INTERNATIONAL ENGINEERINGALLIANCE
GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES &PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIESPROUDLY SUPPORTED BY:

PREAMBLE
The International Engineering Alliance is pleased to announce that all Accords andAgreements have approved revisions to its Graduate Attributes and Professional
Competencies (GAPC) international benchmark. The review, supported by UNESCO, wasundertaken by a joint IEA-WFEO Working Group who engaged extensively with IEA
signatories, WFEO members and WFEO partners representing academics, industry andwomen globally. They reflect requirements for new technologies and engineering disciplines,
new pedagogies and values such as sustainable development, diversity and inclusion andethics. They are well positioned to support the engineering role in building a moresustainable and equitable world.
Our thanks to UNESCO and WFEO for their constant support and endorsement and to the
GAPC Working Group members, who commenced this work three years ago and who haveworked tirelessly to bring this to fruition.

VERSION: 2021.1

The documents presented in this compendium are current as of 21 June 2021.

IEA Constituent Agreements
Washington Accord
Sydney Accord
Dublin Accord

International
Professional
Engineers
AgreementInternational Engineering Technologists
Agreement
APEC Engineer Agreement
Agreement for International Engineering
Technicians

Graduate Attributes and Professional Competences
Approved Version 4: 21 June 2021
This document is available through the IEA website: http://www.ieagreements.org

Executive Summary

Many accrediting bodies for engineering qualifications have developed
outcomes-based criteria for evaluating programs. Similarly, many engineering
regulatory bodies have developed or are in the process of developing
competence-based standards for registration. Educational and professional
accords for mutual recognition of qualifications and registration havedeveloped statements of graduate attributes and professional competence
profiles. This document, which is a revised version that takes into account thepresent-day state of engineering activities, presents the background to thesedevelopments, their purpose, and the methodology and limitations of thestatements. After defining general range statements that allow thecompetences of the different categories to be distinguished, the paper
presents the graduate attributes and professional competence profiles forthree professional tracks: engineer, engineering technologist, and engineering
technician.

1

Introduction

Engineering is an activity that is essential to meeting the needs of people, economic
development and the provision of services to society. Engineering involves the purposeful
application of mathematical and natural sciences and a body of engineering knowledge,
technology and techniques. Engineering seeks to produce solutions of which the effects are
predicted to the greatest degree possible, in often uncertain contexts. While bringing
benefits, engineering activity has potential adverse consequences. Engineering therefore
must be carried out responsibly and ethically, use available resources efficiently, beeconomic, safeguard health and safety, be environmentally sound and sustainable andgenerally manage risks throughout the entire lifecycle of a system. The United Nations
Sustainable Development Goals present targets for 2030. Engineers are vital contributors formaking progress towards these goals.
Typical engineering activity requires several roles including those of the engineer,engineering technologist and engineering technician, recognized as professional registration
categories in many jurisdictions 1. These roles are defined by their distinctive competences
1
The terminology used in this document uses the term engineering as an activity in a broad sense and engineer
as shorthand for the various types of professional and chartered engineer. It is recognized that engineers,©Copyright International Engineering Alliance. All rights reserved June 2021.

2

and their level of responsibility to the public. There is a degree of overlap between roles. The
distinctive competences, together with their educational underpinnings, are defined in
sections 4 to 6 of this document.
The development of an engineering professional in any of the categories is an ongoingprocess with important identified stages. The first stage is the attainment of an accredited
educational qualification, the graduate stage. The fundamental purpose of engineering
education is to build a knowledge base and attributes to enable the graduate to continuelearning and to proceed to formative development that will develop the competences
required for independent practice. The second stage, following a period of formative
development, is professional registration. The fundamental purpose of formative
development is to build on the educational base to develop the competences required forindependent practice in which the graduate works with engineering practitioners andprogresses from an assisting role to taking more individual and team responsibility until
competence can be demonstrated at the level required for registration. Once registered, thepractitioner must maintain and expand competence.
For engineers, engineering technologists, and engineering technicians, a third milestone isto qualify for the international register held by the various jurisdictions. In addition, engineers,technologists and technicians are expected to maintain and enhance competence
throughout their working lives.
Several international accords provide for recognition of graduates of accredited programs ofeach signatory by the remaining signatories. The Washington Accord (WA) provides formutual recognition of programs accredited for the engineer track. The Sydney Accord (SA)establishes mutual recognition of accredited qualifications for engineering technologist. The
Dublin Accord (DA) provides for mutual recognition of accredited qualifications forengineering technicians. These accords are based on the principle of substantial
equivalence rather than exact correspondence of content and outcomes. This document
records the signatories’ consensus on the attributes of graduates for each accord.
Similarly, the International Professional Engineers Agreement2 (IPEA), the International
Engineering Technologists Agreement3 (IETA), and the Agreement for International
Engineering Technicians (AIET) provide mechanisms to support the recognition of aprofessional registered in one signatory jurisdiction obtaining recognition in another. The
signatories have formulated consensus competence profiles for the registration and these
are recorded in this document.
Section 2 gives the background to the graduate attributes presented in section 5. Section 3
provides background to the professional competence profiles presented in section 6.
General range statements are presented in section 4. The graduate attributes are presented
in section 5 while the professional competence profiles are defined in section 6. Appendix A
defines terms used in this document. Appendix B sketches the origin and development
history of the graduate attributes and professional competence profiles.

2

Graduate Attributes

This section gives background to the graduate attributes presented in section 5.

Purpose of Graduate Attributes

Graduate attributes form a set of individually assessable outcomes that are the components
indicative of the graduate's potential to acquire competence to practise at the appropriate
engineering technologists, and engineering technicians may have specific titles or designations and differing
legal empowerment or restrictions within individual jurisdictions.

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3

level. The graduate attributes are exemplars of the attributes expected of graduate from anaccredited program. Graduate attributes are clear, succinct statements of the expectedcapability, qualified if necessary, by a range indication appropriate to the type of program.
The graduate attributes are intended to assist Signatories and Provisional Members todevelop or review their outcomes-based accreditation criteria for use by their respective
jurisdictions. Graduate attributes also guide bodies in developing or revising theiraccreditation systems with a view to seeking signatory status.
Graduate attributes are defined for educational qualifications in the engineer, engineering
technologist and engineering technician tracks. The graduate attributes serve to identify thedistinctive characteristics as well as areas of commonality between the expected outcomesof different types of programs.

