International Development Policy Group

The International Development Policy Group (IDPG) leads and oversees ICE's international development activity in order to maximise the Institution's contribution to the sector.

It does this by developing ICE policy on relevant issues, facilitating strategic links between ICE and key organisations/individuals and undertaking project work.

The Group was established at the recommendation of ICE's Engineering without Frontiers Presidential Commission which concluded in June 2006.

The IDPG frames its work as follows:

• Scaling It Up – how engineering and associated professions can improve infrastructure delivery to meet the millennium development goals
• The Role of Professional Institutions in International Development
• Climate Change – with reference to world poverty

The Group identifies countries and projects on which ICE should focus its international development efforts according to the following criteria:

1. Countries with which the ICE has strong links
2. Where there is an identified need and demand for assistance
3. Aim to create a balanced portfolio – between Asia Pacific and Africa
4. Where ICE´s involvement can yield tangible results.

ICE International Development initiatives include:

• Strengthening Professional Engineering Associations Project (SPEAP)

Between 1997 – 2002 the ICE SPEAP project (DFID funded) focused on building capacity in developing professional qualifying bodies in a number of countries including: Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Kenya.

The IDPG is very keen to revive this activity, in the first instance by targeting a number of the original countries with whom we already have strong links with the local corresponding professional associations. External funding will be being sought in order to support this project.

• The Principles of Engineering for Development and Poverty Reduction

1. Brunel International Lecture
   How can engineers help to alleviate worldwide poverty? What role can they play in addressing the impacts felt by climate change, and creating a more sustainable future for civilisation? These are the central themes covered by Professor Paul Jowitt in the ICE´s 6th Brunel International Lecture.

Download the lecture transcript
Download a broadcast version of the lecture

• Joint Procurement Research with NGO Engineers Against Poverty

Commissioned as part of the Engineering without Frontiers work the objective of the research (currently in its second phase) is to identify opportunities to improve the delivery of social development objectives by modifying the procurement of infrastructure projects.

• Sustainable Development Strategy and Action Plan for Civil Engineering

The IDPG is committed to publishing an International Action Plan to complement the Sustainable Development Strategy. Target date for publication July 2008.

• Appropriate Development Panel