1. Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) An Overview Council on Higher Education 28 February 2012 Dr Ossie Franks ECSA www.ecsa.co.za 1

2. Presentation Outline History & mandate of the engineering profession in SA Registration and challenges Education functions Accreditation of eng. Programmes and challenges Regulation of professional conduct Setting standards Non statutory or strategic functions 2

3. 3 The Engineering Profession ECSA: A statutory body created by Acts of 1968, 1990, 2000 Regulates the practice of engineering in South Africa through –Registration –Accreditation of engineering education programmes –Regulating Professional Conduct –Setting standards for education and registration Acts in the interests of the public, advises government, undertakes strategic initiatives ECSA partners with the engineering voluntary associations, e.g. –SA Institution of Chemical Engineers (SAIChE) –SA Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE) –SA Institute of Electrical Engineers (SAIEE) –SA Institution of Mechanical Engineering (SAIMechE) –More … 3

4. Relationships in the Profession ECSA Functions: Register Accredit Regulate Professional Conduct Set Standards Act in the interests of the public Advise government Engineering Voluntary Associations AeSSA SAIAE SAIChE SAICE SAIEE SAIIE SAIMechE SAIMM CESA IPET COET + ….. Recognition Nominate Council and Committee Members Presidents Forum Provider Peer Assessors, Accreditors, Investigators 4

5. 5 ECSA’s Core Functions Registration of –Professionals –Candidates –Specified categories Renewal of registration and CPD Accreditation of engineering programmes Recognition and evaluation of qualifications –Conduct examinations Define and enforce professional conduct Identification of work Define guideline fees for professional services 5

6. Protecting the Public Interest Through Registration Identify and recognise the competency levels of members of the profession Ensure acceptable educational standards Ensure standards of practice in the profession; and Control the professional conduct of members of the profession. Key Idea: The competence of engineering practitioners is essential to protecting the public interest Policy Document 1999 6

7. 7 Categories of Registration Professionals Professional Engineers Professional Engineering Technologists Professional Engineering Technicians Professional Certificated Engineer Specified Categories Lift Inspector Lifting Machinery Inspector Medical Equipment Maintainer Candidates 7

8. 8 Candidate Categories of Registration Purpose: A candidate is training and gaining experience and may do engineering work under supervision of a professional Candidate Categories: –Candidate Engineers –Candidate Engineering Technologists –Candidate Engineering Technicians –Candidate Certificated Engineer Requirements: The applicant must satisfy educational outcomes by: –Holding an accredited qualification; or –Holding a qualification recognised under an international agreement; or –Is evaluated as substantially equivalent to an accredited qualification 8

9. Professional Development Model Accredited Programme Training And Experience Practice Meet Standard for Engineering Education Meet Standard For Professional Competency Candidate Registration Graduation Professional Registration Observe Code of Conduct and Maintain CPD 9

10. Professional Development Process Attributes of a graduate of an accredited programme Attributes for entry to independent practice Taking Responsibility Management in Engineering Context Problem Solving In Engineering Context Time – Minimum 3 years Level 10

11. 11 Professional Registration Requirements For registration as a professional in a category, the applicant must (a)satisfy the relevant educational outcomes determined by council (b)demonstrate competence as measured against standards determined by the council Note: (a) is equivalent to the candidate requirements. After graduation, at least 3 years (usually much more) of training and experience required for registration

12. Some Registration Statistics (as at 30 November 2011) Professional Engineers 15115 Professional Engineering Technologists 3998 Professional Engineering/Other Technicians 3792 Professional Certificated Engineers 1066 Specified Categories 1048 Candidate Engineers 6480 Candidate Engineering Technologists 2421 Candidate Engineering Technicians 3771 Candidate Certificated Engineers 257 Total 38014 12

13. Registration Challenges Peer assessment relies on scarce volunteer engineering practitioners as assessors In throes of major revision to registration system: –Policy review and revision completed –Migrating from training standards (inputs) to competency standards (outputs) –Moving from paper-based system to IT-based system with workflow and document management Training in industry toward registration (candidacy programme) is not delivering Countering the misperception that ECSA “gate keeps” entry to the profession 13