Limitation of Graduate Attributes

Each signatory defines the standards for the relevant track (engineer, engineering
technologist or engineering technician) against which engineering educational programs areaccredited. Each educational level accord is based on the principle of substantial
equivalence; that is, programs are not expected to have identical outcomes and content but
rather produce graduates who could enter employment and be fit to undertake a program oftraining and experiential learning leading to professional competence and registration. The
Graduate Attributes provide a point of reference for bodies to describe the outcomes ofsubstantially equivalent qualification. The Graduate Attributes do not, in themselves,
constitute an “international standard” for accredited qualifications but provide a widely
accepted common reference or benchmark for bodies to describe the outcomes ofsubstantially equivalent qualifications.
Graduate Attributes may be accepted for use within a jurisdiction or adapted toaccommodate the context and any specific requirements of the jurisdiction. Where asignatory has adapted or developed their own graduate attributes, it is expected that there isalignment to these Graduate Attributes.
The term graduate does not imply a particular type of qualification but rather the exit level ofthe qualification, be it a degree or diploma.

Graduate Attributes and the Quality of Programs

The Washington, Sydney and Dublin Accords “recognize the substantial equivalence of …
programs satisfying the academic requirements for practice …” for engineers, engineering
technologists and engineering technicians respectively. The Graduate Attributes areassessable outcomes, supported by level statements, developed by the signatories that giveconfidence that the educational objectives of programs are being achieved. The quality of aprogram depends not only on the stated objectives and attributes to be assessed but also on
the program design, resources committed to the program, the teaching and learning process
and assessment of students, including confirmation that the graduate attributes are satisfied.
The Accords therefore base the judgement of the substantial equivalence of programs
accredited by signatories on both the Graduate Attributes and the best practice indicators forevaluating program quality listed in the Accords’ Rules and Procedures 2.

2

Accord Rules and Procedures. June 2018, section C.4.5. Available at www.ieagreements.org.

©Copyright International Engineering Alliance. All rights reserved June 2021.

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Scope and Organization of Graduate Attributes

The graduate attributes are organized using eleven headings shown in section 5.2. Eachheading identifies the differentiating characteristic that allows the distinctive roles ofengineers, technologists and technicians to be distinguished by range information.
For each attribute, statements are formulated for engineer, engineering technologist andengineering technician using a common stem, with ranging information appropriate to eacheducational track defined in sections 4.1 and 5.1. For example, for the Engineering
Knowledge attribute:
Common Stem: Apply knowledge of mathematics, natural science, computing andengineering fundamentals, and an engineering specialization …
Engineer Range: … as specified in the engineer knowledge profile to develop
solutions to complex engineering problems.
Engineering Technologist Range: … as specified in the engineering technologist
knowledge profile to defined and applied engineering procedures, processes,
systems or methodologies.
Engineering Technician Range: … as specified in the engineering technician
knowledge profile to wide practical procedures and practices.
The resulting statements are shown below for this example:
Engineer Graduate

Engineering Technologist
Graduate

Engineering Technician
Graduate

Apply knowledge ofmathematics, science,computing and engineering
fundamentals and anengineering specialization as
specified in WK1-WK4
respectively to develop
solutions to complex
engineering problems.

Apply knowledge ofmathematics, science,computing and engineering
fundamentals and anengineering specialization as
specified in SK1-SK4
respectively to defined andapplied engineering
procedures, processes,
systems or methodologies.

Apply knowledge ofmathematics, science,engineering fundamentals andan engineering specializationas specified in DK1-DK4
respectively to wide practicalprocedures and practices.

The range qualifier in several attribute statements uses the notions of complex engineering
problems, broadly-defined engineering problems and well-defined engineering problems.
These shorthand level descriptors are defined in section 4.1.
The attributes are chosen to be universally applicable and reflect acceptable minimum
standards and be capable of objective measurement. While all attributes are important,individual attributes are not necessarily of equal weight. Attributes are selected that are
expected to be valid for extended periods and changed infrequently only after considerable
debate. Attributes may depend on information external to this document, for example
generally accepted principles of ethical conduct.
The full set of graduate attribute definitions is given in section 5.

Contextual Interpretation

The graduate attributes are stated generically and are applicable to all engineering
disciplines. In interpreting the statements within a disciplinary context, individual statements©Copyright International Engineering Alliance. All rights reserved June 2021.

5

may be amplified and given particular emphasis but they must not be altered in substance orindividual elements ignored.

Best Practice in Application of Graduate Attributes

The attributes of Accord programs are defined as a knowledge profile, which is an indicatedvolume of learning and the attributes against which graduates must be able to perform. The
requirements are stated without reference to the design of programs that would achieve therequirements.
Providers therefore are free to design programs with different detailed
structures, learning pathways and modes of delivery. Evaluation of individual programs is theconcern of national accreditation systems.

3

Professional Competence Profiles

Purpose of Professional Competence Profiles

A professionally or occupationally competent person has the attributes necessary to performthe activities within the profession or occupation to the standards expected in independent
employment or practice. The professional competence profiles for each professional
category record the elements of competence necessary for performance that the
professional is expected to be able to demonstrate in a holistic way at the stage of attaining
registration.
Professional competence can be described using a set of attributes corresponding largely to
the graduate attributes, but with different emphases. For example, at the professional level,
the ability to take responsibility in a real-life situation is essential. Unlike the graduate
attributes, professional competence is more than a set of attributes that can bedemonstrated individually. Rather, competence must be assessed holistically.

Scope and Organization of Professional Competence Profiles

The professional competence profiles are written for each of the three categories: engineer,engineering technologist and engineering technician at the point of registration 3. Each profile
consists of thirteen elements. Individual elements are formulated around a differentiating
characteristic using a stem and modifier, similar to the method used for the graduate
attributes described in section 2.3.
The stems are common to all three categories and the range modifiers allow distinctions andcommonalities between categories to be identified. Like their counterparts in the graduate
attributes, the range statements use the notions of complex engineering problems, broadlydefined engineering problems and well-defined engineering problems defined in section 4.1.
At the professional level, a classification of engineering activities is used to define ranges
and to distinguish between categories. Engineering activities are classified as complex,
broadly-defined or well-defined. These shorthand level descriptors are defined in section 4.2.

