Every year Engineers Australia seeks to recognise those who will join the engineering profession and contribute to its future through the annual Tertiary Institution Graduate Engineer Awards. Institutions are invited to select graduating students to be awarded an Engineers Australia Institution Graduate Award to recognise the hard work and achievements of Australia’s most dedicated engineering students.
An Engineers Australia Institution Graduate Award is awarded to a graduating student engineer from any engineering discipline from each Australian tertiary institution. Each institution is invited to select this award recipient, using the selection criteria outlined below. Engineers Australia will then present the Award. For institutions with engineering programs at more than one level, an award can be presented at each engineering occupation level (e.g. professional engineering level – BE(Hons) or ME where engineering is a second degree, engineering technologist – BTech, associate engineer – AdvDip or Associate Degree). These awards will be decided by each tertiary institution and presented in conjunction with the local Engineers Australia office.
The Engineers Australia College National Graduate Award has been retired and will no longer be awarded as part of the tertiary awards program.
Note: Institutions that present awards in honour of a high achieving engineer or prominent individual could reassign that name to the new award should they choose to do so.
The awards recognise graduating student engineers who have achieved academic excellence, demonstrated practical engineering ability, exhibited ethical and professional behaviour, and displayed leadership which has influenced their peers. Who is most likely to make an impact on their profession? Who will be a respected engineer? Engineers Australia values the role engineers play from a professional and societal perspective.
The selection criteria are aligned to the Engineers Australia Stage 1 competencies with each criterion weighted equally. If all is equal, then the second criterion should take precedence. Tertiary institutions can determine the most appropriate nomination/selection process using these criteria for their institution.
Knowledge and Skill Base
Achieved academic excellence in conceptual and theoretical engineering fundamentals
Guidance: Based on existing formal and informal assessment of academic performance through examinations, assignments, oral presentations, or any other assessment method (as measured by GPA)
Engineering Application Ability
Demonstrated high standards in practical application of engineering methods, techniques, tools, processes and resources
Guidance: Based on existing formal and informal assessment of practice through assignments, laboratory, test and experimental procedures, analyses, work placements and projects, both individual and group (e.g. performance in capstone/final year project)
Professional and Personal Attributes
Exhibited ethical and professional behaviour, collaborative, persuasive and effective communication, and influential leadership among peers
Guidance: Based on observed behaviour in projects and in programmed as well as extra-curricular activities
To be eligible for the Award nominees must:
Student engineers selected for their respective Institution Award may be from any discipline.
Selected award recipients will receive a certificate in recognition of their achievement and 3 years of free graduate membership with Engineers Australia. These will be presented in collaboration with Engineers Australia and the relevant tertiary institution.
Nominations will be called in for student engineers who have completed their program requirements by the end of the previous year and have graduated or are about to graduate in that calendar year. It is recognised that graduation ceremonies do not necessarily occur in the year that a student becomes eligible to graduate.
Nominations for the 2024 Tertiary Awards are now open.
Nomination open date: 2 April 2024.
Nomination close date: 2 July 2024.
Recipients of all Awards will be notified by: TBD.