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36^th MEETING IN ATHENS

The autumn 2002 meeting of ECCE was hosted by the Association of Civil Engineers of Greece in the heart of the capital.  Whilst the ECCE Executive Committee held its formal meeting, members were able to enjoy a fascinating tour of the Athens Metro system.  Despite unusual flash floods which occurred in the afternoons, members were able to enjoy the delights of Athens, and the warm hospitality of the Greek Association as they dined in various parts of this fascinating city.  This included a memorable roof-top dinner by candlelight overlooking the world-renowned Acropolis.

Prior to the ECCE meeting, on the evening of 12th September, the Association of Civil Engineers of Greece presented an award to Mr Themistoclis Xanthopoulos, the rector of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), for his “significant contribution in the Science and Profession of Civil Engineering”.  In his welcoming address, Vasillis Economopoulos, President of ACEG and a member of ECCE’s Executive Committee, explained that Mr Xanthopoulos had been elected Professor of Hydrology and Hydraulic Works at NTUA in 1976.  He had published a wide range of scientific works, supervised many theses and had been responsible for a number of research projects in addition to completing 45 hydraulic projects in Greece and elsewhere in the European Union.

Amongst speeches given at the presentation was one by  ECCE President Antonio Adao da Fonseca, which is reproduced below.

“Esteemed colleagues, ladies and gentlemen,

I am delighted to be invited here to speak to you at such a prestigious event, which honours the contribution made by Professor Themistoclis Xanthopoulos to the civil engineering profession, presently as Rector of the National Technical University of Greece.

The education and training of our young engineers is vital to the creation of a strong and competitive profession and to underpin a vibrant and competitive economy.  One of the biggest challenges that both educators and professionals face is that of seeking to ensure that the profession attracts bright and dynamic young people.  I certainly do not regret the wide variety of challenges that the profession has brought me for over 30 years.  But the image of our profession is that it is hard and heady work with little financial return.

It is very easy for engineers to feel that they are a neglected profession and one that is undervalued by the society which they serve.  And yet, it is at times of disaster that people turn to the skills and disciplines of the civil engineer.

ECCE was created in 1985 from the concerns of the civil engineering profession over the proposed European Directive on professional recognition.

Greece was one of our founding Members, sharing concerns and believing that by working together across Europe, Civil Engineers could raise standards throughout the profession.

In effect, ECCE is a bridge between the academic side of the profession and the wider industry.  We bring together those bodies which are involved in the formation and qualifying process, and the increasingly important issue of life-long learning.  We have much to learn from each other and our profession provides us with a common bond and shared interests which surpass mere national concerns.  Together we have to go beyond philosophical debate and take advantage of the vast range of knowledge, skills and experience to be found across the borders of Europe.

ECCE has set out fixed objectives which relate to the profession, other organisations and industry; to national governments and institutions; and to the European Union.

At a professional level, we consistently aspire to the highest possible standards of education, training and professional competence.  We wish to encourage acceptable standards of safety and quality in the civil engineering sector throughout Europe.

At national and European level, we strive to offer impartial advice.  ECCE is not a lobbying organisation but is there to represent professional concerns and expertise to decision-makers.  Our members’ skills and experience are channelled into key areas of activity – education and training, the environment and research and development.  These are carried out through Task Forces and ad-hoc groups such as ethics and liability.

It takes time and patience and consistent hard work to achieve our aim to influence actions which affect the civil engineering sector.  Our members are volunteers, most with busy professional lives and little time to spare.  But we believe that the contribution we make is like water dripping on stone.  Together with colleagues in other segments of the construction industry, it combines to make a difference.

It is important that we “get together” through meetings and increasingly through electronic communication to air and share our views.  Inevitably, we will have differences of opinion, but that is indeed a sign of healthy debate.  From debate comes light, and it is appropriate that we are in Athens, where the guiding lights of our civilisation were lit.  But we have to accept the limits of our profession, both with regard to society and to nature.  Indeed, recent events have proven once again that we are not masters of nature, civil engineers remain servants of society.”

                                                                                    Athens, September 2002

AN UPDATE ON TASK-FORCE ACTIVITY

Our current task forces are: Education, Professional Recognition, Environment, Research and Development and Information Technology.  A Working Group has been proposed on the issue of liability.

Education: The EUCEET thematic network project is now entering a further one-year phase.   Executive Committee member Professor Iacint  Manoliu of Romania has played a leading role in ensuring ECCE’s profile through his active involvement.   Themes in the new project will be curricula issues; enhancing attractiveness of the civil engineering profession; recognition of academic and professional civil engineering qualifications; development of the teaching environment; life-long learning and promoting the European dimension in civil engineering education.

