Institution of Engineering and Technology (professional society)

Institution of Engineering and Technology
Founded 1871[1]
Type Professional Organization
Focus Science, Engineering and Technology
Location
Origins Institution of Electrical Engineers and Institution of Incorporated Engineers
Area served
 UK and worldwide
Method Industry standards, Conferences, Publications
Members
 150,000+
Key people
 William Webb (President 2014/15)
Slogan Professional home for life for engineers and technicians
Website www.theiet.org

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) is the largest multidisciplinary professional engineering institution in the world. The IET was formed in 2006 from two separate institutions: the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE), dating back to 1871,[1] and the Institution of Incorporated Engineers (IIE) dating back to 1884. Its worldwide membership is currently in excess of 153,000. The IET's main offices are in Savoy Place in London, England and at Michael Faraday House in Stevenage, England.

The IET has the authority to establish professional registration for the titles of Chartered Engineer, Incorporated Engineer, Engineering Technician, and ICT Technician, as a Licensed Member institution of the Engineering Council.

The IET is registered as a charity in England and Wales, and in Scotland.

Formation

Discussions started in 2004 between the IEE and the IIE about merging to form a new institution. In September 2005, both institutions held votes of the merger, and the members voted in favour (73.5% IEE, 95.7% IIE). This merger also needed government approval, so a petition was then made to the Privy Council of the United Kingdom for a Supplemental Charter, to allow the creation of the new institution. This was approved by the Privy Council on December 14, 2005, and the new institution emerged on March 31, 2006.

History of the IEE

The Society of Telegraph Engineers (STE) was formed on May 17, 1871, and it published the Journal of the Society of Telegraph Engineers from 1872 through 1880. On December 22, 1880, the STE was renamed as the Society of Telegraph Engineers and of Electricians and, as part of this change, it renamed its journal the Journal of the Society of Telegraph Engineers and of Electricians (1881 – 82) and later the Journal of the Society of Telegraph-Engineers and Electricians (1883 – 88). Following a meeting of its Council on 10 November 1887, it was decided to adopt the name of the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE). The name of the Institution of Electrical Engineers remains engraved in the marble façade of its headquarters at Savoy Place. As part of this change, its Journal was renamed Journal of the Institution of Electrical Engineers in 1889, and it kept this title through 1963. In 1921, the Institution was Incorporated by royal charter and, following mergers with the Institution of Electronic and Radio Engineers (IERE) in 1988 and the Institution of Manufacturing Engineers (IMfgE) in 1990, it had a worldwide membership of around 120,000. The IEE represented the engineering profession, operated Professional Networks (worldwide groups of engineers sharing common technical and professional interests), had an educational role including the accreditation of degree courses and operated schemes to provide awards scholarships, grants and prizes. It was well known for publication of the IEE Wiring Regulations which now continue to be written by the IET and to be published by the British Standards Institution as BS 7671.

The IET hosts the archive for the Women's Engineering Society (WES) and it has also provided office space for WES since 2005.

History of the IIE

The modern Institution of Incorporated Engineers (IIE) traced 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 Technician 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 Institution of Mechanical Incorporated Engineers in 1988. The Institution of Engineers in Charge, which was founded in 1895, was merged 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 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, not to be confused with the later-formed Institution of Engineering and Technology). 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.

Journals

The IET has a journals publishing program,[2] totalling 24 titles as of March 2012 (with the addition of IET Biometrics and IET Networks). The journals contain both original and review-oriented papers relating to various disciplines in electrical, electronics, computing, control, biomedical and communications technologies.

Electronics Letters[3] is a peer-reviewed rapid-communication journal, which publishes short original research papers every two weeks. Its scope covers developments in all electronic and electrical engineering related fields. Also available to Electronics Letters subscribers are something called the Insight Letters.[4]

Micro & Nano Letters,[5] first published in 2006, specialises in the rapid online publication of short research papers concentrating on advances in miniature and ultraminiature structures and systems that have at least one dimension ranging from a few tens of micrometres to a few nanometres. It offers a rapid route for international dissemination of research findings generated by researchers from the micro and nano communities.

Medals

The Faraday Medal is a bronze medal awarded either for notable scientific or industrial achievement in engineering or for conspicuous service rendered to the advancement of science, engineering and technology without restriction as regards nationality, country of residence or membership of the Institution. It is awarded not more frequently than once a year. The award was established in 1922 to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the first Ordinary Meeting of the Society of Telegraph Engineers and is named for Michael Faraday.

