The South African Institution of Chemical Engineers (SAIChE) and the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) have signed a formal collaboration agreement to create joint membership, administrative, professional and strategic development links between the two industry-focused organisations.

While the organisations have enjoyed close links since 2012, following the signing of a memorandum of understanding, the recently ratified partnership would result in the creation of dual memberships to both organisations, offering chemical engineers in South Africa access to the full range of benefits currently provided by both bodies.

The relationship would also link chemical engineers in South Africa with critical global chemical engineering hubs in Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, New Zealand, the US, Europe and the Middle East, where IChemE had strong and active member groups.

The collaboration would see the creation of an equally constituted six-person steering committee tasked with developing strategy and harmonising the work of the two organisations.

A yearly meeting – and indaba – would also be held as part of the new governance arrangements.

Commenting on the partnership, IChemE past president Judith Hackitt said the collaboration followed two years of investigation around how both organisations could mutually support and enhance the professional development of chemical engineers in South Africa.

“By committing our collective resources, expertise and services, thousands of chemical engineers in South Africa will now be able to access member benefits from both organisations that will support them throughout their careers and benchmark their talent to internationally-recognised standards,” she noted.

SAIChE president Dr Ralph Grob added that the local organisation was now looking to adopt the IChemE corporate partnership recognition programme, which would improve the benefits to SAIChE members.