The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) is a UK-based international organisation with over 75,000 members ranging from professional civil engineers to students a fifth of whom live outside the UK in some 140 countries. It is an educational and qualifying body and has charitable status under UK law.

Membership of the Institution of Civil Engineers is the foremost civil engineering qualification in the world. Fellows (FICE), Members (MICE), Associates (AMICE) and Technicians are recognised and respected internationally. Members are to be found working in consultancy, contracting, municipal and national government or academia, but are also in demand in many other fields for their management, organisational and professional skills.

Increasing globalisation is widening the scope of the qualification even further, and bringing closer complete universal recognition of what is widely accepted as the benchmark professional standard and the international professional passport.

But such a prestigious qualification does not come easily. It requires suitable academic qualifications, training, experience and peer group verification . The Institution guides, promotes and assesses such training and also provides worldwide support for becoming fully qualified. Continuing professional development is vital to ensure members stay up-to-date.

The ICE has reciprocal agreements with many international civil engineering organisations and it is an automatic focal point for the profession.


WORLDWIDE EXPERIENCE

In its many roles the Institution can draw on nearly two centuries of experience. Since its foundation in 1818 and the granting of a Royal Charter ten years later, it has drawn on the knowledge and talent of some of the greatest names in civil engineering,who have experience from every part of the world, in all kinds of civil engineering and in all types of conditions.

Drawing together and disseminating this experience remains one of the major functions of the Institution as a learned society, both at its headquarters building close to the Houses of Parliament in the heart of London and in local associations throughout the world. A multitude of activities, from lectures and seminars, to discussions, debates and social events are held regularly.


LOCAL NETWORKS

Around 20% of ICE members are based outside the UK – and most are national residents. The number of members in each country may be considerable, such as Hong Kong SAR which has 4,000 members. Substantial numbers are also based in Australia, Malaysia, Canada, South Africa, North America, Ireland, Singapore and Sri Lanka. There is also significant representation in the UAE, Zimbabwe, Brunei, Nigeria, Cyprus, Kenya and India.

The ICE appoints a country representative in any territory where the number of members or the amount of business merits. The country representative is the focal point of contract and will represent the ICE and undertake various duties. Country representatives have a full portfolio of information on all aspects of the ICE's operations. Personal contact with country representatives is possible at over 80 locations around the world.


PUBLICATION

Information is also distributed worldwide in seven learned and practical journals - one of which is general and six of which relate to specialist areas of engineering; they comprise the Proceedings of the ICE.

The well known weekly magazine New Civil Engineer provides news and debate on all aspects of the industry; members outside the European Union are supplied with the monthly magazine Civil Engineer International which offers up-to-date reports on the biggest and most prestigious international projects, together with referred papers and articles from Civil Engineering.