Purpose and function

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

The IET also grants Chartered Engineer, Incorporated Engineer, Engineering Technician, and ICT Technician professional designations on behalf of the Engineering Council UK. IEng is roughly equivalent to North American Professional Engineer designations and CEng is set at a higher level. Both designations have 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 by offering a professional home for life, producing advice and guidance at all levels to secure the future of engineering.

For instance, 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 factfiles 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 such as Engineering & Technology and conference proceedings. Over 80,000 technical articles are available via the IET Digital Library.

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 (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.

MIET is a regulated professional title recognised in Europe by the Directive 2005/36. [6][7][8]

MIET is listed on the part 2 professions regulated by professional bodies incorporated by Royal Charter-Statutory Instruments 2007 No. 2781 Professional Qualifications-The European Communities (Recognition of Professional Qualifications) Regulations 2007.[9]

Associate
Open to persons with an interest in areas relevant to the interests of the Institution who do not qualify for the Member category.
Student
Open to persons studying to become professional engineers and technicians.

The IET outside the United Kingdom

The IET refers to its region-specific branches as "Local Networks".

Australia

IET Australia is the Australian Local Network of the IET (Institution of Engineering and Technology). The Australian Local Network of the IET has representation in all the states and territories of Australia. These include the state branches, their associated Younger Members Sections, and university sections in Australia. The Younger Members Sections are divided in categories based on each state, e.g. IET YMS New South Wales (IET YMS NSW).

Canada

The IET Toronto Network covers IET activities in the Southern and Western areas of Ontario and has approximately 500 members. The first Canadian Branch of the IEE (now the IET) was inaugurated by the late Dr John Thompson, FIEE, and the late Mr. Harry Copping, FIEE, in Toronto in the early 1950s.

Hong Kong

IET Hong Kong is the Hong Kong Local Network (formerly Branch) of the IET (Institution of Engineering and Technology). The Hong Kong Local Network of the IET has representations in the Asian region and provides a critical link into mainland China. It includes six sections, i.e. Electronics & Communications Section (ECS); Informatics and Control Technologies Section (ICTS); Management Section(MS); Power and Energy Section (PES); Manufacturing & Industrial Engineering (MIES); Railway Section( RS), as well as the Younger Members Section. It has over 5,000 members and activities are coordinated locally. It is one of the professional organisations for chartered engineers in Hong Kong.[10]

Italy

IET Italy Local Network was established in 2007 by a group of active members led by Dr M Fiorini with the purpose to represent locally the aims and services of the IET. The vision of sharing and advancing knowledge throughout the global science, engineering and technology community to enhance people’s lives is achieved building-up an open, flexible and global knowledge network supported by individuals, companies and institutions and facilitated by the IET and its members.[11]

India

An IET India Office was established in 2006. India has eight Local Networks: Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi,Kanyakumari, Kolkata, Mumbai, Nashik and Pune. The prestigious IET Pinkerton Lecture is presented annually in Bangalore.

Kenya

An IET in Kenya was established on 16th Nov.2011. It is registered under the Societies Act Section 10 Certificate of Registration No.35998.The Institution is spearheading the enactment in the Kenya National Assembly of the Engineering Technologists and Technicians Bill 2015. With support of Faculty at the newly established Technical University of Kenya(formerly the Kenya Polytechnic) and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology,the proposed bill seeks to register Technologists, Technicians and Craftsmen,who were previously excluded from registration by the Engineering Board of Kenya.

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 Engineering Council UK. ECUK Institution Details. Accessed on August 4, 2007
  2. ↑ "IET Journals". Theiet.org. Retrieved 2012-04-29.
  3. ↑ "''Electronics Letters''". Theiet.org. 2012-01-19. Retrieved 2012-04-29.
  4. ↑ "Insight Letters". Theiet.org. Retrieved 2012-04-29.
  5. ↑ "Micro & Nano Letters". Ietdl.org. Retrieved 2012-04-29.
  6. ↑ "Regulated professional titles and designatory letters". UK NCP. 2009-05-20. Retrieved 2012-04-29.
  7. ↑ "EU to UK". UK NCP. 2010-10-06. Retrieved 2012-04-29.
  8. ↑ "Regulated professions data base". Ec.europa.eu. Retrieved 2012-04-29.
  9. ↑ "The European Communities (Recognition of Professional Qualifications) Regulations 2007". Opsi.gov.uk. Retrieved 2012-04-29.
  10. ↑ "IET - The Institution of Engineering and Technology, Hong Kong". Iee.org.hk. Retrieved 2012-04-29.
  11. ↑ "IET Italy Network". The IET. 2012-02-02. Retrieved 2012-04-29.

External links

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