8 Jul 2026
Engineering New Zealand was among the delegations at the annual International Engineering Alliance (IEA) Meetings, held from 7 to 12 June at the Century City Conference Centre in Cape Town. The gathering brought together delegates from around the world for a week of workshops and meetings.
The IEA Meetings are the yearly forum for signatories of the IEA's Education Accords and Competence Agreements. These international arrangements underpin the global recognition of New Zealand engineering qualifications and support the range of international registers Engineering New Zealand offers, including IntPE and APEC Engineer.
The Engineering New Zealand delegation took part in five days of discussions alongside engineering bodies from around the world. A key outcome for New Zealand was the renewal of its Washington Accord signatory status, following a review of local accreditation standards and processes carried out over 2024 and 2025. The delegation also exchanged signed copies of a new Mutual Recognition Agreement with the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers. Craig Price, Chair of Engineering New Zealand’s Standards and Accreditation Board and Brett Williams, Engineering New Zealand General Manager – Global will continue as Chairs of two of the IEA’s professional competence agreements: the International Professional Engineers Agreement and Agreement for International Engineering Technicians.
The meetings also welcomed new members and signatories into the IEA framework, with the Institution of Engineers of Zambia becoming a Provisional Signatory to the Washington Accord and the Philippine Technological Council becoming an Authorised Member of the International Professional Engineers Agreement. Workshop topics explored future directions for the alliance, including the development of reviewer training frameworks, opportunities to further enhance engineer mobility and the potential recognition of new qualification pathways.
Engineering New Zealand's involvement reflects our ongoing commitment to maintaining the international standing of local engineering credentials and to shaping the global standards that support engineers working across borders.
