Engineering: issues, challenges and opportunities for development ...

ENGINEERING CAPACITY: EDUCATION, TRAINING AND MOBILITYIn 2007, the delegates from a number of Africa EngineersForum, signatories at the UNESCO International Policy WorkshopEngineering for Poverty Eradication and the MillenniumDevelopment Goals workshop in Johannesburg, identified anumber of burning issues and items that needed attention.These burning issues were categorized according to the socalledsix pillars of sustainability, which was developed fromthe Africa Engineers Protocol. The list is not meant to bea definitive number of issues but merely points to areas ofneed or which need attention, or areas in which capacity orcapacity-building of some sorts was deemed to be necessaryor appropriate. In some cases these issues may appear undermore than one ‘pillar’ but that must be seen as an issue thatneeds addressing by various entities and in various categoriesof capacity sectors.Individual■ Continued Professional Development■ Productivity enhancement to facilitate international competitionfor investment■ Brain drain and mobility factorsInstitutional■ Networks of excellence■ Regional education and training institutions for engineering■ Appropriate curricula for engineering■ Internationally accredited and recognized education andtraining programmes and facilities for the development ofengineering professionals■ Internationally accredited and recognized professional registrationsystems■ Research and development■ Regional centres of excellenceTechnical■standardsCommon engineeringDecision-making■ Climate change■ Recycling■ Energy■ Career guidance from early ages■ Career guidance for postgraduates■ Numbers and Needs – research in the field of engineering asa tool for decision-making■ Infrastructure Report cards as a tool for decision-making■ Research and Development funding■ Engineering terminology translated for decision-makers■ Legislation for water■ The need for anecdotes■ Cross-cutting role of engineering■ Free education at secondary level■ Accountability and transparencyFigure 1: The six pillars of capacity for sustainable engineering■ Compulsory registration for engineering professionals■ Reliable statistics■ Harmonized and standardized procurement and deliveryprocesses■ Preferential access to markets – creating a level playingfi e l d■ Engineering and HIV-AIDS■ The Health Connection – the role of engineering in healthand safety of communities■ Good governance – organigrams and staff structures forgovernments■ Fit for purpose, affordable and appropriate infrastructure■ Benchmarking levels as a foundation to assist with decisionmaking■ The contribution of labour based construction■ Funding and policy regarding mathematics, science andtechnology teaching by government departments■ Donors – criteria and justification of projects■ Understanding the TOTAL engineering team skills need –from labourer to engineerBusiness■ Mobilizing and facilitating the private sector in infrastructure■ Private sector support and funding for mathematics, scienceand technology teaching■ Information and Communication TechnologyResources and supplies■■Sustainable engineeringIndividual Institutional Technical DecisionmakingMathematics, science and technology teaching – tools forteachers and tools for learnersCosts of raw materialsExamples of capacity-building initiatives andprogrammesThe following Southern African programmes or initiatives areconsidered to be a sample of capacity-building tools and initiativeswhich cover a small portion of what would be neededin terms of addressing some areas where capacity for sustainableengineering is deemed crucial. There are numerous otherBusinessRessources& supplies317