Significant changes to the structure of the engineering degree in Ireland have been proposed in response to the Bologna Declaration, as reported in the May issue of the Engineers Journal, However, here John Kelly, Professor Emeritus at UCD, argues that there is a compelling case for retaining the four year bachelor degree as the professional engineering qualification recognised by the IEI. The Executive Committee of the IEI established a taskforce in November 2000 with the brief to prepare a discussion paper on the implication of the Bologna Declaration on engineering education in Ireland. Under the chairmanship of Professor Michael Hillery from the University of Limerick, and following considerable national discussion and consultation, this taskforce published its recommendations in the final report: 'A New Structure for Engineering Education in Ireland ～ Implementation of the Bologna Declaration,' which was adopted by the Executive Committee of the Council of the IEI in November 2003 and was formally published on that date. The principal recommendation was that a three year + two year Bachelors-Masters structure be implemented in Irish universities, whereby the Masters degree, gained after the five years, would be the professional engineering qualification and would be recognised as such by the IEI. This new structure would replace the current structure in Irish universities of four years for the IEI recognised professional Bachelors degree and one-and-a-half years for a graduate Masters degree.
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