14. ECSA’s Education Functions Accreditation of qualifications –Quality assurance of programmes against the educational requirements for registration as: –Candidate/Professional Engineer –Candidate/Professional Engineering Technologist –Candidate/Professional Engineering Technician Evaluation of qualifications –652 Application processed in 2011/2 reporting period Policy advice on engineering education –HEQF, CHE Standards Framework, NDP, Green Paper 14

15. Programs Considered for Accreditation Candidate and Professional Engineer BEng/BSc(Eng) Meeting Education Requirement for Engineering Qualification Candidate and Professional Engineering Technologist BTech (after accredited National Diploma) Candidate and Professional Engineering Technician National Diploma 8 Univ/ UoT 10 52 Prog 100 87 15

16. HEQF Migration Candidate and Professional Engineer BEng/BSc(Eng) (No change) Meeting Education Requirement for Registration as Engineering Qualification Candidate and Professional Engineering Technologist BTech + National Diploma Candidate and Professional Engineering Technician National Diploma ExistingHEQF Compliant 360 credit L7 Bachelor or 360 credit L6 Diploma + L7 Advanced Diploma 360 credit L6 Diploma or 240 credit L6 Diploma + L6 Advanced Certificate 16

17. ECSA Accreditation Criteria (E-03-P) Criterion 1: Programme objectives, structure, content, balance, coherent core –Detailed programme type criteria in standard E-02-Px Criterion 2: The specified exit level outcomes are assessed –Outcomes for programme type criteria in E-02-Px Criterion 3: Quality of teaching and learning –Incorporates agreed CHE criteria Criterion 4: Resources for and sustainability of the programme –Incorporates agreed CHE criteria 17

18. Washington Accord Professional Engineer Professional Engineering Technologist Professional Engineering Technician Sydney Accord Dublin Accord Educational Accords International educational agreements provide for: –Mutual recognition involving periodic monitoring of signatories’ processes –Benchmarking, via consensus graduate attributes and gap analysis of programmes providing the educational foundation for practice in each category 18

19. Accreditation Challenges Engineering academic community is overextended –Aggravates burden of quality and quality assurance –Participation of academics as ECSA accreditation evaluators could be curtailed HEQF migration for technology qualifications –Uncertainty about end date of revision of HEQF –Different providers moving at different rates Regional Dimension –Already engaged with Namibia, Botswana interested, … –Could soon have 50% increase in programmes to evaluate 19

20. Regulation of Professional Conduct ECSA is required by the Act to: –Have a code of professional conduct –Investigate complaints of misconduct against registered persons –Conduct tribunals –Alternate processes: guilty plea, …. –Impose sanctions on persons found guilty 20

21. 21 Code of Professional Conduct Rule of Conduct for Registered Persons requires observance of The interests of humanity and environment Accepted norms of professional conduct Work only within limits of own competency Honouring the standing of the profession Improvement of skills Encouraging excellence within the profession Act Ethically 21

22. The Engineering Standards Generating Body Roles & Responsibilities of the ESGB –Developing generic engineering qualifications, –Ensuring that the standards developed are internationally comparable –Ensuring that standards conform to principles of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) –Ensuring that qualifications developed provide access into the profession and provide articulation and progression within the profession 22

23. Standards in Existence Candidate and Professional Engineer: Bachelor of Engineering-type programmes Candidate and Professional Engineering Technologist: Bachelor of Engineering Technology Advanced Diploma in Engineering Candidate and Professional Engineering Technician Diploma in xxxxx Engineering Advanced Certificate in xxxxx Engineering 23

24. ECSA’s Strategic or Non Statutory Functions Research into key aspects of the profession Funded candidacy phase training programme National dialogue on stakeholder training responsibilities Registration of foreign engineering practitioners Registration value proposition (Why register with ECSA?) Promotion of SET careers to attract diversity Strategy for transforming ECSA & Engineering Profession Hosting WFEO’s Eng. Capacity Building Committee Accreditation work with Southern African countries 24