EngD in systems now an Engineering Council accredited degree

(22 August 2013) - The EngD in Systems, delivered by the IDC in Systems at the University of Bristol and the University of Bath, has been officially accredited as providing a pathway to Chartered Engineer (CEng) status by the IET, IMechE and ICE.

The industrial doctorate centre (IDC) for Systems is one of the first EngD centres to be recognised by the UK regulator, the Engineering Council, as providing a route to CEng registration for future leaders in industry and academia.

Professor Patrick Godfrey, director of the centre and chairman of the Association of Engineering Doctorates' steering group, says:

"Accreditation is a mark of assurance that the degree meets the standards set by the Engineering Council in the UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence (UK-SPEC). An accredited degree will provide you with some or all of the underpinning knowledge, understanding and skills for eventual registration as Chartered Engineer (CEng). Some employers recruit preferentially from accredited degrees, and an accredited degree is likely to be recognised by other countries that are signatories to international accords".

The decision was relayed to the IDC in Systems following a visit by the Engineering Accreditation Board (EAB) in November 2012.

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For further information, contact: Paul Wilkinson (PR consultant to AEngD) – tel 020 8858 1104, mob 07788 445920, email paul.wilkinson@pwcom.co.uk

Notes to Editors

1. The Engineering Doctorate (EngD) scheme was established by the EPSRC in 1992 (following recommendations of the 1990 Engineering Doctorate Report, produced by a working group chaired by Professor Parnaby).The first EngD programmes began in 1992, and 28 schemes are now offered by UK universities - either singly or as multi-institution academic partnerships.

2. The Association of Engineering Doctorates is a community engaged in research in engineering and related disciplines. It encourages high calibre research engineers (REs) to undertake EngD programmes at Industrial Doctorate Centres (IDCs), funded by EPSRC with backing from UK industry sponsors, many of them companies at the leading edge of innovative thinking and practice.

3. The EAB letter to the IDC in Systems provided the following detail in respect to each of the following major professional engineering insitutions:

Institution of Mechanical Engineering (IMechE)

The Academic Standards Committee of the IMechE having reviewed the EAB visit report and the university’s action plan, and agreed to accredit the EngD in Systems Engineering programme registered at the University of Bristol and the University of Bath for the intake years 2012 – 2016 and backdated to cover the 2009, 2010 and 2011 intakes for full time Research Engineers and additionally to 2007 and 2008 intakes for part time Research Engineers as the further learning element for the educational requirements for CEng.

Institution of Engineering & Technology (IET)

The Academic Accreditation Committee of the IET having reviewed the EAB visit report and the university’s action plan, agreed to accredit the EngD in Systems Engineering programme registered at the University of Bristol and the University of Bath for the intake years 2012 – 2016 and backdated to cover the 2009, 2010 and 2011 intakes for full time Research Engineers and additionally to 2007 and 2008 intakes for part time Research Engineers as the further learning element for the educational requirements for CEng.

Joint Board of Moderators (JBM) – ICE/ISTRUCTE/CIHT/IHE

The Institution of Civil Engineers, the Institution of Structural Engineers, the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation and the Institute of Highway Engineers have accredited the EngD in Systems Engineering programme registered at the University of Bristol and the University of Bath for the intake years 2012 – 2016 and backdated to cover the 2009, 2010 and 2011 intakes for full time Research Engineers and additionally to 2007 and 2008 intakes for part time Research Engineers as the further learning element for the educational requirements for CEng.