Inġiniera Malta, the joint committee of Kamra tal-Periti (KTP) and the Chamber of Engineers (CoE), participated in the ENGINEERS EUROPE Annual Business Meetings held in Zurich, Switzerland, on May 22-23, 2025, hosted by SIA (Swiss Society of Engineers and Architects) and Swiss Engineering. Representing Malta were Inġ. Ryan Grixti, CoE’s International Secretary and Inġiniera Malta Chairperson, and Inġ. Michelle Cortis, ENGINEERS EUROPE Executive Board Member.

The National Members Forum, held on May 22, allowed members to discuss various topics including the Swiss education system and its flexible VET and PET (Vocational and Professional Education and Training) pathways. A unique session explored the role of engineers in literature, where the audience was exposed to engineers who are also authors of books, main characters in books, and even protagonists in films.

The Maltese delegation participated in working group discussions on national development plans and various professional development topics such as critical infrastructure and the need for a stronger educational sector to produce high-quality engineers.

The delegation also attended a technical visit to EMPA (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology), the research institute of ETH (Swiss public University) in Zurich, where they toured the innovative NEST (Next Evolution in Sustainable Building Technologies) building featuring modular residential and workplace units supporting sustainable building research.

The General Assembly (GA), held on May 23, featured discussions on financial matters, with approval of reports from the treasurer and auditors, and a commitment to increase revenue through broader EUR ING uptake and EU-funded projects. The election of Executive Board Members also took place. Mr. Alexandre Kounitzky, who was unanimously elected with 83 out of 83 votes. Inġiniera Malta is pleased to note Mr. Kounitzky’s extensive experience and long-standing relationship with Malta and the Chamber of Engineers.

The GA also included updates from various working groups. Notably, Inġ. Michelle Cortis presented the work of the Artificial Intelligence working group, which she chairs, attracting significant interest from participants.

The Chamber is grateful for the opportunity to participate in these meetings and remains dedicated to international collaboration and engagement.

Anyone interested in international affairs of the engineering profession is encouraged to email the Chamber on international@coe.org.mt.