CIBSE admission criteria

There will be absolutely no weakening of standards when the changes come into effect on 1 May 2004. The main change to CIBSE's Royal Charter consists of the Institution taking ownership of its own entry criteria. Previously CIBSE's membership criteria have been governed by an outside organisation – the Engineering Council (ECUK). For example, no matter how experienced and technically qualified in building services engineering a candidate might be, he or she could not become MCIBSE unless they also fulfilled ECUK's narrow academic criteria for registration as a chartered engineer.

The changes are in line with developments in other engineering institutions and candidates for corporate membership will still be required to meet CIBSE's own rigorous competence standards at each relevant membership grade.

CIBSE has developed and successfully applied over a number of years, a competence framework for building services engineers, based on objectives common to all engineers. Professional competence, properly and thoroughly examined, will continue to be the benchmark for MCIBSE.

With regard to our relationship with ECUK, CIBSE will remain a licensed institution and will continue to encourage members to achieve ECUK qualification and registration. In this regard, I must make it clear that CEng status can only be achieved by those candidates who meet the strict criteria of ECUK.

ECUK has introduced UK-SPEC, new regulations for registration which emphasise professional competence. As well as demonstrating competence, those without the requisite qualifications, will be able to provide a technical report in order to achieve registration.

It should be noted that CIBSE's new membership criteria are based on the same competence as for ECUK registration. It is difficult to see how this rigorous application of competence criteria for membership can be viewed as an abandonment of all that is worthwhile.

I would also like to clear up one or two other points raised by Dr Hawthorne. Firstly, no change has been made to the requirements for Honorary Fellowship, a means by which CIBSE recognises exceptional individuals for their contribution to the industry.

With regard to the Senior Candidate Route, it is a gross misrepresentation to say that successful applicants are unworthy of CEng registration. While it may be that their career path did not follow the straightforward route of those who qualified in their youth, they are required to demonstrate that, by hard work and ability, they have acquired the technical expertise, exercised responsibility and achieved success at the highest level.

ECUK recognises that proven competence is a good measure for engineers. Those whose position and achievements show they were not held back in their careers by early education choices (or lack of them), should be given recognition by their peers.

The notion that CIBSE is becoming an ‘old boys' club’ cannot be further from the reality. CIBSE strives to hold up the abilities and achievements of its members worldwide. The process for MCIBSE will be no less rigorous when the changes have been implemented.

This response addresses the specific issues raised by Dr Hawthorne. However, similar principles apply to other grades of membership and to IEng and EngTech registration.

Finally, I would like to encourage all readers to access the membership section of the CIBSE website at www.cibse.org, for further information, including frequently asked questions relating to this important matter.