AIPE is the Certification Body for Professional Engineers, that grants certifications and fulfils the accreditation requirements set out by ENAC (Spanish Accreditation Agency) for the certification of individuals as per ISO 17024. For these purposes, AIPE has a system in place that is compliant with said standard. AIPE applies a “global” response approach to all issues, regardless of the local solutions implemented by each professional organisation.
Vision
AIPE, as an organisation representing engineering professionals, intends to be an international benchmark in terms of quality and good performance by its members and certified entities, thus fostering the continuous development and competences of Professional Engineers and enhancing the competitiveness of the Spanish business fabric, its proprietary technological development, and its innovation capacity and creativity.
Mission
AIPE is a Spanish private, independent and non-profit organisation that seeks to be recognised at a national, EU and international level. The Association wishes to contribute technical and scientific value to society in order to foster the professional development of engineers by certifying their competences, while encouraging the certification of their university degrees and their employment by entities with certified continuous professional development systems in place.
Values
Preparing certification requirements jointly with all relevant stakeholders in a transparent and collaborative fashion, driving Spain’s participation in the drafting of European and international standards.
Certifying people and companies providing them with a competitive edge that favours business exchange and international cooperation. Fulfilling our aim of helping and serving clients, understanding and meeting their needs −even when not explicitly stated− through a customised management approach, and promoting their active participation to gain an insight into their needs to plan our activity accordingly.
Promoting a culture whereby our organisation, professionals and certified companies are associated with the notion of quality, supporting those who seek excellence.
Guaranteeing confidentiality, prudence, rigour, impartiality, technical and management expertise and compliance with our Code of Ethics by the staff and outsourced individuals working for the certification body, as a token of our values.
We endorse the following organisational values:
- Openness
- Work quality
- Collaboration
- Technical and management expertise
- Confidentiality
- Professional ethics
- Impartiality
- Customer focus
- Prudence
- Rigour
- Transparency
AIPE is an association whose pursuit is to increase society’s trust in engineers, contributing technical and scientific value by promoting high standards of quality in the work performed by Professional Engineers.
For these purposes, AIPE runs a professional certification system for engineers that allows:
- Society (citizens, companies and public bodies) to identify the best qualified professionals according to their specific needs, in a market flooded with diplomas and degrees.
- Professionals to have a clear and exact picture of what society expects from a good professional and which qualifications they need in order to meet such expectations and render their services in a globalised world.
The origins of AIPE go back to professional organisations already created within Professional Associations and the Associations of Engineers from all nine areas of engineering who held official bachelor’s or master’s degrees in engineering. Thus, AIPE was established in 2012 with its own professional representation powers.
For its professional certification system to attain its goals regarding both society and engineers, AIPE understands that such a system must be unique and must be widely implemented and accepted by all stakeholders. To that end, and as stated in its Bylaws, AIPE was firmly determined to cover all of the nine areas of engineering.
In order to perform its activities effectively, AIPE fosters collaboration among its members, all of which represent entities with broad territorial coverage and expertise in the professional engineering sector. Thus, AIPE develops collaboration tools and all the procedures required for its members to carry out any activities related to AIPE’s purpose in which they may have an interest.
As a result, AIPE contributes to optimise the way in which the profession is organised, shifting from a system that is solely aimed at validating projects performed (approval) to one that may guarantee the professionals’ competences (certification). Eventually, there will a greater number of certified engineers who will become increasingly more important within this professional organisation.
AIPE understands that for a professional certification system to be successful, it must:
- Be recognised, both nationally and internationally;
- Add value to the stakeholders; and
- Be objective and encourage professional development.
Therefore, AIPE has designed a system based on the assessment of professional competences, in compliance with ISO 17024, and compatible with other similar well-known systems such as UK-SPEC. AIPE will provide the necessary means and independence to the certification entity that is created for these purposes, which will be accredited by ENAC in order to evidence full compliance with the above-stated standard.
In order to facilitate entry into the market and its recognition, agreements will be reached with stakeholders considered either prescribers or influencers. A market analysis will then be conducted, such stakeholders will be reached and contacts will be prioritised and maintained. Stakeholders include industry employers, insurance companies, international businesses, public bodies, staff recruitment companies, consumers associations, etc.
As a catalyst and driving force for the project and in order to earn recognition and allow for mobility in a global world, AIPE must reach agreements for its international recognition with other related entities that may pursue similar goals in their respective countries. In doing so, AIPE will be able to consolidate and improve its certification system and procedures by learning from others’ experience. In this regard, AIPE believes that there is an attractive potential market in all Spanish-speaking countries. Therefore, in the medium term it will have to reach certain priority agreements with the associations of professional engineers of those countries, taking advantage of the good networking already done by its members.
The creation of AIPE and the approach to establish different areas of specialisation is based on the fact that there is a professional market that is large enough to justify the investment, as shown by market research or other clear evidence. Once the launching is completed and AIPE can finance itself, other specialities may be established that, even if not profitable, can contribute to the notoriety and prestige of the certifying entity. Professionals from the areas of traditional engineering who are more involved in each speciality area will be encouraged to participate, allowing them a high degree of autonomy provided that the general levels of adequate uniformity and professionalism are maintained.
Like in other countries, AIPE agrees to use the material structure and resources of its members (professional associations) that hold direct relationships with most engineers across areas. For these purposes, AIPE will implement agreements and procedures that may contribute to transform the way in which the various professions are organised, maintaining an adequate degree of objectiveness, equity and level of service.
AIPE understands that a professional certification system like the one described above cannot be limited to professional associations. Rather, it must be open to all the professionals who comply with the relevant standard. However, AIPE is also aware of the manifold advantages that being part of one of these organisations may bring, since its members can benefit from the use of training, equipment and professional support. Ownership to such entities will also be reflected in their procedures and pricing policy.
The pricing policy must be agreed by all of the parties involved based on two key premises: market prices for similar products, considering AIPE’s service cost to guarantee its independence; and a fair and proportional payment for the services rendered under contract by the associations and evaluators.