Engineers Without Borders UK is a UK-based registered

charity Charity may refer to: Giving * Charitable organization or charity, a non-profit organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being of persons * Charity (practice), the practice of being benevolent, giving and sharing * Ch ...

and

NGO A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in h ...

. Formed in recognition of the fact that

engineering Engineering is the use of scientific method, scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad rang ...

is vital to successfully addressing complex challenges such as the effects of

climate change In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to E ...

, resource constraints, increasing

urbanisation Urbanization (or urbanisation) refers to the population shift from rural to urban areas, the corresponding decrease in the proportion of people living in rural areas, and the ways in which societies adapt to this change. It is predominantly the ...

and a rapidly expanding global population, Engineers Without Borders UK works to change how engineering is perceived, taught and practiced. The organisation aims to bring people, ideas and engineering together to respond to the world’s most pressing problems.

Description

Engineers Without Borders UK was started by a group of students at

Cambridge University , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

in 2001, at the original suggestion of

Parker Mitchell Parker Mitchell is the co-founder and former co-CEO of Engineers Without Borders (Canada). He and George Roter founded the Canadian organization in 2000. Mitchell has a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and a B.A. (Cognitive Science min ...

(co-founder of EWB Canada) who was then doing an MPhil in

Sustainable Development Sustainable development is an organizing principle for meeting human development goals while also sustaining the ability of natural systems to provide the natural resources and ecosystem services on which the economy and society depend. The des ...

at the university. Sarah Hindle (Engineering undergraduate) and Richard Sargeant (

Political Science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and la ...

undergraduate) were the first directors. In 2002, Engineers Without Borders UK arranged its first overseas placement in

Pondicherry Pondicherry (), now known as Puducherry ( French: Pondichéry ʊdʊˈtʃɛɹi(listen), on-dicherry, is the capital and the most populous city of the Union Territory of Puducherry in India. The city is in the Puducherry district on the sout ...

, India, with an organisation called ORSED. The first large scale training course also took place in 2002 at Clare Farm outside Cambridge. The organisation was registered as a national charity in England and Wales in 2003 following groups set up at a number of other universities. The national office moved to London, where it is still based, in 2013. Engineers Without Borders UK is a member of the

Engineers Without Borders International Engineers Without Borders International (EWB-I) is an association of individual Engineers Without Borders/ groups. EWB-I facilitates collaboration and the exchange of information among the member groups. EWB-I helps its member groups develop th ...

(EWB-I) federation and sits on the Board and Executive Committee. Engineers Without Borders UK is a registered charity in England & Wales (No. 1101849) and Scotland (No. SC043537) and is a company limited by guarantee (No. 04856607). Its registered office is situated at The Foundry, 17 Oval Way, London, SE11 5RR, United Kingdom.

References

External links

Engineers Without Borders UK

Engineers Without Borders International
{{authority control UK Development charities based in the United Kingdom Engineering societies based in the United Kingdom 2001 establishments in the United Kingdom Organizations established in 2001