World Federation of Engineering Organizations


The World Federation of Engineering Organizations is an international, non-governmental organization representing the engineering profession worldwide.
Founded in 1968 by a group of regional engineering organizations, under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organizations in Paris, WFEO is a non governmental international organization that brings together national engineering organizations from over 90 nations and represents some 20 million engineers from around the world.
WFEO is part of the United Nations system as an NGO in official relations with UNESCO since its foundation, and as taking part in the work of its main bodies, mainly the United Nations Economic and Social Council and its specialized agencies, notably the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, the United Nations Environment Programme. At the UN ECOSOC, WFEO co-organizes with the International Science Council the Scientific and Technological Community Major Group.
In 2019, based on proposal by WFEO, the UNESCO's General Conference approved the creation of the UNESCO World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development, to be celebrated on 4 March of each year. Since then, WFEO has been coordinating the related celebrations around the world, through its membership and partnering institutions.

Structure, membership, activities

The governing body of WFEO is the General Assembly. Between meetings of the General Assembly the affairs of the Federation are directed by the Executive Council. The business of the Federation is dealt with by the Executive Board, supported by the Executive Director. Actions the General Assembly, Executive Council, or Executive Board are by majority vote.
WFEO's membership comprises a hundred member institutions, including national members representing a country, and international members representing either a global region or continent, or representing a branch of the engineering profession at the global scale.

Committees

WFEO's main activities in specialized fields of engineering is carried out by its committees, which are hosted by national members for a four-year term.
WFEO body meets annually for the General Assembly or Executive Council, and the Committees' meetings. These meetings are framed by a conference, where non affiliated engineers can join. In general these meetings and conferences are held in November.
YearCityCountryName of the conferenceTheme
2009Kuwait CityKuwaitAlternative Energy Applications – Option or Necessity
2010Buenos AiresArgentinaWorld Engineering Week Technology, Innovation and Production for Sustainable Development
2011GenevaSwitzerlandWorld Engineering Conference
2012LjubljanaSloveniaWorld Engineering Forum Sustainable Construction for People
2013SingaporeSingaporeWorld Engineering Summit Innovative and Sustainable Solutions to Climate Change
2014AbujaNigeriaNigeria, World Engineering Conference on Sustainable Infrastructure Development of Sustainable Infrastructure in Africa
2015KyotoJapanWorld Engineering Conference and Convention Engineering: Innovation and Society
2016LimaPeruWorld Engineering Conference ON Disaster Risk ReductionEngineering: Disaster Risk
2017RomeItalyWorld Engineering ForumEngineering for humankind's heritage
2018LondonUKGlobal Engineering CongressEngineering for the Sustainable Development Goals
2019MelbourneAustraliaWorld Engineering Convention
2022San JoséCosta RicaWorld Engineers Summit

Presidents

WFEO's President is elected by the General Assembly for a two-years term, in the context of an immediate past president/president/president-elect system.
YearsPresidentCountry
1968–1974Eric ChoisySwitzerland
1975–1986Sadok Ben JemaaTunisia
1986–1991A.Y IshlinskyRussia
1991–1995William J. CarollUS
1995–1999Conrado BauerArgentina
1999–2003José MedemSpain
2003–2005Dato Lee Yee CheongMalaysia
2005–2007Kamel AyadiTunisia
2007–2009Barry GrearAustralia
2009–2011Maria Prieto LaffargueSpain
2011–2013Adel Al-KharafiKuwait
2013–2015Marwan AbdelhamidPalestine
2015–2017Jorge SpitalnikBrazil
2017–2019Marlene KangaAustralia
2019–2021Gong KeChina
2021–2023José Manuel VieiraPortugal
2023–2025Mustafa ShehuNigeria

International members