Limitations of Professional Competence Profile

As in the case of the graduate attributes, the professional competence profiles are notprescriptive in detail but rather reflect the essential elements that would be present incompetence standards.
The professional competence profiles do not specify performance indicators or how theabove items should be interpreted in assessing evidence of competence from different areasof practice or for different types of work. Section 3.4 examines contextual interpretation.
Requirements for the IEPA, IETA, and AIET International Registers call for enhanced competence andresponsibility.

3©Copyright International Engineering Alliance. All rights reserved June 2021.

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Each jurisdiction may define performance indicators; that is, actions on the part of thecandidate that demonstrate competence. For example, a design competence may beevidenced by the following performances:
1: Identify and analyse a design/planning requirement and draw up a detailed
requirements specification
2: Synthesise a range of potential solutions to problem or approaches to project
execution
3: Evaluate potential approaches to meet requirements and their possible impacts
4: Fully develop design of selected option
5: Produce design documentation for implementation

Contextual Interpretation

Although competence can be demonstrated in different areas of practice and types of work,
competence statements are independent of, and separate to, any specific discipline. Thus
the competence statements accommodate different types of work (for example, design,
research and development and engineering management) by using the broad phases in thecycle of engineering activity (problem analysis, synthesis, implementation, operation andevaluation) together with the management attributes needed. The competence statements
also include the personal attributes needed for competent performance irrespective ofspecific local requirements: communication, ethical practice, judgement, taking responsibility
and the protection of society.
The professional competence profiles are stated generically and are applicable to allengineering disciplines. The application of a competence profile may require amplification indifferent regulatory, disciplinary, occupational or environmental contexts. In interpreting thestatements within a particular context, individual statements may be amplified and given
particular emphasis but must not be altered in substance or ignored.

Mobility between Professional Categories

The Graduate Attributes and Professional Competence for each of the three categories ofengineering practitioner (engineer, engineering technologist and engineering technician)define the benchmark route or vertical progression in each category. This document does
not address the movement of individuals between categories, a process that usually requires
additional education, training and experience. The Graduate Attributes and Professional
Competences, through their definitions of level of demand, knowledge profile and outcomesto be achieved, allow a person planning such an attainment to judge the further learning andexperience that will be required. The education and registration requirements of thejurisdiction should be examined for specific requirements.

©Copyright International Engineering Alliance. All rights reserved June 2021.

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4Common Range and Contextual Definitions

Range of Problem Identification and Solving

References included are to the Knowledge and Attitude Profile in 5.1
In the context of both Graduate Attributes and Professional Competences:
Attribute
Complex Engineering Problems have Broadly-defined Engineering Problems Well-defined Engineering Problems
characteristic WP1 and some or all of WP2 have characteristic SP1 and some or all have characteristic DP1 and some or all of
to WP7:of SP2 to SP7:
DP2 to DP7:
Depth of
WP1: Cannot be resolved without in-depth SP1: Cannot be resolved without
DP1: Cannot be resolved without
Knowledge
engineering knowledge at the level ofengineering knowledge at the level ofextensive practical engineering
Required
one or more of WK3, WK4, WK5, WK6
one or more of SK 4, SK5, and SK6
knowledge as reflected in DK5 and DK6
or WK8 which allows a fundamentalssupported by SK3 with a strong
supported by theoretical knowledge
based, first principles analyticalemphasis on the application ofdefined in DK3 and DK4approachdeveloped technology
Range ofconflicting
requirements
Depth of analysis
required
Familiarity ofissuesExtent ofapplicable codes
Extent ofstakeholder
involvement andconflicting
requirements
Interdependence

WP2: Involve wide-ranging and/or
conflicting technical, non-technicalissues (such as ethical, sustainability,
legal, political, economic, societal) andconsideration of future requirements
WP3: Have no obvious solution andrequire abstract thinking, creativity andoriginality in analysis to formulate
suitable models
WP4: Involve infrequently encounteredissues or novel problems

SP2: Involve a variety of conflicting
technical and non-technical issues(such as ethical, sustainability, legal,
political, economic, societal) andconsideration of future requirements
SP3: Can be solved by application of wellproven analysis techniques and models

DP2: Involve several technical and nontechnical issues (such as ethical,
sustainability, legal, political, economic,
societal) and consideration of future
requirements
DP3: Can be solved in standardized ways

WP5: Address problems not encompassed
by standards and codes of practice forprofessional engineering
WP6: Involve collaboration acrossengineering disciplines, other fields,
and/or diverse groups of stakeholders
with widely varying needs

SP4: Belong to families of familiar
problems which are solved in wellaccepted ways
SP5: Address problems that may bepartially outside those encompassed bystandards or codes of practice
SP6: Involve different engineering
disciplines and other fields with several
groups of stakeholders with differingand occasionally conflicting needs

DP4: Are frequently encountered and thus
familiar to most practitioners in thepractice area
DP5: Addresses problems that areencompassed by standards and/or
documented codes of practiceDP6: Involve a limited range ofstakeholders with differing needs

WP 7: Address high level problems withmany components or sub-problems that

SP7: Address components of systems
within complex engineering problems

DP7: Address discrete components ofengineering systems©Copyright International Engineering Alliance. All rights reserved June 2021.

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may require a systems approach©Copyright International Engineering Alliance. All rights reserved June 2021.

9

Range of Engineering Activities
Attribute
Preamble

Range of resources

Level of interactions

Innovation

Consequences to society and theenvironment
Familiarity

Complex Activities
Complex activities means(engineering) activities or projects
that have some or all of the following
characteristics:
EA1: Involve the use of diverse
resources including people, data andinformation, natural, financial andphysical resources and appropriatetechnologies including analytical
and/or design software
EA2: Require optimal resolution ofinteractions between wide-ranging
and/or conflicting technical, nontechnical, and engineering issues
EA3: Involve creative use ofengineering principles, innovative
solutions for a conscious purpose,and research-based knowledge
EA4: Have significant consequences
in a range of contexts, characterized
by difficulty of prediction andmitigation
EA5: Can extend beyond previous
experiences by applying principlesbased approaches©Copyright International Engineering Alliance. All rights reserved June 2021.

