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ICE CPD Framework

Our activity as civil engineers is key to creating the world of the future and ensuring the infrastructure we have is safe, resilient, sustainable and delivers social benefit.

Part of how we do this is through our professional qualification and ongoing commitment to competence and professionalism through continuing professional development (CPD).

ICE’s CPD framework is the next step on this journey. Developed by the ICE Professionalism Panel in consultation with ICE’s expert networks, the framework presents topics highly recommended for professionally qualified ICE members to undertake as part of their annual CPD.

ICE’s CPD guidance provides further details to support you in preparing your CPD plan.

Why has ICE introduced the framework?

The initial catalyst for introducing the framework was ICE's 2018 In Plain Sight report, which recommended topics covering risk management and public safety in which civil engineers must continue to demonstrate competency if they are to play their role in improving society.

However, safety is only one of our challenges as civil engineers so the framework is broadened to include topics that cover contemporary themes such as digital transformation, decarbonisation and productivity.

Who is the framework for?

The framework is aimed at professionally qualified members, those holding a CEng, IEng or EngTech qualification.

However, the topics may also be relevant to members from other grades to address as part of their professional development and the Professionalism Panel encourages all members to consider the topics in the framework when planning their CPD.

How the framework works

ICE invites professionally qualified members to introduce the topics in the framework into their CPD planning.

Over the course of each year, ICE will release CPD activities that align the topics in the framework. These activities will be part of the ICE member benefit and available to all members online.

The framework consists of a section of topics labelled as “core” which have cross cutting relevance to all members.

Members may select further topics either by industry sector or from the professional development area or strategic theme fields along the top of the matrix.

Members are invited to self-select from these sections according to what is most relevant to them.

CPD Framework update

An updated and refreshed CPD Framework is currently being developed. Until then members are encouraged to consider the topics identified in the 2023 and 2022 iterations.

2023 CPD topics

Topic What will I learn Personal development area Strategic theme
Weather Resilience, Climate Adaptation, Decarbonisation

An introduction to key weather resilience principles for civil engineers

An introduction to key climate adaptation principles for civil engineers

An introduction to key decarbonisation principles for civil engineers

Strategic Management
Management
Technical
Decarbonisation
Sustainability
Public Safety
Keeping the Public Safe

Understanding Collaborative Reporting for Safer Structures (CROSS), how it is addressing structural safety in the industry and what role engineers need to play in sharing good and bad practice

Exploring Construction Logistics and Community Safety (CLOCS), what impact it has had for road safety and how engineers can better address logistics as part of their project planning

Sharing how engineers can put public safety at the heart of their work and what wider benefits it can bring to projects

Strategic Management
Management
Technical
Business Practice
Public Safety
Professionalism
Value – putting value at the heart of infrastructure What does value mean on a civil engineering project and how can it be measured. Exploring the impact that engineers can have at all levels of the project on value. Working closely with stakeholders and the public to ensure value reaches all parts of society and across the whole life of a project Strategic Management
Management
Business Practice
Productivity
Delivery models – promoting a more collaborative approach to project delivery Exploring current practices across sectors and how contracts are driving better approaches to delivery, including the work of Project 13. Understanding the impact that digital engineering has on driving performance and collaboration. Looking at individual roles in a project team, and communication approaches for collaborating across these roles. Exploring the roles and collaboration approaches, across all project stages Strategic Management
Management
Business Practice
Productivity

Topic What will I learn Personal development area Strategic theme
Building Safety Act and PAS 8671. Risk Management for all Building Structures. The Building Safety Act has introduced new requirement for certain buildings in the United Kingdom however these principles should be considered recommended best practice for all building structures.

What are the enhanced duties for the principal designer and the principal contractor?

How can/should the individuals and organisations in those roles ensure they are competent?

Understanding the concept and application of the Golden Thread

Understanding safety case requirements for the structural engineer

How have the bill and standard been adopted across the industry?

