Press release

Celebrating 50 years of Maltese engineering minds

28 April 2011

Leading engineers will gather on Thursday 5 May to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the Malta Group of Professional Engineering Institutions, which is made up of members from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE).

For the 50th Anniversary celebrations the presidents of the IET and the IMechE, and the vice-president of the ICE will each give a technical presentation.

IET President, Dr Nigel Burton will deliver a lecture entitled: “Keeping the lights on – an inconvenient truth”.  Nigel will discuss the role of engineers in delivering carbon reduction targets. However, the question is - are these targets achievable? Nigel will explain how the profession might provide alternative solutions.

Dr Burton said: “The world has come a long way over the last half century.  Most countries now recognise that a strong engineering sector is vital to long term economic success. Many of the issues facing us today require an unprecedented level of sophistication and integration between different industries and technologies.  Through alliances like the Malta Group of Professional Engineering Institutions we must ensure that this is more widely understood so that we attract young people into engineering education and the relevant careers.”

John Wood, President of the IMechE will be exploring recent developments in low carbon transport, showing how the field is evolving and highlighting some of the difficulties and opportunities presented by the electrification of transport in his presentation: “Low Carbon Emissions – The Engineering Challenge”.

ICE Senior Vice President Richard Coackley will discuss the crucial role engineers have in tackling water security, a major issue for Malta and globally.

He said: “Water is one of the most under-valued, yet strained resources in the world and with demand increasing due to population growth, urbanisation and climate change this is an issue that needs urgent addressing. Engineers around the world are involved in finding innovative solutions to managing water security however this must be backed by consistent cross-Government regulation and widespread behaviour change to encourage demand management on a domestic level.”

Commenting on the forthcoming celebrations, Joe Camilleri from the Malta Group of Professional Engineering Institutions, said: “We are extremely pleased that we have reached 50 years since the Group was founded. It is also important to us that all three of our parent institutions have recognised the contribution that the Group has made, and significantly two Presidents and a President-elect will be with us on this momentous occasion. Over the last 50 years there have been many changes, both technologically as well as socially. The recognition of Engineers as true professionals is one notable achievement, and we feel that our Group has played a small but significant role in this. “

The British High Commissioner, Louise Stanton, will join the celebrations which will take place on Thursday 5 May at The Phoenicia Hotel in Valletta, where the very first meeting was held 50 years ago.

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