Broadly-defined Activities
Broadly defined activities means(engineering) activities or projects
that have some or all of the following
characteristics:
TA1: Involve a variety of resources
including people, data andinformation, natural, financial andphysical resources and appropriatetechnologies including analytical
and/or design software
TA2: Require the best possible
resolution of occasional interactions
between technical, non-technical,
and engineering issues, of which few
are conflicting
TA3: Involve the use of newmaterials, techniques or processes in
non-standard ways

Well-defined Activities
Well-defined activities means(engineering) activities or projects
that have some or all of the following
characteristics:
NA1: Involve a limited range ofresources for example people, dataand information, natural, financial
and physical resources and/or
appropriate technologies

TA4: Have reasonably predictableconsequences that are mostimportant locally, but may extend
more widely
TA5: Require a knowledge of normal
operating procedures and processes

NA4: Have predictableconsequences with relatively limited
and localized impact.

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NA2: Require the best possible
resolution of interactions between
limited technical, non-technical, andengineering issues
NA3: Involve the use of existingmaterials techniques, or processes inmodified or new ways

NA5: Require a knowledge ofpractical procedures and practices
for widely-applied operations andprocesses

5

Accord program profiles

The following tables provide profiles of graduates of three types of tertiary education engineering programs. See section 4 for definitions of complex
engineering problems, broadly-defined engineering problems, and well-defined engineering problems.

Knowledge and Attitude Profile
A Washington Accord program provides:

A Sydney Accord program provides:

A Dublin Accord program provides:

WK1: A systematic, theory-based
understanding of the natural sciences
applicable to the discipline and awareness of
relevant social sciences
WK2: Conceptually-based mathematics,
numerical analysis, data analysis, statistics
and formal aspects of computer andinformation science to support detailed
analysis and modelling applicable to thediscipline
WK3: A systematic, theory-based formulation ofengineering fundamentals required in theengineering discipline

SK1: A systematic, theory-based
understanding of the natural sciences
applicable to the sub-discipline andawareness of relevant social sciences
SK2: Conceptually-based mathematics,
numerical analysis, , data analysis, statistics
and formal aspects of computer andinformation science to support detailed
consideration and use of models applicableto the sub-discipline
SK3: A systematic, theory-based formulation ofengineering fundamentals required in an
accepted sub-discipline

DK1: A descriptive, formula-based
understanding of the natural sciences
applicable in a sub-discipline and awarenessof directly relevant social sciences
DK2: Procedural mathematics, numericalanalysis, statistics applicable in a subdiscipline

WK4: Engineering specialist knowledge thatprovides theoretical frameworks and bodies
of knowledge for the accepted practice areasin the engineering discipline; much is at theforefront of the discipline.
WK5: Knowledge, including efficient resourceuse, environmental impacts, whole-life cost,
re-use of resources, net zero carbon, andsimilar concepts, that supports engineering
design and operations in a practice area

SK4: Engineering specialist knowledge thatprovides theoretical frameworks and bodies
of knowledge for an accepted sub-discipline

DK4: Engineering specialist knowledge thatprovides the body of knowledge for an
accepted sub-discipline

WK6: Knowledge of engineering practice(technology) in the practice areas in theengineering discipline

DK3: A coherent procedural formulation ofengineering fundamentals required in an
accepted sub-discipline

SK5: : Knowledge, including efficient resource DK5: Knowledge that supports engineeringuse, environmental impacts, whole-life cost,
design and operations based on there-use of resources, net zero carbon, andtechniques and procedures of a practicesimilar concepts, that supports engineeringarea
design and operations using thetechnologies of a practice area
SK6: Knowledge of engineering technologies DK6: Codified practical engineering
applicable in the sub-discipline
knowledge in recognized practice area.

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WK7: Knowledge of the role of engineering in
SK7 Knowledge of the role of technology insociety and identified issues in engineeringsociety and identified issues in applying
practice in the discipline, such as theengineering technology, such as public
professional responsibility of an engineer tosafety and sustainable development*
public safety and sustainable development*
WK8: Engagement with selected knowledge in
SK8 Engagement with the current
the current research literature of thetechnological literature of the discipline
discipline, awareness of the power of criticaland awareness of the power of criticalthinking and creative approaches to evaluate
thinking
emerging issues
WK9: Ethics, inclusive behavior andSK9: Ethics, inclusive behavior andconduct. Knowledge of professional ethics,
conduct. Knowledge of professional ethics,
responsibilities, and norms of engineering
responsibilities, and norms of engineering
practice. Awareness of the need for diversity
practice. Awareness of the need for diversity
by reason of ethnicity, gender, age, physicalby reason of ethnicity, gender, age, physicalability etc. with mutual understanding andability etc. with mutual understanding andrespect, and of inclusive attitudes
respect, and of inclusive attitudes*Represented by the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDG)

DK7: Knowledge of issues and approaches inengineering technician practice, such as
public safety and sustainable development*

A program that builds this type of knowledge andattitude and develops the base attributes listed
below is typically achieved in 4 to 5 years of study,
depending on the level of students at entry.

A program that builds this type of knowledge andattitude and develops the base attributes listed
below is typically achieved in 2 to 3 years ofstudy, depending on the level of students atentry.

A program that builds this type of knowledge andattitude and develops the base attributes listed
below is typically achieved in 3 to 4 years ofstudy, depending on the level of students atentry.

©Copyright International Engineering Alliance. All rights reserved June 2021.