Management
Technical
Legislative
Health, safety and welfare
Public safety
Design and adaptation for resilience

Understanding the short, medium and long-term resilience considerations

Matching these considerations to design solutions

Mitigation vs adaptation – how to do both in tandem effectively

Technical Productivity
Sustainability

Topic What will I learn Personal development area Strategic theme
The resilience of (geotechnical) structures to resist the effects of climate change

Exploring the impact that climate change can have on geotechnical assets, from earthworks to piles and dams and how engineers can better manage the risks

Understanding how engineers can address the challenge by working with natural environment

Highlighting what resilient geotechnical design looks like and how to create resilient asset management strategies

Strategic Management
Management
Technical
Sustainability
Productivity
The use of remote sensing in geotechnical engineering

Exploring the impact that good monitoring can have for a project: from improved health and safety to better productivity and outcomes

Sharing best practice for analysing and interpreting data, and what are the challenges to avoid

Showcasing how technological development could drive better outcomes for projects

Technical
Management
Productivity
Digital Transformation

Topic What will I learn Personal development area Strategic theme
Inclusive travel design – challenging how we design systems (putting users first) Understanding what challenges users face across our transport network and the impact of the urban realm

Designing a more inclusive urban environment that meets the needs of all users and creates a safer space

Better engaging with users and community to understand usage and bring them into the design process
Strategic Management
Management
Business Practice
Technical
Sustainability
Productivity
Public safety
Designing for freight – exploring the critical movement of goods and the impact for infrastructure design Understanding current usage and movement and the importance of rail, road, air and sea transport across the infrastructure network

Pinpointing how engineers can adopt a more integrated approach to freight infrastructure design and the importance for urban and rural communities

Creating resilience in the network to meet the challenges of political, climatic and economic change
Strategic Management
Management
Business Practice
Technical
Sustainability
Productivity
Public safety

Water and wastewater
Topic What will I learn Personal development area Strategic theme
Enabling effective water infrastructure globally A look at the differing standards of water infrastructure globally, including the risks posed by ageing infrastructure and what is needed to make clean, accessible water (a human right) standard practice across the world

Understanding different business models, contracts and partnerships

Considering the electrical infrastructure that supports water treatment, and its varying presence in countries

Engaging key stakeholders and the local community when considering alternative or interim solutions to enable clean water access
Strategic Managemen
Management
Business Practice
Sustainability
Productivity
Improving water quality Sustainable, low-carbon solutions for improving the quality of river water

Understanding and considering both human health and biodiversity

The use of data and technology for improved decision-making
Technical
Information Technology
Decarbonisation
Sustainability
Flooding
Topic What will I learn Personal development area Strategic theme
Nature based solutions to flooding A summary of different options, constraints, benefits (inc potential carbon sequestration) of NbS globally. This could include case studies, different scales of interventions, urban and rural applications

How to account for NbS in hydrology calculations and hydraulic modelling
Technical Decarbonisation
Sustainability
Climate change Uncertainty - how to incorporate/design for uncertainty including adaptive pathways

Designing lower carbon flood risk management infrastructure
Strategic Managemen
Management
Technical
Decarbonisation
Sustainability

Topic What will I learn Personal development area Strategic theme
Enabling hydrogen use What infrastructure is required to produce, capture, store and distribute hydrogen?

What risks are there around hydrogen and how can these be managed?

Hydrogen strategy – examples of small-scale use, and how we can level up
Strategic Management
Management
Technical
Public safety
Sustainability
Decarbonisation
Coastal and offshore energy Examples of innovative, low carbon energy solutions

Future design and flexibility to change including the concept of adaptation

Good practice in the design and delivery of these solutions

The potential to develop the use of tidal energy
Strategic Management
Management
Technical
Productivity
Sustainability
Decarbonisation

2022 CPD topics

Topic What will I learn Personal development area Strategic theme
Conflict avoidance Understand the main causes of conflict, how to recognise them early and the options available to avoid them escalating into disputes. With reference to the differences between contracts Working with others
Business practice
Communication
Productivity
Swiss cheese model of risk management Understand the Swiss cheese model, its application in civil engineering and how to apply it Management
Contract management
Public safety
Health safety and welfare
Security Mindedness Understand a security minded approach toward the protection of infrastructure and the data and information produced by or relating to it and its use. Including, recognising threats, minimising risks, complying with policies, adopting security behaviours and how to report incidents Legislative
Management
Public safety
ICE Code of Professional Conduct Understand the principles within the ICE code of conduct, how to apply them and your obligations to professional conduct as an ICE member Self-development Professionalism
Public safety
Engineering Ethics Understand the 4 principles of ethical conduct defined by the Engineering Council and understand why their application matters Self-development Professionalism
Public safety

