BACKGROUND

Formation

PCE UAE was formed effective 1996 01 01 following a survey by a multi-discipline working party

• A Branch of ICE had been established in the area since 1969 - (Emirates founded 1971 12 02)
• The ICE UAE Branch had about 300 members in the country by 1994
• The IMechE members in the UAE decided to form a Branch with about 100 members in 1994
• In UK in 1994 Sir John Fairclough, FEng chaired ‘Unification of the Engineering Profession’ Group

  We quote from ‘UNIFICATION UPDATE No 2 received in UAE 1994 04 05

  • ‘The Policy Group has reached broad agreement on an outline structure for the New Relationship between a New Engineering Council & the Engineering Institutions’
  • This would take the form of a single Corporate Entity with two main Boards for
    • 1) Engineers’ Regulation (BER) and 2) Engineering Profession (BEP)’

• Meanwhile, here in the UAE members of ICE and IMechE Branches reviewed their operations.
• They proposed a single entity - Professional Chartered Engineers Group UAE – for the country.
• ICE and IMechE Committees agreed to help move forward supported by their UK Councils.
• A meeting welcoming all UAE based members of all EC Licensed PEI was arranged.
• Agreed location was Al Shatie Palace Hotel, Ghantout – between Abu Dhabi & northern emirates.
• The formal meeting was held Thursday 1994 05 26 from 1530 - with other family social sessions.
• The proposals were endorsed and a multi discipline, multi location working party was set up.
• A Constitution was drafted and approved by The UK Councils of ICE and IMechE.
• A PCE UAE Interim Committee was formed from former ICE and IMechE Committee members.
• IEE had decided to establish a UAE Branch (Formed 1996 but disbanded in 1998 to join PCE UAE)
• PCE UAE became effective 1996 01 01 welcoming all UAE based EC Registrants and PEI members.
• Inaugural functions included Committee lunch and Dinner at Jazeera Hotel, Resort, Ghantout.
• The lunch was attended by the British Ambassador and EC Senator who later spoke at the dinner.
• In 1998 Committee restructured to improve formal representation of IEE and all other PEI members.

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Committee Posts and Appointments

These are based on the following documents approved by UK based Councils of ICE and IMechE and others and expanded to embrace all Engineering Council licensed Professional Engineering Institutions who formally support PCE UAE for representation.

1949 - ‘Regulations for Joint Groups of the Instns of Civil, Mechanical and Electrical Engrs‘(Rev ’56, ’60)
1960 - ‘Regulations for Groups of Professional Engineers’
1983 - ‘Regulations for Groups of Professional Engineers’ (Sponsored by ICE, IMechE, IEE)
1994 - Report of UAE multi-discipline, multi regional working party recommends unified PCE UAE Group
(Ref: Reports ‘Unification of the Engg Profession’ Chaired by Sir John Fairclough 1994)
1995 - ‘PCE UAE Constitution’ approved by ICE+IMechE Councils to welcome all PEI (Revd 1996, 1998)
1998 - PCE UAE Committee Structure modified to incorporate IEE on closing their Branch to join PCE UAE

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Conventions

Influenced by the fact that UAE was formed in 1972 12 02 from British Protectorates (Trucial States)
PCE UAE is a voluntary body of UAE based present & potential Professional Chartered Engineers
Members are multi-discipline, multi-national registrants of EC UK & of EC licensed PEI

PCE UAE Aims include:
· Contributing towards moves towards unification of the Engineering Profession in UK and worldwide
· Increasing awareness, recognition and benefits of EC registration via PEI membership (UK-SPEC)
· Providing opportunities for members’ Initial & Continuing Professional Development (IPD & CPD)
· Working with relevant organisations in the UAE including the UAE Society of Engineers (UAESE)
· Welcoming all EC (CEng, IEng, EngT) and PEI (F, M, A as well as Graduate and Student) grades

Database
· PCE UAE for legal and other reasons does not maintain a full up-to-date database of members
· Members are responsible for keeping EC and their PEI(s) updated on personal contact details.
· Any membership data provided by EC and supporting PEI is for communicating with members
· Such data for UAE members will be used in compliance with relevant Data Protection Acts
· Issue of NEWSLETTERS and NOTICES of events is not mandatory – a meeting programme is.

Income & Outlay
· Funding budget is based on 1) return of part of subscriptions paid to UK, 2) sponsorship, 3) loans
· Outlays are mainly for communications to all members whose addresses are made available
· Accommodation and facilities are provided for the programme of talks and visits each month.
· A number of supplementary events are held annually which include a dinner funded by participants.
· Also, support is given for funded training courses, seminars and other events subject to demand

Committee Structure
· Committee structure is conventional - main posts, Divisional representatives & co-opted members.
· All 35 PEI disciplines are grouped in four main divisions reflecting EC structure in 1996
· In 1991 the EC grouped 47 PEI in 5 divisions (or colleges). By 1995 43 PEI(now 35) in 4 divisions
· Eight appointees for the 4 divisions to be from ICE, IMechE, IEE or IChemE (or supportive PEI)
· Appointments aim to reflect PEI ICE, IMechE, IET, IChemE with membership ratio roughly 3:1:2:1

Administrative Link with UK
· Due to PCE UAE multi-discipline remit we asked EC to act as UK link to all PEI. They declined.
· ICE agreed to act as PCE UAE Group administrative link to UK (See ICE, IMechE web references)
· Main Committee posts are preferably filled by Chartered Engineers and Fellows of one or more PEI.
· The Chair and/or Honorary Secretary posts would initially be filled by ICE members for liaison link
· Appointments to committee post to aim to reflect disciplines, grades, locations of members

Representation of PEI Disciplines
· Actual representation aims to reflect support formally agreed by Councils of specific UK based PEI
· Experience has shown that turnover of members is relatively high due to many being expatriates
· Post vacancies may be filled by co-opted volunteers pending election / confirmation at AGM
· Ex-Officio posts such as Asst HonSec may be filled by non EC registrant volunteer members
· Committee Members to agree to represent all disciplines for ‘unification of the Profession’

Marketing & Liaison with other bodies eg:
· British - Embassy, Consulate, Council, Business Group, Standards Institution, University, Schools
· Other relevant UAE based bodies (eg; local branches of EC Professional Affiliates etc. including APM, ACostE, IQA, RIBA, RICS, CIoB, InstArb, Chambers of Commerce, Universities, CERT, HCT,
· UAE Nationals who are encouraged to meet and seek EC registration (and join Committee)
· Potential members – these to be welcomed, assisted and encouraged by all PCE UAE members.

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- In 1996 the Committee wrote letters to the Presidents and Chief Executives of all (then) 40 PEI
- These explained the existence, background and aims of PCE UAE and invited formal involvement
- Many responded, some confirmed support.(some had informal representation via dual membership)
- PCE UAE Committee sought financial support from UK PEI (initially 20%, then 10% of subscription)
- Ultimately budgets were based on return of £10 per member in UAE with a minimum £50 per PEI
- There is no local subscription. Members believe that subscriptions paid to UK are substantial.
- To date only ICE and IMechE have provided limited financial support (and that some years ago)
- Activities including Seminars and Professional Review Preparation sessions have been curtailed
- Newsletters have been funded by sponsorship, donations and loans by committee members.
- To 2006 an active programme of activities has been maintained for each month in various locations

Er Alister I M Macmillan, Chair, Abu Dhabi 2004 10 21 (Rev. 2006 10 24)

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