Continuing Engineering Education Group celebrates 45 years at the SEFI Annual Conference in Tampere

The Special Interest Group in Continuing Engineering Education and Lifelong Learning celebrated its 45^th anniversary at the SEFI Annual Conference in Tampere. The group was created at the General Assembly in 1980 in Paris, France.

A small working group (Anikó Kalman, Alfredo Soeiro, Katriina Schrey-Niemenmaa, and Chris Smith) brought together key moments from the history. They also recognised some key people that have contributed to the vitality, direction and leadership of the SIG: Alfredo Soeiro, Anders Hagstrom, Anikó Kalman, Bente Norgaard, Katriina Niemenmaa, Kirsti Miettinen, Markku Markkula, and Patricio Montesinos.

Some of these colleagues were at the conference and we were able to present Certificates of Recognition to them in person, whereas others were presented separately.

If anyone in SEFI has stories or memories about their involvement and projects in CEE, then please get in touch with Aniko and Chris.

IACEE Representatives at SEFI and IACEE Fall Meeting hosted in Tampere

The strategic partnership between SEFI and the International Association for Continuing Engineering Education (IACEE) was visible at the recent SEFI Annual Conference, both with the attendance of IACEE colleagues from outside Europe, and with the opportunity for SEFI and IACEE members to meet physically for the IACEE Fall Meeting.

It was apt, being in Finland, that Markku Markkula — former SEFI Continuing Engineering Education (CEE) and Lifelong Learning (LLL) Chair and former IACEE Secretary General — joined us remotely to share his perspective on the evolution of CEE at the IACEE Fall Meeting. He highlighted the important work that IACEE, SEFI, and their members have achieved over the years, as well as the importance of CEE for the competitive future of our societies and economies. This was the second presentation that week that had highlighted the evolution of CEE and the connection between SEFI and IACEE, with the first being delivered by Alfredo Soeiro (former IACEE and SEFI President) at the CEE/LLL SIG meeting during the SEFI Annual Conference. 

SEFI and IACEE look forward to more shared events in the future.