Australasia - Registration & Licensing

Australia

Registration of engineers is not mandatory in Australia, although some states do have legislation governing the practice of engineering. There is a reluctance in government, both at Federal and at State level, to have legislation that is seen to be anti-competition or discriminatory.

The Institution of Engineers Australia (IEAust) has established a national database - the National Professional Engineers Register (NPER). This identifies members (and non-members - you can apply to be on NPER without being MIEAust) whose qualifications, experience and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) are of the standard considered appropriate for independent professional practice in the field of their expertise. Structural engineering is one of the areas of practice within NPER.

As IEAust embraces all engineering disciplines, members are assigned to a College appropriate to their field of practice. Thus structural engineers will generally be members of the Structural College. (Many IEAust structural engineers are also members of IStructE). Thus a practising structural engineer would be expected to be a member of IEAust Structural College and be registered on the NPER in the area of practice of structural engineering. However it is not a mandatory requirement. Although not mandatory to be registered, NPER is being used increasingly as the measure of competence.

Australian states currently have different regulatory controls on engineering practice, e.g. Queensland has a Professional Engineers Act, and governing board, which requires all engineering work to be carried out by a Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland (RPEQ). This can be an individual or company who satisfies the requirements of the Board of Professional Engineers. There are moves to make NPER registration as the qualifying standard for RPEQ.

The IEAust Structural College has recognised that MIStructE more than satisfies the requirements for MIEAust Structural College membership and registration on NPER in the area of structural engineering. The two institutions are shortly expected to formalize this in an agreement on reciprocal membership.

New Zealand

In New Zealand the Institution of Professional Engineers of New Zealand (IPENZ) is the registration authority which assesses and registers Chartered Professional Engineers (CPEng) who meet the relevant standards of competence under the Chartered Professional Engineers of New Zealand Act (2002).

Members of IStructE, who are also registered as CEng with the EC ^UK, will be able to present their qualifications as valid evidence for seeking to achieve entry to CPEng. It will also be necessary to demonstrate knowledge of New Zealand standards, codes of practices and regulations in structural engineering.

For professional structural engineers, the IStructE and IPENZ have a joint agreement, and all structural engineers in both institutions are members of the combined Structural Engineering Society, SESOC. In respect of membership of IPENZ, IStructE members are given a modified professional practice assessment for MIPENZ. The panel assesses the MIPENZ competencies in management, ethics and principles, and communication. MIStructE members are exempt from technical competencies if they have already passed IStructE Chartered Membership examination.