Topic What will I learn Personal development area Strategic theme
Understanding structural load paths and distribution of mass/loads How to ensure that any temporary and secondary systems do not modify load paths unexpectedly. Understand what impact secondary systems have on new built structures and what impact modifications have on existing structures Technical Productivity
Public safety
Structural resilience Understand how engineers can continually improve our knowledge and understanding of structural resilience in order to protect communities Technical Public safety
Design risk management Understand the management of design risk in the context of design, management, construction, commissioning, maintenance, and decommissioning. Within the context of CDM2015 for the jurisdictions in which it applies Legislative
Management
Health safety and welfare
CDM2015 and its application Understand how to apply CDM2015 in the jurisdictions in which it applies Management
Legislative
Health safety and welfare

Topic What will I learn Personal development area Strategic theme
Contractual requirements to enable innovation and economy in design Understand the issue of contractual arrangements not easily allowing for the refinement of designs during construction when on the basis of observations ground conditions are better understood

Explore how greater flexibility can be created to refine design during construction
Technical
Management
Contract management
Productivity
Renewable energy and the incorporation of zero carbon systems (heat exchangers) into designs Understand how heat exchangers can be incorporated into designs Technical Decarbonisation
Sustainability
The stability of earthworks (engineered & natural) in relation to climate change and strategies for flood defences Understand the ability of embankments to retain water and how to assess for the risk of landslides Technical Sustainability
Public safety
Site assessment and characterisation through observation and measurement Understand how to assess and characterise sites through observation and measurement Technical Productivity

Topic What will I learn Personal development area Strategic theme
Digital Design and Offsite Construction General awareness of design for manufacture and how it can be, and is, applied within the transport sector

Understanding of the benefits of digital design and offsite construction including: decarbonisation, H&S, standardisation (including maintenance benefit), programme and cost

Understand the applicable procurement models and commercial arrangements
Technical Digital transformation
Decarbonisation in transport – what can be done practically to make a difference Understand measuring and benchmarking of carbon impacts – from concept through to design, installation, maintenance, operation and demolition/removal

Understand low carbon materials – design, specification, construction

Understand low carbon production – logistics and planning
Technical Decarbonisation
Integrated design & delivery – considering design and construction at a systems level, managing interfaces Systems based thinking - consideration of the whole project lifecycle as a system

Understanding interfaces and how to manage

Commercial and procurement aspects
Management Productivity
Understanding impacts of infrastructure delivery on active travel – enable active travel through design of transport infrastructure, create inclusive environments, manage construction with cyclists and pedestrians in mind. How to enable active travel (which promotes health and wellbeing) through design and reducing motor vehicle dependence (which is associated with ill health, pollution and road danger)

Practical design considerations - inclusive engagement, space re-allocation, lowering traffic on residential roads, inclusive crossing design, school street design

Understand construction logistic planning with regard to
  • Why four times as many people are killed off-site than on-site and what can be done about it
  • the increase in active travel
  • the risk of construction HGVs in cyclist and pedestrian deaths
  • the necessity to cut emissions from construction logistics to meet air quality standards
Technical Public safety
Decarbonisation

Topic What will I learn Personal development area Strategic theme
Decarbonisation An understanding of the impacts that carbon is having on our climate, appreciation of the methods of assessment and awareness of what we as engineers can do to reduce whole life carbon

Understand the impact of carbon for the water industry; what net zero means and the key legislation

Be able to identify the main contributors of carbon and how to reduce this
Management
Technical
Decarbonisation
Digital trends Awareness of different digital methods and tools such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, digital twins – what are these tools and how can they benefit the water industry Technical Digital transformation
Bathing water for rivers Gain an awareness of bathing water directives and how to improve the quality of river water for bathing Technical Public safety
How does water infrastructure provide wider benefits to society An appreciation of the wider social benefits that water infrastructure can bring and how to achieve these on projects Management
Technical
Sustainability

Topic What will I learn Personal development area Strategic theme
Decarbonisation What can practically be done to make a difference and meet current targets

Low carbon design, production and materials
Management
Technical
Decarbonisation
Adapting to climate change Understanding the cause, effect and uncertainty of scenarios in the short term (1 to 20 years), medium term (20 to 50 years) and long term (50 to 100 and more years)

Future design and flexibility to change including the concept of adaptation

The adequacy of future plans and measures
Technical Sustainability

ICE Knowledge Hub

To assist members with their annual CPD commitments, the institution has refreshed the ICE Knowledge Hub. This e-learning platform provides civil and infrastructure engineers with a range of content across various topics, designed to help civil and infrastructure engineers with their CPD.

Learn more about the Knowledge Hub and how to start your learning journey today.

Looking to find out more about CPD Framework?

If you have a question about our CPD framework or just want to find out more, please contact us: