Building an IChemE for the future

IChemE CEO Yvonne Baker and president Raffaella Ocone explain how the Institution is reorganising to build a resilient, forward-looking future

WITH 31,000 members spanning every career stage, sector and area of technical interest IChemE is – and is determined to remain – one of the world’s foremost professional engineering institutions.

Building on our 103-year heritage, we have made changes over the past year to create new opportunities to support our members, strengthen the profile of chemical, biochemical and process engineering, and position IChemE at the forefront of a more sustainable world. A major focus has been a comprehensive reorganisation of our operations to better support our members and ready the Institution for an even more dynamic and influential future.

Member experience and knowledge

Helping members get the most from their membership

The Member Experience and Knowledge team, led by director Rachel Bibby, works closely with the Membership Engagement Committee (MEC), chaired by vice-president Member Engagement Andrea Hosey and the Learned Society Committee (LSC), chaired by vice-president Learned Society Joan Cordiner.

HOW THE TEAM SUPPORTS YOU

• sharing and celebrating knowledge activities from the Learned Society, member groups and special interest groups, medals and prizes and early career groups
• maintaining links with key partner organisations, including the European Federation of Chemical Engineering (EFCE) and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)
• engaging with future talent – young people, schools, teachers, colleges, universities and other influencers
• supporting local, national and international engagement and connections with members, companies, universities and other stakeholders to raise awareness of what IChemE offers

Over the coming year, we will make it easier for member groups and special interest groups to share knowledge and ideas across IChemE and beyond. This will:

• empower members to access insights and good practice that strengthen their professional development
• attract prospective members by showcasing the value of belonging to a vibrant, knowledge-rich community
• benefit wider society by enabling chemical engineers to share innovations and solutions that addressglobal challenges

Membership and qualifications

Supporting members through their professional journey

The Membership and Qualifications team, led by director Rachel Baxter-Smith, works closely with the Membership & Qualifications Committee (MQC), chaired by vice-president Qualifications, Alan Harper. It collaborates with sub-committees covering Education, Professional Development, Registration and Standards, as well as the UK Universities Panel (UKU) and the Appeals Panels. Look out for future TCE articles highlighting the important work these committees do.

HOW THE TEAM SUPPORTS YOU

• ensuring professional registration activities meet the requirements of licensing bodies, including the Engineering Council UK (CEng, IEng, EngTech), Science Council UK (CSci, RSci, RSciTech) and the Society of the Environment (CEnv), and “assessment entity” protocols for Board of Professional Engineers Queensland
• working with volunteers on university accreditation and professional reviews, to uphold standards in admitting chemical and process engineers to professionally qualified membership of IChemE
• coordinating the Accredited Company Training Scheme (ACTS) with employers to support individuals on their journey toward Chartership
• conducting sample reviews of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities to ensure members uphold high standards, pursue ongoing professional growth and maintain public trust

Looking ahead to 2026, the team will focus on meeting growing demand for Chartership through streamlined processes and ensuring the availability of trained professional reviewers across all grades. It will also support the relaunched Professional Process Safety Engineer registration, reinvigorate EngTech and continue working closely with the Engineering Council UK on its ongoing review.