Institution of Civil Engineers ICE

Civil engineers design, construct, maintain and improve the physical environment, including; bridges, tunnels, roads, railways, canals, dams, buildings, flood and coastal defences, airports and other large structures. The term ‘civil’ engineer was originally coined to distinguish it from military engineering, which was the main engineering discipline before the 18th century.

The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) is a charity and international membership organisation established to ‘foster and promote the art and science of civil engineering’. It was founded in 1818 and was granted a royal charter in 1828. Its head office is at One Great George Street in Westminster, London and it now represents approximately 80,000 members worldwide.

Its governing structure is established by its Royal Charter and by-laws and its governing body is the ICE Council.

The Institution of Civil Engineers is:

A qualifying body.
A centre of excellence for civil engineering knowledge.
A source of advice.
A provider of resources to encourage innovation and excellence.
A promoter of civil engineering, representing the profession to the wider industry, the press, the public, government, and in consultations.
A provider of dispute resolution services.

Members of the ICE can use the letters MICE. In addition, it is possible to become an Associate Member (AMICE), Fellow, Affiliate, Companion, Technician Member (TMICE), graduate member or student member. Members are expected to comply with its Rules of Conduct and to undertake continuing professional development (CPD) as part of their Initial Professional Development (IPD) and throughout their career.

In 2007, the ICE Council adopted the following definition of civil engineering, ‘Civil Engineering is a vital art, working with the great sources of power in nature for the wealth and well-being of the whole of society. Its essential feature is the exercise of imagination to engineer the products and processes, and develop the people needed to create and maintain a sustainable natural and built environment. It requires a broad understanding of scientific principles, a knowledge of materials and the art of analysis and synthesis. It also requires research, team working, leadership and business skills. A civil engineer is one who practises all or part of this art.'