Institution of Engineering and Technology

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Institution of Engineering and Technology
Image:Iet_logo_wiki.png
Type Professional Organization
Founded 1871[1]
Origins Institution of Electrical Engineers and Institution of Incorporated Engineers
Key people Sir Robin Saxby (current president), Robin McGill (chief executive and secretary)
Area served UK and worldwide
Focus Science, engineering and technology
Method Industry standards, Conferences, Publications
Members 150,000+
Website www.theiet.org

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) is a British professional body for those working in engineering and technology in the United Kingdom and worldwide. It was formed from two separate institutions: the Institution of Electrical Engineers, dating back to 1871,[2] and the Institution of Incorporated Engineers dating back to 1884. World-wide membership is in excess of 153,000. As of October 2007, the president was John Loughhead and the chief executive and secretary was Robin McGill. The Institution's main offices are in Savoy Place, London, and Michael Faraday House, Stevenage. It also has premises in Birmingham, Glasgow, Beijing, Hong Kong, Sydney, and Bangalore.

The IET is an registered non-profit organisation/charity.

Contents

[edit] Formation

Discussions started in 2004 between the IEE and the IIE about the formation of the new institution. In September 2005 both institutions put the merger to the vote, and members voted in favour (73.5% IEE, 95.7% IIE). A petition was then made to the Privy Council for a Supplemental Charter, to allow the creation of the new institution. This was approved by the Privy Council on 14 December 2005 and the new institution came into being on 31 March 2006.

New Charter and Bye-laws were approved by Special General Meetings in September 2005; approximately 250 IEE members signed a petition calling for them to be reviewed by a working party. Therefore a further SGM on 22 March 2006 was called by the IEE and this approved the establishment of a working party tasked to report in December 2006. The working party proposed amendments to the Charter and Bye-laws, which were approved at an SGM on 17 May 2007. They are awaiting ratification by the Privy Council.

[edit] History of the IEE

The Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) was founded in 1871 and has a worldwide membership of around 120,000. The IEE represents the engineering profession, operates Professional Networks (worldwide groups of engineers sharing common technical and professional interests), has an educational role including the accreditation of degree courses, and operates schemes to provide awards scholarships, grants and prizes.

[edit] History of the IIE

The modern Institution of Incorporated Engineers (IIE) traces its heritage to The Vulcanic Society that was founded in 1884 and became the Junior Institution of Engineers in 1902, which became the Institution of General Technican Engineers in 1970. It changed its name in 1976 to the Institution of Mechanical and General Technician Engineers. At this point it merged with the Institution of Technician Engineers in Mechanical Engineering and formed the Insitution of Mechanical Incorporated Engineers in 1988. The Institution of Engineers in Charge, which was founded in 1895, amalgamated into the Institution of Mechanical Incorporated Engineers (IMechIE) in 1990.

The Institution of Electrical and Electronic Technician Engineers, the Society of Electronic and Radio Technicians, and the Institute of Practitioners in Radio and Electronics merged in 1990 to form the Institution of Electronics and Electrical Incorporated Engineers (IEEIE).

The modern IIE was formed in April 1998 by the merger of The Institution of Electronic and Electrical Incorporated Engineers (IEEIE), The Institution of Mechanical Incorporated Engineers (IMechIE), and The Institute of Engineers and Technicians (IET). In 1999 there was a further merger with The Institution of Incorporated Executive Engineers (IIExE). The IIE had a worldwide membership of approximately 40,000.

[edit] Purpose and function

The IET represents the engineering profession in matters of public concern and assists governments to make the public aware of technological issues. It also provides advice on all areas of engineering, regularly advising Parliament and other agencies.

The IET also grants Chartered Engineer and Incorporated Engineer professional designations on behalf of the Engineering Council UK, equivalent to North American Professional Engineer designations, but with often a far greater geographical recognition.

This is made possible through a number of networks for engineers established by the IET including the Professional Networks, worldwide groups of engineers sharing common technical and professional interests. Through the IET website, these networks provide up-to-date sector-specific news, stock a library of technical articles and give members the opportunity to exchange knowledge and ideas with peer groups through dedicated discussion forums. Particular areas of focus include education, IT, energy and the environment.

The IET has an educational role, seeking to support its members through their careers, producing advice and guidance at all levels to secure the future of engineering.

For example, the IET accredits degree courses worldwide in subjects relevant to electrical, electronic, manufacturing and information engineering. In addition, it secures funding for professional development schemes for engineering graduates including awards scholarships, grants and prizes.

For the public, the IET website provides factsheets on topics such as solar power, nuclear power, fuel cells, micro-generation, and the possible effects on health of mobile phones and power lines.

The IET runs the bibliographic information service Inspec, which is a major indexing database of scientific and technical literature, and publishes books, journals such as Electronics Letters, magazines, and conference proceedings. Over 80,000 technical articles are available via the IET Digital Library.

[edit] Categories of membership

The IET has several categories of membership, some with designatory postnominals:

Honorary Fellow (HonFIET)
The highest membership category, awarded to persons of particular distinction.
Fellow (FIET)
This category is open to persons who have demonstrated significant individual responsibility, sustained achievement and professionalism in areas relevant to the interests of the Institution.
Member with post-nominals (MIET or TMIET)
This category is open to professional engineers (MIET) and technicians (TMIET) with suitable qualifications and involvement in areas relevant to the interests of the Institution.

Member with post-nominals MIET is recognised as practitioner of a regulated profession in engineering by the Statutory Instruments 2007 n.2781(http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2007/20072781.htm) and listed on the site of the DFES(http://www.dfes.gov.uk/europeopen/eutouk/authorities_list.shtml)

Member without post-nominals
Open to persons with an interest in areas relevant to the interests of the Institution who do not qualify for the Member with postnominals category.
Student Member
Open to persons studying to become professional engineers and technicians.

[edit] The IET outside the United Kingdom

[edit] Australia

The IET Australia is the Australian branch of the IET (Institution of Engineering and Technology). The Australian branch of the IET has representation in all the States and territories of Australia. They include the state branches, their associated Younger Members' Sections and University sections in Aust.

The Younger Members Section are divided in categories based on each state. eg. IET YMS New South Wales (IET YMS NSW). There is however, a national Young Members Board (YMB), that coordinates all of each sub-section.

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Engineering Council UK. ECUK Institution Details. Accessed on August 4, 2007
  2. ^ Engineering Council UK. ECUK Institution Details. Accessed on August 4, 2007

[edit] External links