Our current task forces are: Education, Professional Recognition, Environment, Research and Development and Information  and Communications Technology.  A Working Group has now commenced work on Civil Engineering Heritage.

Education: The Task Force centres on ECCE’s link to the large pan-European thematic network created by the EUCEET project in which Task Force Chairman Professor Iacint Manoliu plays a leading role.  In Zagreb Professor Manoliu made a presentation on the effects of the Bologna Agreement.  Within the recent phase of the project, ECCE was asked to contribute to a project on enhancing the attractiveness of the profession.  ECCE’s EUCEET involvement also relates to environmental and sustainable development matters in civil engineering education.

Professional Recognition: Decision-making on the proposed European Directive on professional mobility has been delayed by the 2004 European elections.  Task Force Chairman, Professor Carsten Ahrens is preparing proposals for a Common Platform for civil engineers to enable free movement of the profession at European level.   Under this proposal, Members would have to certify the achievement of 300 ECTS-credits and professional experience of not less than three years.  What is being considered is 12 years of secondary education, 300 ECTS credits which can be achieved by a five-year masters qualification or a Bachelor’s degree plus CPD.                 

Research and Development:  This Task Force is now headed by Georges Pilot of France, whose career has been in the field of construction research.  He prepares regular updates on EU research development on which the Task Force maintains a watching brief.  He is also instrumental in ECCE responses on developments on research matters such as the forthcoming Seventh Framework Programme.

Environment:  Throughout 2004 Task Force members continued to consider potential ‘emblematic’ civil engineering projects around Europe.  These are to be made available to members and others via the ECCE web-site in order to publicise the importance of sustainable engineering to the industry. Task Force Chairman Santiago Hernandez also proposed a review of the image of the civil engineering through the eyes of the media – with particular reference to its portrayal in publicity material. 

Civil Engineering Heritage: Members have been asked to supply a list of 10 representative civil engineering projects from their respective countries.  Photographs as well as descriptive text may be included in order to provide review material.  Acceptance of projects for consideration will be based on projects which are: (i) important for their period, (ii) innovative for that period and (iii) reflected the level of civilisation in their geographical region at that period in history.

Information Technology: The Task Force held a ‘mini-seminar’ in Zagreb.  Task Force chairman Stephen Vincent presented papers from expert members who maintain ‘virtual contact’ with ECCE.  Current plans are to have articles drafted by a network of experts for eventual translation and publication in member periodicals and trade magazines.  Each article would be some 700 words long and deal with key ICT themes of interest to the profession.  The Task Force also hope to offer support to the Research Task Force in lobbying on the 7^th Framework Programme and intended to pursue the possibility of involvement in the Commission’s construction competitiveness agenda.

Finding information on our Task Forces on the ECCE web-site:  www.eccenet.org

Please look at the “Activities” menu on the web site and then at the heading for any or all of the Task Forces noted above.  We do not have a Task Force on transport but will place appropriate links to information of interest to the profession in this section.