12

DK8: Engagement with the current
technological literature of the practice area

DK9: Ethics, inclusive behavior andconduct. Knowledge of professional ethics,
responsibilities, and norms of engineering
practice. Awareness of the need for diversity
by reason of ethnicity, gender, age, physicalability etc. with mutual understanding andrespect, and of inclusive attitudes

Graduate Attribute Profiles

References included are to the Knowledge and Attitude Profile in 5.1.
Differentiating
Engineer Graduate
Engineering Technologist Graduate
CharacteristicEngineering
WA1: Apply knowledge of
SA1: Apply knowledge of mathematics,
Knowledge:
mathematics, natural science,natural science, computing andBreadth, depth andcomputing and engineeringengineering fundamentals and an
type of knowledge,
fundamentals, and an engineeringengineering specialization as specified
both theoreticalspecialization as specified in WK1 toin SK1 to SK4 respectively to definedand practical
WK4 respectively to develop solutions
and applied engineering procedures,to complex engineering problems
processes, systems or methodologies.
Problem Analysis WA2: Identify, formulate, research
SA2: Identify, formulate, researchComplexity ofliterature and analyze complex
literature and analyze broadly-defined
analysisengineering problems reachingengineering problems reaching
substantiated conclusions using first
substantiated conclusions using
principles of mathematics, natural
analytical tools appropriate to thesciences and engineering sciencesdiscipline or area of specialisation.
with holistic considerations for(SK1 to SK4)
sustainable development* (WK1 to
WK4)Design/developm WA3: Design creative solutions forSA3: Design solutions for broadlyent of solutions:complex engineering problems anddefined engineering technology
Breadth anddesign systems, components or
problems and contribute to the designuniqueness ofprocesses to meet identified needsof systems, components or processes
engineeringwith appropriate consideration forto meet identified needs withproblems i.e., thepublic health and safety, whole-life
appropriate consideration for public
extent to which
cost, net zero carbon as well as
health and safety, whole-life cost, net
problems areresource, cultural, societal, andzero carbon as well as resource,
original and toenvironmental considerations ascultural, societal, and environmental
which solutions
required (WK5)
considerations as required (SK5)
have not previously
been identified or
codified©Copyright International Engineering Alliance. All rights reserved June 2021.

13

Engineering Technician Graduate
DA1: Apply knowledge of mathematics,
natural science, engineering
fundamentals and an engineering
specialization as specified in DK1 to
DK4 respectively to wide practicalprocedures and practices.
DA2: Identify and analyze well-definedengineering problems reaching
substantiated conclusions using
codified methods of analysis specificto their field of activity. (DK1 to DK4)

DA3: Design solutions for well-definedtechnical problems and assist with thedesign of systems, components orprocesses to meet specified needs
with appropriate consideration for
public health and safety as well as
cultural, societal, and environmental
considerations as required (DK5)

Differentiating
Characteristic
Investigation:
Breadth and depthof investigation andexperimentation

Tool Usage: Levelof understanding of
the appropriatenessof technologies andtools
The Engineer andthe World: Level ofknowledge andresponsibility forsustainable
development
Ethics:Understanding andlevel of practice

Individual andCollaborative
Team work: Role inand diversity of
teamEngineer Graduate

Engineering Technologist Graduate

Engineering Technician Graduate

WA4: Conduct investigations ofcomplex engineering problems using
research methods including researchbased knowledge, design ofexperiments, analysis andinterpretation of data, and synthesisof information to provide valid
conclusions (WK8)
WA5: Create, select and apply, andrecognize limitations of appropriatetechniques, resources, and modern
engineering and IT tools, including
prediction and modelling, to complex
engineering problems (WK2 andWK6)
WA6: When solving complex
engineering problems, analyze andevaluate sustainable development
impacts* to: society, the economy,
sustainability, health and safety, legal
frameworks, and the environment(WK1, WK5, and WK7)
WA7: Apply ethical principles andcommit to professional ethics andnorms of engineering practice andadhere to relevant national andinternational laws. Demonstrate anunderstanding of the need fordiversity and inclusion (WK9)
WA8: Function effectively as anindividual, and as a member or leader
in diverse and inclusive teams and in
multi-disciplinary, face-to-face, remoteand distributed settings (WK9)

SA4: Conduct investigations of broadlydefined engineering problems; locate,search and select relevant data fromcodes, data bases and literature,design and conduct experiments toprovide valid conclusions (SK8)

DA4: Conduct investigations of welldefined problems; locate and search
relevant codes and catalogues,
conduct standard tests andmeasurements (DK8)

SA5: Select and apply, and recognize
limitations of appropriate techniques,resources, and modern engineering
and IT tools, including prediction andmodelling, to broadly-definedengineering problems (SK2 and SK6)

DA5: Apply appropriate techniques,resources, and modern computing,engineering, and IT tools to welldefined engineering problems, with anawareness of the limitations. (DK2and DK6)

SA6: When solving broadly-definedengineering problems, analyze andevaluate sustainable development
impacts* to: society, the economy,
sustainability, health and safety, legal
frameworks, and the environment(SK1, SK5, and SK7)
SA7: Understand and commit toprofessional ethics and norms ofengineering technology practiceincluding compliance with national andinternational laws. Demonstrate anunderstanding of the need for diversity
and inclusion (SK9)
SA8: Function effectively as anindividual, and as a member or leader
in diverse and inclusive teams and in
multi-disciplinary, face-to-face, remoteand distributed settings (SK9)

DA6: When solving well-definedengineering problems, evaluatesustainable development impacts* to:society, the economy, sustainability,
health and safety, legal frameworks,
and the environment (DK1, DK5, and
DK7)
DA7: Understand and commit toprofessional ethics and norms oftechnician practice including
compliance with relevant laws.
Demonstrate an understanding of theneed for diversity and inclusion (DK9)©Copyright International Engineering Alliance. All rights reserved June 2021.

