The ASEAN Chartered Professional Engineer Coordinating Committee (ACPECC) successfully held its 50th meeting, marking another milestone in advancing professional engineering collaboration across ASEAN Member States (AMS). Representatives from all ten AMS joined the meeting—some in person and others virtually—to review progress and set future directions for regional engineering mobility and recognition.

1. Growing ACPE Network Across ASEAN

The Committee approved 393 new ASEAN Chartered Professional Engineers (ACPEs), bringing the total number to 7,160 registered engineers, with 7,110 active members. This reflects ASEAN’s ongoing commitment to building a strong and mobile network of qualified engineers across borders.

2. Promoting Mobility and Professional Growth

Under the Technical Working Group on Mobility of ASEAN Engineers (TWG-MAE), several initiatives were highlighted:

• ASEAN Internship and Exchange Programme – Malaysia and Thailand collaborated to merge their proposals, with AMS invited to review and provide feedback.
• Capacity Building – Cambodia will explore partnerships with the ASEAN Federation of Engineering Organisations (AFEO) for training and professional development.
• ASEAN Engineering Awards – Singapore is leading efforts to refine the concept for recognizing engineering excellence in the region.
• Information Exchange Platform – The Philippines introduced a white paper on harmonizing standards in electrical engineering.
• New Sub-Committee Established – Led by Indonesia, this group will identify barriers and promote the mobility of ASEAN engineers.

These efforts demonstrate ASEAN’s united vision to create opportunities for engineers to collaborate, learn, and work across member states.

3. Embracing Digital and Online Systems

More countries are shifting towards online registration for both ACPE and Registered Foreign Professional Engineer (RFPE) applications.
Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Thailand have already adopted online systems—helping streamline processes and make cross-border recognition faster and more efficient.

4. ACPECC Website Enhancement

The official ACPECC website, https://acpecc.org, continues to serve as the information hub for ASEAN professional engineering matters. Member States were requested to verify and update their data, ensuring accuracy in the ACPE Register and related documents.

5. Celebrating Regional Recognition

A notable highlight came from the Philippines, which announced a special immigration lane for ASEAN professionals at its international airports. This lane recognizes holders of ASEAN professional credentials, including ACPE, ASEAN Architect (AA), and ASEAN CPA, symbolizing the growing regional respect for ASEAN professional qualifications.