Trustees approve new ‘Chartered Infrastructure Engineers’ title

Nearly a century ago, the Institution incorporated the protected title ‘Chartered Civil Engineer’ into our Royal Charter and By-laws and is thereby able to award this qualification to suitably qualified individuals. In recent years there has been much debate within the membership about the changing nature of engineering; with the recognition that successful infrastructure projects need a very broad range of professionals to ensure their effective delivery. Not all of these have formal civil engineering academic qualifications (and hence cannot apply to be ‘Chartered Civil Engineers’) but many seek professional qualification and recognition.

Council has debated the issue at length and asked if the Institution might amend its Royal Charter and By-laws to incorporate the new protected title of 'Chartered Infrastructure Engineer'. The Engineering Council and Government have agreed that we can apply to effect those changes through the Privy Council. At their June meeting, Trustees agreed that we should apply to incorporate this new descriptor to permit non-civil engineers working in infrastructure, who are able to demonstrate suitably contextualised competence and experience at professional review, to be awarded the Institution's qualification of 'Chartered Infrastructure Engineer'. Both Council and Trustees see this as a very significant opportunity for the Institution and recommend very strongly that the membership approves the proposal in the member ballot in 2021.

Trustees will propose amendments to the Royal Charter and By-laws to include the new descriptor and the definition of an ‘infrastructure engineer’.

Trustees will approve the exact wording of the By-law changes at their meeting in February 2021. Members will then be asked to vote in the ballot which opens on 1 June 2021. Please visit the Governance Updates page for the latest information.