14

DA8: Function effectively as anindividual, and as a member or leader
in diverse and inclusive teams and in
multi-disciplinary, face-to-face, remoteand distributed settings (DK9)Differentiating
Engineer Graduate
Engineering Technologist Graduate
Characteristic
Communication:
WA9: Communicate effectively andSA9: Communicate effectively andLevel ofinclusively on complex engineering
inclusively on broadly-definedcommunication
activities with the engineeringengineering activities with theaccording to type ofcommunity and with society at large,
engineering community and withactivities performed
such as being able to comprehendsociety at large, such as being able toand write effective reports and design
comprehend and write effective reports
documentation, make effective
and design documentation, makepresentations, taking into accounteffective presentations, taking into
cultural, language, and learning
account cultural, language, anddifferences.
learning differences.
Project
WA10: Apply knowledge andSA10: Apply knowledge andManagement andunderstanding of engineering
understanding of engineering
Finance:management principles and economic
management principles and apply
decision-making and apply these tothese to one’s own work, as a member
Level ofone’s own work, as a member andor leader in a team and to manage
management
leader in a team, and to manage
projects in multidisciplinary
required for differing
types of activity
projects and in multidisciplinary
environments.
environments.
Lifelong learning: WA11: Recognize the need for, andSA11: Recognize the need for, and have
Duration andhave the preparation and ability for i)
the ability for i) independent and lifemanner
independent and life-long learning ii)
long learning and ii) critical thinking in
adaptability to new and emerging
the face of new specialist technologies
technologies and iii) critical thinking in(SK8)
the broadest context of technologicalchange (WK8)*Represented by the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDG)©Copyright International Engineering Alliance. All rights reserved June 2021.

15

Engineering Technician Graduate
DA9: Communicate effectively andinclusively on well-definedengineering activities with theengineering community and withsociety at large, by being able tocomprehend the work of others,
document their own work, and giveand receive clear instructions
DA10: Demonstrate awareness ofengineering management principles
as a member or leader in a technicalteam and to manage projects in
multidisciplinary environments

DA11: Recognize the need for, andhave the ability for independent
updating in the face of specialized
technical knowledge (DK8)6

Professional Competence Profiles

To meet the minimum standard of competence a person must demonstrate that they are able to practice competently, within a practice area, to thestandard expected of a reasonable Professional Engineer/Engineering Technologist/Engineering Technician.
The extent to which the person is able to perform each of the following elements in practice area must be taken into account in assessing whether or
not the individual meets the overall standard.
Differentiating
Characteristic
Comprehend andapply universal
knowledge: Breadthand depth ofeducation and type ofknowledge
Comprehend andapply local
knowledge: Type of
local knowledge
Problem analysis:
Complexity ofanalysis
Design anddevelopment ofsolutions: Nature of
the problem anduniqueness of thesolution
Evaluation: Type ofactivity

Professional Engineer

Engineering Technologist

Engineering Technician

EC1: Comprehend and apply
advanced knowledge of thewidely-applied principles
underpinning good practiceTC1: Comprehend and apply theknowledge embodied in widely
accepted and applied procedures,processes, systems or
methodologies

NC1: Comprehend and apply
knowledge embodied instandardized practices

EC2: Comprehend and apply
advanced knowledge of thewidely-applied principles
underpinning good practicespecific to the jurisdiction ofpractice
EC3: Define, investigate and analyze
complex problems using data andinformation technologies whereapplicable

TC2: Comprehend and apply theknowledge embodied procedures,processes, systems or
methodologies that is specific tothe jurisdiction of practiceNC2: Comprehend and apply
knowledge embodied instandardized practices specific tothe jurisdiction of practice.

TC3: Identify, clarify, and analyze
broadly-defined problems using
the support of computing andinformation technologies whereapplicable
TC4: Design or develop solutions to
broadly-defined problems
considering a variety ofperspectives.

NC3: Identify, state and analyze welldefined problems using the
support of computing andinformation technologies whereapplicable
NC4: Design or develop solutions towell-defined problems

TC4: Evaluate the outcomes andimpacts of broadly defined
activities

NC5: Evaluate the outcomes andimpacts of well-defined activities

EC4: Design or develop solutions tocomplex problems considering avariety of perspectives and taking
account of stakeholder views
EC5: Evaluate the outcomes andimpacts of complex activities©Copyright International Engineering Alliance. All rights reserved June 2021.

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Differentiating
Characteristic
Protection ofsociety: Types ofactivity andresponsibility toconsider sustainableoutcomes
Legal, regulatory,
and cultural: No
differentiation in thischaracteristic
Ethics: No
differentiation in thischaracteristic
Manageengineering
activities: Types ofactivity
Communication and
Collaboration:
Requirement forinclusivecommunications. No
differentiation in thischaracteristic
Continuing
Professional
Development (CPD)and Lifelong
learning:
Preparation for anddepth of continuing
learning. No
differentiation in thischaracteristic
Judgement: Level ofProfessional Engineer

Engineering Technologist

Engineering Technician

EC6: Recognize the foreseeable
economic, social, andenvironmental effects of complex
activities and seek to achievesustainable outcomes*

TC6: Recognize the foreseeable
economic, social, andenvironmental effects of broadlydefined activities and seek toachieve sustainable outcomes*

NC6: Recognize the foreseeable
economic, social, andenvironmental effects of welldefined activities and seek toachieve sustainable outcomes*

EC7: Meet all legal, regulatory, andcultural requirements and protect
public health and safety in thecourse of all activities
EC8: Conduct activities ethically

TC7: Meet all legal, regulatory, andcultural requirements and protect
public health and safety in thecourse of all activities
TC8: Conduct activities ethically

NC7: Meet all legal, regulatory, andcultural requirements and protect
public health and safety in thecourse of all activities
NC8: Conduct activities ethically

EC9: Manage part or all of one ormore complex activities

TC9: Manage part or all of one ormore broadly-defined activities

NC9: Manage part or all of one ormore well-defined activities

EC10: Communicate and collaborateusing multiple media clearly andinclusively with a broad range ofstakeholders in the course of allactivities.

TC10: Communicate and collaborateusing multiple media clearly andinclusively with a broad range ofstakeholders in the course of allactivities.

NC10: Communicate and collaborateusing multiple media clearly andinclusively with a broad range ofstakeholders in the course of allactivities.

EC11: Undertake CPD activities tomaintain and extend competencesand enhance the ability to adapt toemerging technologies and theever-changing nature of work.

TC11: Undertake CPD activities tomaintain and extend competencesand enhance the ability to adapt toemerging technologies and theever-changing nature of work.

NC11: Undertake CPD activities tomaintain and extend competencesand enhance the ability to adapt toemerging technologies and theever-changing nature of work.

