By Mashe Umaru Gwamna
President of Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria ( COREN) Engr. Prof. Sadiq Zubair Abubakar, has urged stakeholders to collectively ensure Nigeria’s full membership of Washington accords.
This was contained in a statement signed and issued by Head Corporate Advancement and Public Relations Department COREN, Haruna Ojonugwa .
Prof Abubakar made the appealed during a one day workshop organized by Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) in collaboration with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) on Sydney and Dublin Accord Application by Nigeria, recently held in Abuja.
The president noted the Washington accord, Sydney and Dublin Accord Application will enhance the credibility of the nation’s engineering qualifications and expand opportunities for Nigerian professionals globally.
“The opportunity has come for us to be formalised to ensure that we have global recognition by joining these accords.”
He said this is a national assignment, and all hands must be on deck to ensure it succeeds so that Nigeria can export its abundant human capital through certified engineering practitioners.
Delivery his opening remarks, Executive Secretary of NBTE, Prof. Idris M. Bugaje, emphasised the importance of international accreditation for Nigeria’s technical and vocational education sector.
He said the meeting is very important for Nigeria.
“It’s not enough to have national accreditation by the NUC and NBTE. What is more important is that there should be an international benchmark, and that is what the three accords are all about.”
Prof. Bugaje explained that while Nigeria is already nearing full membership of the Washington Accord for university-level engineering degrees, the focus now is on achieving similar recognition for the Sydney Accord (HND level) and the Dublin Accord (OND level), ensuring the entire engineering education spectrum meets international standards.
Speaking at the technical sessions , Prof. Megat Johari Megat Mohd Noor of the Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM), a seasoned trainer and international assesor who is also Chair of the Dublin Accord, President of the Malaysian Society of Engineering and Technology (MySET), and Vice President of the Federation of Engineering Institutions of Islamic Countries (FEIIC), revealed the requirements on how to join the Sydney and Dublin Accords.
“Application Procedure and Process and Roadmap Including Components of Implementation, Milestones, and Timelines”.
Also, Chairman of the Engineering Accreditation Committee (EAC), Prof. Christian Bolu, made a presentation on Strategies for Advocacy and Sensitization, outlining how strategic communication and partnership could support Nigeria’s successful application.
The workshop concluded with a strong commitment from stakeholders to sustain collaboration between COREN and NBTE, and to accelerate the processes required for Nigeria’s admission into the Sydney and Dublin Accords.
The workshop was designed to expose participants to the requirements, procedures, and timelines for Nigeria’s application to the Sydney and Dublin Accords, both of which are key international frameworks under the International Engineering Alliance (IEA).
These accords promote global recognition of engineering technologist and technician qualifications, ensuring quality assurance and facilitating the mobility of professionals across borders.
