Australia's Engineering Challenge For The 21st Century

Australia's Engineering Challenge for the 21st Century

On 5 November 2009 The Warren Centre for Advanced Engineering will launch a landmark report, which comprehensively reviews professional engineering performance, innovation and risk.

It sets out to define Australian engineering professionalism for the 21st century.

The Chair of the Professional Performance Innovation and Risk (PPIR) project team, Ian Dart said:

"Given the dominant place engineering has in the Australian economy particularly in resolving our major challenges in infrastructure, energy and water, the report is not only timely but of interest to all.

"The central finding of the report is that in order to maximise the effectiveness of engineering, we need a way of defining and formally recognising how all those involved in an engineering endeavour interact with and respond to one another.

"This will help us to gain the best advantage of each engineer's professional skills, knowledge and experience to maximise the benefits the whole profession can bring to the Australian economy."

"This is an internationally ground-breaking report. The publication of a PPIR Protocol in the report is the first time performance in engineering has been defined anywhere in the world."

Additionally, the report explores the role of the engineer; the expectations of community and clients; the contemporary and professional realities for engineers; the effects of complex laws on everyday engineering; engineering risk and responsible risk-taking; and the relationships between professional performance, innovation and risk.

Mr Dart said, "In addition to the PPIR Protocol which defines performance for individual professional engineers, the report proposes three further initiatives. HARF (Hazard and Risk Framework) calls for a new approach to risk assessment and management. AS.PPIR is a corporate equivalent of the PPIR Protocol which will need to be produced into the form of an Australian Standard. Finally, an organised approach for the engineering industry and profession to make more effective use of the expert testimony system of our courts is also recommended."

"Together these initiatives outline a program of change specifically designed to bring benefits to all those involved in buying, selling or using engineering products or services."

Mr Dart said "The report was five years in development, involving many workshops with more than 200 practising professional engineers and detailed investigation of practices in other Australian professions and of engineers overseas. It has been backed by 30 sponsors and supporting organisations representing both private and public sector stakeholders across all areas of the engineering industry and profession."

The Warren Centre for Advanced Engineering is an independent institute committed to fostering excellence and innovation. It is a self-funding, not-for-profit industry-linked body, driven by volunteers and operating within the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Sydney. For further information visit www.warren.usyd.edu.au or contact Robert Mitchell on 02 9351 4048.

Professional Performance Innovation and Risk, PPIR, HARF, Hazard and Risk Framework and AS.PPIR are trade marks of The Warren Centre for Advanced Engineering Limited.

Professional Performance, Innovation and Risk

Leading Sponsors
Babcock & Brown Power
Bilfinger Berger Australia
Deacons
GHD
Leighton Holdings
Mallesons Stephen Jaques

Platinum Sponsors
BlueScope Steel
CGU Insurance
Clayton Utz
Engineers Australia
Kellogg Brown and Root
Thales Australia

Gold Sponsors
ABB Australia
Australian Centre for Innovation
ARUP
Aurecon
Golder Associates
Parsons Brinckerhoff
PKF Australia
Sinclair Knight Merz
SMEC Australia
Uhde Shedden
URS Australia
WorleyParsons

Other Sponsors
Assetinsure
Tracey, Brunstrom & Hammond

Other Supporting Organisations
ACEA
AIPM
APESMA
ATSE

For further information and copies of the report contact Robert Mitchell 02 9351 4048 or 0419 368 063 and visit www.warren.usyd.edu.au/ppir

Media are welcome to attend the launch
5.30pm for 6pm
Thursday 5 November 2009
Deacons
Level 18, Grosvenor Place
225 George Street, Sydney
Please RSVP by Friday 23 October 2009 to Fiona Hearne [email protected] or on 02 9351-7205.


SOURCE: The Warren Centre