Environment: Task-Force Chairman Santiago Hernandez has been moving forward with work on an ethical commitment to sustainable engineering.  Various members of ECCE had been present at the World Summit in Johannesburg.  It is important that they contribute to the proposals forwarded by the UN, using technical knowledge as a means to mobilise governments.  The Task Force also has a role to play in disseminating environmental information and encouraging interest amongst young engineers.

Research and Development: Task Force Chairman Olavi Tupamaeki has kept members regularly informed of progress on the Sixth Framework Programme for research and development, ensuring a flow of information and contributions to positions on R&D funding.  A further R&D Task Force meeting was held during the European Engineering Forum in Croatia in October.

Information Technology: Discussions at Task Force meeting centred on ECCE’s role as a disseminator of information to practising engineers and applying e-learning for the benefit of civil engineers.  Proposed dissemination focused on the IT Working Group on Construction Competitiveness and the EU-funded ICCI project.  The latter combines six major EU ICT projects to disseminate ICT ‘state-of-the-art’.  ECCE is able to bring such information to a wider non specialist audience.  Greece proposed earthquake engineering as a useful e-learning topic.  There was consensus on the need to involve young engineers in IT Task Force activity. 

Liability: Aris Chatzirakis set out the case for a working group on liability.  Greece considers this a very important issue since Greece is changing its liability regimes: it has proposed a modification of its penal code i.e. no limit to liability on contractors if any damage occurs to buildings.  The subject is also linked to indemnity insurance since a concept of zero risk is building up.  Aris Chatzirakis has been asked to come up with a firm proposal for activity that the group could undertake.

Links with other organisations:

ECCREDI:  ECCE is a subscribing member of the European Council for Construction Research, Development and Innovation which is actively involved in the European Commission’s R & D programme and has a contract relating to targeted research actions. 

SEFI: ECCE is a subscribing member of SEFI, a European association for engineering education.  SEFI has been active in commenting on the effects of the Bologna Declaration on engineering education in Europe.

ECF: The European Construction Forum groups pan-European bodies in the built environment sector and provides a platform for a productive and beneficial exchange of information and for joint events which raise the profile of the sector.

ASCE:  ECCE exchanges information/publications on a regular basis with ASCE and renewed its bilateral agreement with the American Society of Civil Engineers which in November 2002, celebrated its 150 year anniversary.

JSCE:  The Japan Society of Civil Engineers and ECCE exchange information and publications.  In 2002 JSCE wrote to express its sincere concerns on the flooding which devastated central and eastern Europe. JSCE now provides web-site information in English language, increasing the information flow for professional engineers around the world.

WFEO: ECCE is regularly informed about World Federation of Engineering Organisations activities through former ECCE President Jose Medem.

ECCE  also maintains contact with FEANI, the European Federation of National Engineering Associations and with other bodies which represent professionals in the built environment sector.

THE ECCE ALMANAC

About our Executive Committee

The newly elected President of ECCE from 2002 is Yrjoe Matikainen of Finland.

Introducing our new President:

After graduating MSc in civil engineering in 1966, Mr Matikainen commenced his career as a railways engineer, spending 14 years designing and building bridges and structures.   In 1980 he was invited to take up the post of Managing Director of the Association of Finnish Civil Engineers “RIL”.  After 20 years service as RIL MD, he changed post to become Managing Director of the RIL Foundation.  Mr Matikainen has been active in many international societies in the engineering field such as IABSE, ISCCSE and IACORDS.

Professor Carsten Ahrens of Germany has now taken the role of Senior Vice-President  and  Vasillis Economopoulos of Greece is the Honorary Treasurer.  Immediate Past-President is Professor Antonio Adao da Fonseca of  Portugal.   Other Executive Committee members are Professor Iacint Manoliu of Romania, Georges Pilot of France and Secretary General,  Diana Maxwell.  Hermann Sturm of the Deutsche Sektion des ECCE is an Honorary Vice-President. 

Membership of ECCE

ECCE comprises national organisations which represent the interests of professional civil engineers.  Only one organisation may represent each country which is a member of ECCE.  At present our membership at present comprises:

ECCE News on-line

ECCE news has appeared on-line since 1998.  In 2002 we expanded our web-site to make Task Force activity and information, as well as major technical briefings, available not only to our members but also to all those who are interested in the built environment sector.

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