The Sydney Accord, renowned for its global recognition and standards in the realm of engineering technology, designates its members as signatories.
The National Technology Council (NTC) of Pakistan has made significant strides in its quest to attain provisional signatory status within the prestigious Sydney Accord, an international agreement facilitating mutual recognition of engineering technology qualifications. This pivotal development marks a significant milestone in Pakistan’s engineering landscape.
The Sydney Accord, renowned for its global recognition and standards in the realm of engineering technology, designates its members as signatories. To secure signatory status, aspiring nations must enlist the support of two recognized mentors within the Sydney Accord framework.
In pursuit of this objective, the NTC has forged collaborative efforts with Malaysia and New Zealand. New Zealand has nominated Dr. Paul Wilson, Managing Director of Vintage Lane Consulting Limited, NZ, as a mentor, whereas Malaysia’s nominee is pending confirmation.
An online meeting convened to advance these efforts witnessed the participation of key stakeholders, including Engr Imtiaz H Gilani, Chairman of NTC; Bret Williams, General Manager of Global Engineering, New Zealand; Dr. Paul Wilson, Mentor; Nasir Shah, Director-General of Quality Assurance Agency, HEC; and Fahd Amin, Assistant Director of NTC.
Expressing gratitude for the support extended by Bret Williams and Paul Wilson, Chairman Imtiaz H Gilani emphasized NTC’s autonomy as a subsidiary of HEC, endowed with comprehensive administrative, financial, and academic powers. This autonomy stands as a fundamental prerequisite for signatory status.
Chairman Gilani underscored the transformative impact of Sydney Accord signatory status on Pakistani engineering technology graduates, envisaging enhanced global recognition for the nation’s skilled workforce. He further extended gratitude to all stakeholders for their unwavering support, expressing optimism in achieving Sydney Accord signatory status with continued backing from HEC.
As part of the mentoring process, mentors are required to participate physically in one or two accreditation visits conducted by NTC. September 2024 has been tentatively earmarked as the period for Dr. Paul Wilson’s visit, facilitating hands-on guidance and collaboration.
The deliberations during the meeting encompassed various aspects, including procedural intricacies, delineation of responsibilities between HEC and NTC as regulators to mitigate duplication, and the frequency of regulatory visits. Imtiaz Gilani, Nasir Shah, and Fahd Amin provided comprehensive clarifications, addressing queries to the satisfaction of Bret Williams and Paul Wilson.
The collective efforts of NTC, alongside strategic partnerships with Malaysia and New Zealand, underscore Pakistan’s commitment to fostering excellence in engineering technology education and facilitating global recognition for its skilled workforce. As the journey towards Sydney Accord signatory status progresses, Pakistan stands poised to elevate its standing in the international engineering landscape, ushering in a new era of innovation and collaboration.