The Impact of Globalization on Engineering Practice in Tanzania
The Engineers Registration Board has since 2003, been organizing an annual event namely the Annual Engineers Day (AED). The main purpose of AED is to give opportunity to engineers to exchange experiences through discussions in a Learned Discourse, exhibit engineering related products and services to the public, as well as awards to best final year engineering students from various institutions in the country. The latter is intended to encourage Tanzanian engineering students to excel in their studies.
Each year, a theme is selected to guide the AED conference and in particular the Learned Discourse, depending on the major engineering challenges facing the nation in realizing its development agenda. The theme for AED 2013 is “The Impact of Globalization on Engineering Practice in Tanzania”.
During the event various papers were presented in the Learned Discourse on the selected theme. These papers covered areas related to “Globalization” and sort to identify its impact in Engineering Practice in Tanzania. The proceedings contained chapters in the following areas: Engineering Capacity Building, Professional practice, Procedures and Regulations, Mining Industry and ICT. A Keynote Paper on the Impact of Globalization on Engineering Practice in Tanzania was also included to guide the discourse. Participants had an opportunity to contribute to the papers during the conference for the purpose of enriching and enhancing their content.
This year’s Annual Engineers’ Day was held on 5th September 2013 at Mlimani City Conference Centre and Prof. Samuel Wangwe the Executive Director of REPOA gave a key note address; a paper on the aspects of Globalisation and its impacts on Engineering Practice in Tanzania.
To begin with, the paper outlines the definitions and perceptions associated with the general context of Globalisation. The positive and the negative effects of Globalisation are narrated in detail in the paper. In addition, the challenges are identified and therefore used to systematically recognise areas of opportunities for engineers.
Some of the available opportunities include employment, technological development and industrialisation, regional and international cooperation. The paper concludes by emphasising that Globalisation is a complex phenomenon and multi-dimensional which impacts different societies differently. The process of globalization and its effects should be understood in order to form a basis for action to promote positive effects and mitigate the negative implications.
Eng. Prof. Idrissa B. Mshoro also presented a paper on Globalization and Engineering Capacity Building. This paper analyses the opportunities and challenges brought by globalisation, and scans the available Engineering capacities in the country to suggest some strategic directions for capacity building for global competiveness, touching base with the widely acceptable norms and standards.
Other pages presented can be read in full at www.erb.go.tz
The Engineers Registration Board is a statutory body established under the Engineers Registration Act, No. 15 of 1997. The Board has been given the responsibility of monitoring and regulating engineering activities and the conduct of the engineers and engineering consulting firms in Tanzania. through registration of engineers and engineering consulting firms. Under the law, it is illegal for an engineer or an engineering firm to practice the profession if not registered with the Board.
The Board has also been given legal powers and has the obligation to withdraw the right to practice from registered engineers if found guilty of professional misconduct or professional incompetence. Registration with the Board is, thus, a license to practice engineering in Tanzania.
Engineering is among the noble professions that have the privilege and responsibility of self regulation. The Board has worked out a Code of Ethics which aims at regulating the engineering activities and conduct of engineers and engineering consulting firms.
The Code thus forms the basis and framework for responsible professional practice as it prescribes standards of conduct to be observed by engineers and engineering consulting firms. The Code is based on broad tenets of truth, honesty and trustworthiness, respect for human life and welfare, fairness, openness, competence and accountability; engineering excellence, protection of the environment and sustainable development.
