1.3 Accreditation

Accreditation is an important part of choosing the right degree for you, as an accredited degree indicates it is recognised by a professional body as providing the required knowledge, skills, and understanding for the profession. This section will discuss accreditation for the Chartered Chemical Engineering pathway.

Chartership

Chartership within Chemical Engineering demonstrates that you have the appropriate skills, knowledge, and experiences to be considered a qualified engineer, confirming you are a competent and professional Chemical Engineer, recognised by peers, employers, regulators, and the Institute of Chemical Engineers (IChemEInstitute of Chemical Engineers, the body which determines whether a Chemical Engineering degree is accredited, and also the body that awards chartership in the field.).

One component of becoming a Chartered Engineer (CEng) is having appropriate academic qualifications. This is where an accredited degree is important: if your bachelor’s, master’s, or integrated master’s are accredited, then you are already one-step of the way to working towards your CEng application. 

The remainder of the Chartership process can take several years following your graduation, and is based on your professional experiences. The IChemE provides a list of competencies which are required to meet the requirements of a Chartered Engineer. From this, an applicant must complete a journal, of which the IChemE also provides a template, detailing their professional experiences, ranging from the application of technical knowledge, to sustainability focused works, to evidence that the individual operates as an ethical engineer.

Following the completion and submission of the journal, the applicant will face a panel of experienced 2-3 IChemE members where their experiences will be verified to assess that they align with the journal. Upon passing this stage, the applicant will be awarded the rank of Chartered Chemical Engineer.