Pakistan has achieved significant success in engineering education, receiving international acclaim for its standards. The country has been re-elected as a permanent member of the Washington Accord, a prominent global engineering forum, for another six-year term.

Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!

The International Engineering Alliance (IEA) endorsed the extension of Pakistan’s membership during a recent meeting. The decision was made unanimously over a two-day session held in New Delhi. Unfortunately, the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) delegation faced visa refusals and were denied a No Objection Certificate (NOC) by India on the final day, preventing their physical attendance at the meeting.

Despite these challenges, Pakistan’s representation at the IEA was robustly supported by Turkey, China, and Hong Kong. These nations presented Pakistan’s case, with PEC officials participating remotely. The PEC’s accreditation standards and procedures were thoroughly evaluated by Turkey, China, and Hong Kong.

According to the Pakistan Engineering Council, a comprehensive review was conducted by the Washington Accord Review, which included representatives from Turkey, China, and Hong Kong. They assessed PEC’s accreditation processes and compliance with quality criteria at institutions like NUST in Islamabad, NED University of Engineering and Technology in Karachi, and the Capital University of Science & Technology (CUST) in Islamabad, a private entity. This review took place in October 2023, followed by a January 2024 visit to observe a PEC Engineering Accreditation Board (EAB) decision meeting.

The PEC noted that the unanimous decision to renew its signatory status for another six years was based on a favorable compliance report with Washington Accord guidelines. This significant achievement reflects the leadership of PEC Chairman Engr Muhammad Najeeb Haroon, EAB Convener Engr Dr Niaz Ahmad Akhtar, and the entire PEC management and governing body. Special acknowledgment was given to the PEC WA Review Committee, led by Engr Dr Fazal Ahmad Khalid, for their dedication and guiding principles.

PEC Chairman Najeeb Haroon highlighted that Pakistan’s engineering education has received global recognition, attributing the extended Washington Accord membership to the diligent efforts of the Engineering Accreditation Board. He praised the contributions of Dr Niaz Akhtar, Dr Fazal Ahmad, and Registrar Dr Nasir.

Since becoming a permanent member of the Washington Accord in 2017, Pakistan has played a key role in supporting other countries in gaining membership. This year, both the Philippines and Bangladesh were successfully inducted, increasing the total number of member countries to 25.

Table of Contents