MRA for Indonesian & Australian Engineers great for professionalism.

On the 30th June 2023, a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) was signed between Institution of Engineers Indonesia (PII) and Engineers Australia (EA). The MRA will allow practicing engineers on the respective International Engineering Alliance APEC Agreement registers to 1) benefit from a significantly streamlined assessment process in each country, 2) with a faster pathway to being recognised with Chartered status and registration to practice” and 3) will have significant impact on upholding international standards for engineering qualifications and practice. Negotiations between the two nations took off after the Institution of Engineers Indonesia was approved as a Signatory of the Washington Accord in 2022.

Engineers Australia is Australia's recognized organization for accreditation of professional engineering qualifications under the?Washington Accord . Queensland is the only Australian jurisdiction to apply a comprehensive registration system for engineers, though other States will shortly follow.?The Queensland government has appointed (2008) Engineers Australia on as one of the Approved Assessment entities for assessing applicants for Registration with the Board of Professional Engineers of Queensland.

The Washington Accord recognizes that there is substantial equivalence of programs accredited by those signatories. Graduates of accredited programs in any of the signatory countries are recognized by the other signatory countries as having met the academic requirements for entry to the practice of engineering.

The Indonesia Republic Law Number regulates that PII has two obligations; 1) as engineer certification body and 2) registration for engineer who practice in whole engineering fields. The Institution of Engineers Indonesia (PII) was established in 1952. Envisioned to be the nation’s source of engineering excellence, PII handles training, discussions, study, seminars, competency training and professional certification for engineers across Indonesia. PII is also a member of international engineering organizations: AFEO (ASEAN Federation of Engineering Organisations), WFEO (World Federation of Engineering Organizations), IEA (International Engineering Alliance), FEISEAP (Federation of Engineering Institute South East Asia and Pacific) and AEESEAP (Association of Engineering Education South East Asia and Pacific).

Congratulations to Mr Keith Witchurch as the first Chartered Engineers Australia member to earn the title of Professional Engineer from the PII as Special Engineer- Mining Engineering. Those PII members with relevant engineering qualifications and the titles of Professional Engineer or Executive Professional Engineer, can be eligible to apply for Chartered status with Engineers Australia.?`

Engineers practicing in the following engineering disciplines are covered under the MRA:?

·??????? Aerospace??

·??????? Chemical??

·??????? Civil??

·??????? Electrical??

·??????? Environmental???

·??????? Geotechnical?

·??????? Mechanical??

·??????? Petroleum engineering and information?

·??????? Telecommunications and electronics?

In February 2024, the Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group on services delivered the report; “Mutual Recognition Agreement for Professional Qualifications and Licensure in APEC; Experiences, Impediments and Opportunities”. This Australian funded project explores the broad trends that have characterised the development of mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) for professional qualifications, licensure, and registration in APEC economies. The study was undertaken in supporting cross-border mobility for professionals.

A number of APEC economies have not undertaken any MRA’s as some countries regulations are less well aligned with other APEC countries, and some countries immigration policies wish to retain talent. Most MRA’s relate to engineers, accountants and surveyors, while only a few are for healthcare and education sectors. APEC economies have entered into 59 bilateral MRAs for engineers, all of which are between Washington signatories. The APEC Engineer and ASEAN Engineer multilateral agreements have had little impact on mobility which was initially their primary purpose, but do appear to have become useful in providing an internationally recognised marker of professional experience. The report urges further research on the implementation of such MRA’s.