SARTOR 3 and now into the potentially less troubled waters of UK-SPEC.
I have set out my agenda and I should tell you that I would like reach the discussion as soon as possible.
Your feedback in the discussion is likely to be very valuable.
If I express views during my presentation I would stress that they are likely to be my owe. Many of the JBM Guidelines being revised to reflect UK-SPEC and have not been approved yet by the board.
The Joint Board of Moderators

4. The main activities of the JBM (continued) :
The JBM guidelines seek not to be prescriptive and to recognise the diversity of university provision throughout the UK with different emphasis between one university and another.
The JBM accredits degrees at some 58 departments on a 5-year cycle.
The JBM looks for good practice during its visits, and;
Seeks to promote best practice in its visit reports, and more widely among departments through its Annual Report and the web.
I am very pleased to have been asked to speak to you on the work of the Joint Board of Moderators.
My main regret is that the Chairman, Professor Jim Croll, is not able to be here to make a presentation himself. His academic duties have prevented.
Jim has a quite remarkable grasp of the many issues being addressed by JBM and has helped steer the Board through the storms of SARTOR 3 and now into the potentially less troubled waters of UK-SPEC.
I have set out my agenda and I should tell you that I would like reach the discussion as soon as possible.
Your feedback in the discussion is likely to be very valuable.
If I express views during my presentation I would stress that they are likely to be my owe. Many of the JBM Guidelines being revised to reflect UK-SPEC and have not been approved yet by the board.
The Joint Board of Moderators

5. Structures Materials Geotechnics The JBM guidelines:
Compliance with the generic standards required by EC as defined in ‘UK-SPEC’.
The broad JBM definition of Civil Engineering requires significant core content. At least one third of the total curriculum should be spent on core subjects
The required core subjects List A are:
Structures
Materials
Geotechnics
I am very pleased to have been asked to speak to you on the work of the Joint Board of Moderators.
My main regret is that the Chairman, Professor Jim Croll, is not able to be here to make a presentation himself. His academic duties have prevented.
Jim has a quite remarkable grasp of the many issues being addressed by JBM and has helped steer the Board through the storms of SARTOR 3 and now into the potentially less troubled waters of UK-SPEC.
I have set out my agenda and I should tell you that I would like reach the discussion as soon as possible.
Your feedback in the discussion is likely to be very valuable.
If I express views during my presentation I would stress that they are likely to be my owe. Many of the JBM Guidelines being revised to reflect UK-SPEC and have not been approved yet by the board.
The Joint Board of Moderators

6. Health and Safety Risk Management
The ‘Thread’ concept in course design - the guidelines are in Annex B, C and D to the JBM Guidelines respectively.
The three ‘Threads’ the JBM defines should be evident throughout courses:
Design
Sustainability
Health and Safety Risk Management
The Joint Board of Moderators

7. Assessment for accreditation to be based on OUTPUT standards.
UK-SPEC :
Assessment for accreditation to be based on OUTPUT standards.
The JBM visiting teams review departments on the basis of OUTPUT standards evident in the project reports, examination scripts and other evidence it asks to see (see JBM Guideline on Output Standards).
I am very pleased to have been asked to speak to you on the work of the Joint Board of Moderators.
My main regret is that the Chairman, Professor Jim Croll, is not able to be here to make a presentation himself. His academic duties have prevented.
Jim has a quite remarkable grasp of the many issues being addressed by JBM and has helped steer the Board through the storms of SARTOR 3 and now into the potentially less troubled waters of UK-SPEC.
I have set out my agenda and I should tell you that I would like reach the discussion as soon as possible.
Your feedback in the discussion is likely to be very valuable.
If I express views during my presentation I would stress that they are likely to be my owe. Many of the JBM Guidelines being revised to reflect UK-SPEC and have not been approved yet by the board.
The Joint Board of Moderators

8. The Institutions and the JBM:
The research-driven appointment process in universities has led to fewer staff with industrial experience, or having an appreciation of the profession.
Closer links between departments and the institutions are to be encouraged, to help both staff and students understand the professional life of a Civil Engineer.
Strengthened links between departments and industry and the institutions may assist.
Industry needs to recognise the importance of the contribution that can be made within departments, helping to shape its future Civil Engineers.
Ensuring that a department’s Civil Engineering degrees meet employers’ expectations.
Continuing the Chairman’s Introduction to the report
UK-SPEC, launched at the end of 2003, presents opportunities to revisit the JBM Guidelines covering educational programmes covering both IEng and CEng formation. During the year drafts were issued for consultation.
The aim has been to encourage greater diversity, depth and flexibility.
Jim ends his Introduction by thanking all who have contributed to the success of the JBM during the year and says that:
 The Board depends for its effectiveness on the generosity of all the firms and universities who allow important members of their staffs to give valuable time to the work of the JBM.” 
The Joint Board of Moderators

9. So what can this mean in relation to the teaching of structures at UK Civil Engineering degree courses ?
What (if any) influence can the JBM have on the teachers of structures and indeed “what and how” structures is taught ?
The Joint Board of Moderators

10. “What” is taught is certainly a legitimate interest of the JBM
“What” is taught is certainly a legitimate interest of the JBM. Some quite detailed guidance is available, and the department will be looked at with this in mind.
“How” the subject is taught is more contentious – the process does not include sample attendance at lectures etc.
The Joint Board of Moderators

11. “Who” does the teaching is – if anything – even more difficult to deal with.
Part of this issue is captured by the new requirement (to be phased in by 2014) that 50% of teaching staff should be professionally qualified as a CEng or equivalent. For structures teachers this means we are looking particularly at MIStructE or FIStructE .
The Joint Board of Moderators

12. Some key points which (I think) generally reflect the views of the JBM members:-
Analysis and design need to be properly linked and cross referenced even if not fully integrated
Simple and hand methods of design remain very important and cannot be ignored
The Joint Board of Moderators

13. Drawing and sketching are similarly important
Computing needs to be dealt with in a careful and intelligent way
Physical models can provide invaluable assistance in helping students understand both concepts and behaviour
Link to the Materials courses !
The Joint Board of Moderators

14. In the UK the future of the structural engineering profession is – quite literally – in the hands of about 200 to 250 lecturers at the 58 universities where structures is taught !
Little wonder that many senior members of the profession are so concerned about the situation
The Joint Board of Moderators

15. The Joint Board of Moderators