The 54th Meeting of the ASEAN Chartered Professional Engineer Coordinating Committee (ACPECC) convened in Pulau Pinang, Malaysia on 12 February 2025, bringing together representatives from all ASEAN member states to advance regional cooperation for engineers.

Key Highlights:

• Strong Certification Growth: The meeting approved over 300 new ASEAN Chartered Professional Engineer (ACPE) applications, pushing the total certified engineers across ASEAN to 8,462, with a vast majority remaining active. Malaysia led new approvals, followed by Indonesia and the Philippines.
• Digital Advancement: The committee greenlit the development of electronic certificates (e-Certificates) featuring QR-code authentication for ACPEs, aiming to streamline and secure professional verification across the region.
• Discipline and Experience Standardization: Member states discussed updates to engineering disciplines and agreed to provide more detailed records of practical experience for applicants, including months in addition to years, to better validate professional competence.
• Mobility and Recognition: The report highlighted the continued development of cross-border engineering mobility, including updates on the recognition of Registered Foreign Professional Engineers (RFPEs) and moves to simplify registration requirements where possible.
• Fee Waivers: Several countries—Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Philippines, and Viet Nam—now waive registration fees for ACPE applicants, reducing financial barriers for engineers seeking recognition in other ASEAN nations.
• Regional Collaboration Tools: ACPECC continues developing its online information exchange platform to enhance knowledge-sharing and professional networking for engineers throughout ASEAN.
• Professional Awards: Progress was made toward launching the ASEAN Distinguished Engineer Awards, with member states encouraged to nominate outstanding ACPEs for the inaugural honors.