EC12: Recognize complexity andTC12: Choose appropriate

NC12: Choose and apply appropriate©Copyright International Engineering Alliance. All rights reserved June 2021.

17

Differentiating
Professional Engineer
Engineering Technologist
Characteristic
developed
assess alternatives in light oftechnologies to deal with broadly
knowledge, andcompeting requirements anddefined problems. Exercise soundability and judgement
incomplete knowledge. Exercise
judgement in the course of all
in relation to type ofsound judgement in the course ofbroadly-defined activities
activity
all complex activities
Responsibility for
EC13: Be responsible for making
TC13: Be responsible for making
decisions: Type ofdecisions on part or all of complex
decisions on part or all of one oractivity for which
activities
more broadly defined activities
responsibility is taken*Represented by the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDG)©Copyright International Engineering Alliance. All rights reserved June 2021.

18

Engineering Technician
technical expertise. Exercise
sound judgement in the course of
all well-defined activities
NC13: Be responsible for making
decisions on part or all of all of one
or more well-defined activities

Appendix A: Definitions of terms

Note: These definitions apply to terms used in this document.
Awareness: Recognizing the context and implications while using or applying what has beenlearned. The demonstration of awareness can be more varied than a demonstration of knowledge.
Asking the right questions, including among the assumptions made, complying with or respecting
when faced with a situation may be acceptable demonstrations.
Branch of engineering: a generally-recognized, major subdivision of engineering such as the
traditional disciplines of Chemical, Civil, or Electrical Engineering, or a cross-disciplinary field ofcomparable breadth including combinations of engineering fields, for example Mechatronics, andthe application of engineering in other fields, for example Bio-Medical Engineering.
Broadly-defined engineering problems: a class of problem with characteristics defined in
section 4.1.
Broadly-defined engineering activities: a class of activities with characteristics defined in
section 4.2.
Complementary (contextual) knowledge: Disciplines other than engineering, basic andmathematical sciences, that support engineering practice, enable its impacts to be understood andbroaden the outlook of the engineering graduate.
Complex engineering problems: a class of problem with characteristics defined in section 4.1.
Complex engineering activities: a class of activities with characteristics defined in section 4.2.
Continuing Professional Development: the systematic, accountable maintenance, improvement
and broadening of knowledge and skills, and the development of personal qualities necessary forthe execution of professional and technical duties throughout an engineering practitioner’s career.
Engineering sciences: include engineering fundamentals that have roots in the mathematical andphysical sciences, and where applicable, in other natural sciences, but extend knowledge anddevelop models and methods in order to lead to applications and solve problems, providing theknowledge base for engineering specializations.
Engineering design knowledge: Knowledge that supports engineering design in a practice area,
including codes, standards, processes, empirical information, and knowledge reused from past
designs.
Engineering discipline: synonymous with branch of engineering.
Engineering fundamentals: a systematic formulation of engineering concepts and principles
based on mathematical and natural sciences to support applications.
Engineering management: the generic management functions of planning, organising, leading
and controlling, applied together with engineering knowledge in contexts including themanagement of projects, construction, operations, maintenance, quality, risk, change andbusiness.
Engineering problem: is a problem that exists in any domain that can be solved by theapplication of engineering knowledge and skills and generic competences.
Engineering practice area: a generally accepted or legally defined area of engineering work or
engineering technology.
©Copyright International Engineering Alliance. All rights reserved June 2021.

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Engineering speciality or specialization: a generally-recognized practice area or major
subdivision within an engineering discipline, for example Structural and Geotechnical Engineering
within Civil Engineering; the extension of engineering fundamentals to create theoreticalframeworks and bodies of knowledge for engineering practice areas.
Engineering technology: is an established body of knowledge, with associated tools, techniques,materials, components, systems or processes that enable a family of practical applications andthat relies for its development and effective application on engineering knowledge andcompetence.
Forefront of the professional discipline/branch 4: defined by advanced practice in thespecialisations within the discipline.
Formative development: the process that follows the attainment of an accredited education
program that consists of training, experience and expansion of knowledge.
Knowledge: Recognizing and comprehending terminology, facts, methods, trends, classifications,structures, or theories. It involves learning as well as demonstrating what has been learned. The
demonstration of a specific knowledge is invariably by means of work done based on thatknowledge.
Manage: means planning, organising, leading and controlling in respect of risk, project, change,financial, compliance, quality, ongoing monitoring, control and evaluation.
Mathematical sciences: mathematics, numerical analysis, statistics and aspects of computerscience cast in an appropriate mathematical formalism.
Natural sciences: Provide, as applicable in each engineering discipline or practice area, anunderstanding the physical world including physics, mechanics, chemistry, earth sciences and thebiological sciences,
Practice area: in the educational context: synonymous with generally-recognized engineering
speciality; at the professional level: a generally recognized or distinctive area of knowledge andexpertise developed by an engineering practitioner by virtue of the path of education, training andexperience followed.
Solution: means an effective proposal for resolving a problem, taking into account all relevant
technical, legal, social, cultural, economic and environmental issues and having regard to the needfor sustainability.
Subdiscipline: Synonymous with engineering speciality.
Substantial equivalence: applied to educational programs means that two or more programs,
while not meeting a single set of criteria, are both acceptable as preparing their respective
graduates to enter formative development toward registration.
Well-defined engineering problems: a class of problem with characteristics defined in section
4.1.
Well-defined engineering activities: a class of activities with characteristics defined in section
4.2.

This should be distinguished from: Forefront of knowledge in an engineering discipline/speciality: defined bycurrent published research in the discipline or speciality.

4©Copyright International Engineering Alliance. All rights reserved June 2021.

