Thursday, June 13, 2024
NEW DELHI – The Engineers Institute of Zambia (EIZ) has applied for admission to the International Engineering Alliance (IEA) to enable its engineers practice abroad without having to sit for exams.
Speaking when he and his team paid a courtesy call on Zambia High Commissioner to India H.E Mr. Percy Chanda in New Delhi today, EIZ President Eng. Wesley Kaluba disclosed that the Institute was pushing for accreditation under the Washington Accord.
Eng. Kaluba says if successful, all Zambian engineers and practitioners who will be issued with licenses by the EIZ will automatically qualify to work in any of the 36 jurisdictions in 27 countries presided by the IEA unlike the current situation where they have to sit for exams before being accredited abroad.
He says this would be a milestone achievement for engineers in Zambia as only the Engineering Council of South Africa is accredited by the EIA on the continent while Nigeria has only been granted a provisional licence.
“This gives value to our members so that they can practice professionally and internationally. As it is right now, when our members apply to practice in their fields regardless of how competent they are and with the experience that they have and being qualified from our universities, they still have to undertake examinations for them to be admitted and practice legally in these jurisdictions.
“However, in line with the EIZ vision to establish a world class professional body that fosters special economic development through technology and innovation, we have made this application. One of the objectives that we have as a Council is to enhance member recognition,” Eng. Kaluba said.
Eng. Kaluba however admitted that securing admission to the EIA is not easy as it also involves a long and rigorous process which also includes having institutions of higher learning offering engineering courses in Zambia being audited.
“This is a systematic application and there are a number of requirements which we have to fulfil. We are working with the Ministry of Education so that we meet the benchmarks and expectations back home because it is a vigorous process. We have to be audited and our universities will also be audited to ensure that they meet the expectations of internationally-recognised learning platforms,” he said.
He says once EIZ is admitted to the IEA through the Washington Accord, it will pursue other avenues such as admission to the Sydney Accord for technologists and the Dublin Accord which is for technicians, craft persons, and artisans.
And Zambia High Commissioner to India H.E Mr. Percy Chanda has noted that engineers play a critical role in the economic development of the country and challenged Zambian engineers to take their rightful position in driving the development agenda of the country.
Mr. Chanda says Zambian engineers are essential contributors to the economic development of a country, driving innovation, infrastructure development, energy efficiency, and job creation and that the country is looking forward to a time when they will start manufacturing most of the imported products as was the case soon after independence.
“Zambian engineers used to produce most of the products we are importing and this should not be the case. We do not need foreigners to be manufacturing products. We may not have the equipment but we have qualified personnel and it is up to you to change the narrative,” Mr. Chanda said.
This is contained in a statement issued by first Secretary for Press and Immigration at the Zambian high commission in India Bennie Mundando.
