Engineering Council UK (ECUK) is Britain's regulatory authority for registration of professional engineers and technicians, holding a register of these and providing advice to students, engineers, employers and academic institutions on the standards for registration and procedures for registration. It is responsible for the accreditation of educational and training programmes, delegating this responsibility to Licensed Member institutions.

ECUK is recognised by the British Government as the national representative body of the engineering profession in the United Kingdom, working in partnership with other engineering institutions. ECUK regulates the professions of chartered engineer, incorporpated engineer and engineering technician in the UK.^[1]

Professional registration in the UK

UK legislation is generally 'permissive' and, as such, the title 'engineer' is not protected by law. Registration by professional engineers is voluntary, and candidates are required to demonstrate a high standard of professional competence acquired through education, training and responsible experience in order to register. There are three categories of registration:

• Chartered Engineer (CEng)
• Incorporated Engineer (IEng)
• Engineering Technician (EngTech)

Assessment for registration is typically carried out on ECUK's behalf by a Licensed Member institution.

Licensed Member institutions

• Institute of Acoustics
• Royal Aeronautical Society
• Institution of Agricultural Engineers
• Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers
• Institute of Cast Metals Engineers
• Institution of Chemical Engineers
• Institution of Civil Engineers
• British Computer Society
• Institution of Engineering and Technology
• The Energy Institute
• Institution of Engineering Designers
• Society of Environmental Engineers
• Institution of Fire Engineers
• Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers
• Institute of Healthcare Engineering and Estate Management
• Institute of Highway Incorporated Engineers
• Institution of Highways and Transportation
• Institution of Lighting Engineers
• Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology
• Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining
• Institute of Measurement and Control
• Institution of Mechanical Engineers
• Institute of the Motor Industry
• Royal Institution of Naval Architects
• British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing
• Institution of Nuclear Engineers
• Society of Operations Engineers
• Institute of Physics
• Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine
• Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering
• Institution of Railway Signal Engineers
• Institution of Royal Engineers
• Institution of Structural Engineers
• Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management
• Institution of Water Officers
• The Welding Institute

The City and Guilds of London Institute conducts on behalf of the Engineering Council UK a world-wide Examination for those who wish to meet the academic standard for Chartered Engineer and Incorporated Engineer,and for those overseas who wish to obtain a well respected British engineering qualification.

Engineering Council UK examinations

It is possible to meet Engineering Council UK's academic requirements for professional registration by taking examinations administered by the City and Guilds Institute. Examinations exist at three levels:

• Level 5 Certificate, at the same level as the first year of a UK degree course-To be registered as EngTech.
• Level 6 Graduate Diploma, at the same level as the final year of a British BEng.To be registered as IEng.
• Level 7 Postgraduate Diploma, at the same level as the final year of a British MEng.To be registered as CEng.

International registration

Engineering Council UK is a "designated authority", under the implementing regulations for Directive 89148/EEC. This directive is implemented for engineering in the UK by Statutory Instrument (SI) 1991 No 824 "The European Communities (Recognition of Professional Qualifications) Regulations 1991". ECUK is a member of the European Federation of National Engineering Associations (FEANI) ECUK has relationships with many similar organisations world-wide. It has responsibility for the UK sections of two international registers:

• FEANI's register of European Engineers.
• The International Professional Engineer register.

European Engineer registration entitles the holder to use the European-style prefix title EurIng; International Professional Engineer registration entitles the holder to use the suffix IntPE(UK). The qualifications required for international registration are similar to those required for CEng registration.

References

1. ↑ Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. EU Europe Open - EU to UK - Regulated Professions in the UK. Accessed on June 11, 2008.

• City and Guilds Institute. Engineering Council Examinations. Accessed on 13 July 2007
• Engineering Council UK. About ECUK. Accessed on 13 July 2007
• Engineering Council UK. ECUK Institution Details. Accessed on 13 July 2007
• Engineering Council UK. Register Sections. Accessed on 13 July 2007

Further reading

• Engineering Council UK