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Appendix B: History of Graduate Attributes and Professional Competence Profiles
The signatories to the Washington Accord recognized the need to describe the attributes of a
graduate of a Washington Accord accredited program. Work was initiated at its June 2001 meeting
held at Thornybush, South Africa. At the International Engineering Meetings (IEM) held in June
2003 at Rotorua, New Zealand, the signatories to the Sydney Accord and the Dublin Accord
recognized similar needs. The need was recognized to distinguish the attributes of graduates ofeach type of program to ensure fitness for their respective purposes.
The Engineers Mobility Forum (EMF) and Engineering Technologist Mobility Forum (ETMF) 5 havecreated international registers in each jurisdiction with current admission requirements based onregistration, experience and responsibility carried. The mobility agreements recognize the future
possibility of competence-based assessment for admission to an international register. At the 2003
Rotorua meetings, the mobility fora recognized that many jurisdictions are in the process ofdeveloping and adopting competence standards for professional registration. The EMF and theETMF therefore resolved to define assessable sets of competences for engineer and technologist.
While no comparable mobility agreement exists for technicians, the development of acorresponding set of standards for engineering technicians was felt to be important to have acomplete description of the competences of the engineering team.
Version 1
A single process was therefore agreed to develop the three sets of graduate attributes and threeprofessional competence profiles. An International Engineering Workshop (IEWS) was held by thethree educational accord and the two mobility fora in London in June 2004 to develop statementsof Graduate Attributes and International Register Professional Competence Profiles for theEngineer, Engineering Technologist and Engineering Technician categories. The resulting
statements were then opened for comment by the signatories. The comments received called forminor changes only.
The Graduate Attributes and Professional Competences were adopted by the signatories of thefive agreements in June 2005 at Hong Kong as version 1.1.
Version 2
A number of areas of improvement in the Graduate Attributes and Professional Competences
themselves and their potential application were put to the meetings of signatories in Washington
DC in June 2007. A working group was set up to address the issues. The IEA workshop held in
June 2008 in Singapore considered the proposals of the working group and commissioned theWorking Group to make necessary changes with a view to presenting Version 2 of the document
for approval by the signatories at their next general meetings. Version 2 was approved at the
Kyoto IEA meetings, 15-19 June 2009.
Version 3
Between 2009 and 2012 a number of possible improvements to the graduate attributes wererecorded. During 2012 signatories performed an analysis of gaps between their respective
standards and the Graduate Attribute exemplars and by June 2013 most signatories reported
substantial equivalence of their standards to the Graduate Attributes. This will be further examinedin periodic monitoring reviews in 2014 to 2019. In this process a number of improvements to thewording of the Graduate Attributes and supporting definitions were identified. The signatories tothe Washington, Sydney and Dublin Accords approved the changes resulting in this Version 3 attheir meetings in Seoul 17-21 June 2013. Signatories stated that the objectives of the changes
were to clarify aspects of the Graduate Attribute exemplar. There was no intent to raise thestandard. The main changes were as follows:• New Section 2.3 inserted;• Range of problem solving in section 4.1 linked to the Knowledge Profiles in section 5.1
and duplication removed;5

Now the IEPA and IETA respectively.

©Copyright International Engineering Alliance. All rights reserved June 2021.

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•
•

Graduate Attributes in section 5.2: cross-references to Knowledge Profile elements
inserted; improved wording in attributes 6, 7 and 11;
Appendix A: definitions of engineering management and forefront of discipline added.

Version 4
An agreement was signed at the IEAM 2015 for International Engineering Technicians. The
Agreement for International Engineering Technicians (AIET) establishes an international
benchmark standard for a practicing qualified engineering technician. An agreement now exists fortechnicians so that the standards included among Professional Competence Profiles for anengineering technician can be applied.
A UNESCO WFEO IEA Working Group was established in November 2019 following the renewalof the WFEO-IEA MoU and the Declaration on Engineering Education that was made in
Melbourne at WEC2019. The Working Group has reviewed the Graduate Attributes andProfessional Competences in order to ensure that they reflect contemporary values and employer
needs, cover diversity and inclusion and ethics to reflect current and emerging thinking, address
the intellectual agility, creativity and innovation required of engineering decision making as well as
equip engineering professionals of the future to incorporate the practices that advance the United
Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG). The main changes that resulted from thesurveys, research, dissemination and consultation efforts during 2019-2021 were as follows:
•

•

•
•
•
•

•
•
•

There were changes in all tables on Range of Problem Solving, Range of Engineering
Activities, Knowledge and Attitude Profile, Graduate Attributes, and Professional
Competence Profiles. These consisted of additions of new attributes as well as
enhancements of the already existing ones. Some improvements in the wording and inclarity has also been a concern.
Knowledge and Attitude Profile, Graduate Attributes, and Professional Competence
Profiles Tables now refer to UN SDG. These references are intended to provide context
for curriculum designers and for professional engineers seeking registration. They
represent an internationally accepted example of how sustainability issues can beconcisely understood and presented.
Two rows on “Consequences, Judgement” at the end of Table 4.1 Range of Problem
Solving that refer to Professional Competences are deleted as no differentiation wasdeemed necessary among the three categories.
A new row of “Ethics, inclusive behavior and conduct” is introduced in the Knowledge
Profile table, the name of which has been changed to the Knowledge and Attitude Profile.
The breadth required of engineering education has been widened to emphasize digital
literacy, data analysis, UN SDG, knowledge of relevant social sciences.
Two rows of Graduate Attributes on “The Engineer and Society” and “Environment andSustainability,” which have been based on the same knowledge profile have beencombined under the heading “The Engineer and the World,” also supplementing therequired knowledge profile.
Knowledge and awareness of ethics, diversity, and inclusion have been emphasized.
Critical thinking, innovation, emerging technologies, and lifelong learning requirements
have been highlighted.
The necessitated similar changes to Professional Competences have also been made.

The proposed revisions were introduced and discussed by member organizations through a seriesof extensive consultations, also through webinars organized by WFEO, in IEAM 2020 by IEA
members, and via consultation web pages.

©Copyright International Engineering Alliance. All rights reserved June 2021.

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Document & Version Control
Version/Effective From2021.1 / Effective from 21
June 2021

Summary of Changes
Comprehensive review
undertaken by joint working
group to revise previous
version (2013).

Approved
Approved by IEA Members(Signatories and Authorised
Members) at IEAM June
2021

Minutes
IEA21- IEA Forum Session

Use of WFEO & UNESCO
Logos approved via email
following meetings.

©Copyright International Engineering Alliance. All rights reserved June 2021.

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