South African Institution of Chemical Engineers and Institution of Chemical Engineers have signed a formal collaboration which will create joint membership, administrative, professional and strategic development links between the two organisations in South Africa. The partnership will create dual membership to both organisations and offer chemical engineers in South Africa access to the full range of benefits currently provided by SAIChE and IChemE.

The two organisations have enjoyed close links since 2012, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding. The formal collaboration will see the creation of an equally constituted six person ‘Steering Committee’, chaired on rotation, with responsibility for developing strategy, harmonising the work of the two organisations in South Africa, business and financial performance. An annual meeting, called an ‘Indaba’, will also be held in South Africa as part of the governance arrangements. The relationship will also bring chemical engineers in South Africa closer to important global chemical engineering hubs in Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, New Zealand, USA, Europe and the Middle East where IChemE has strong and active Member Groups.

The collaboration was signed at the ICCT SAIChE Conference 2014 in Durban, South Africa, by IChemE past president, Judith Hackitt CBE, and SAIChE president, Dr Ralph Grob. Judith Hackitt said: “IChemE’s mission is to advance chemical engineering worldwide and today’s commitment to collaborate formally with SAIChE is an important development for the global chemical engineering profession. “The collaboration follows two successful years of working closely with SAIChE to explore how we can enhance the support and professional development of chemical engineers in South Africa.

“By committing our collective resources, expertise and services, thousands of chemical engineers in South Africa will be now able to access member benefits from both organisations that will support them throughout their careers and benchmark their talent to internationally-recognised standards.” Dr Ralph Grob, SAIChE President, said: “SAIChE members voted at our last conference to empower the SAIChE council to finalise the collaboration agreement. Our members here in South Africa will benefit greatly from this collaboration, especially with access to many of the IChemE membership services. “We are looking to adopt the IChemE corporate partnership recognition programme which will improve the benefits to our local company members and allow them to get the recognition they deserve for supporting chemical engineering in South Africa over many years.”

All SAIChE and IChemE members based in South Africa will receive information in August and September 2014 about the collaboration, member benefits, member grades and other opportunities to support professional development.