Membership Classes
The HKIE is a qualifying body for a wide range of Disciplines and consists of the following classes of membership. There are Corporate Members and other membership classes in the HKIE. Corporate Members have the right to vote on matters relating to the governance of the Institution. Some members may use designatory letters after their names.
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Corporate Members
Fellow - FHKIE
Fellow is a senior Corporate Member who:
- is usually at least 35 years of age, and
- has achieved positions of responsibility to which he/she has brought superior knowledge and practice in an engineering discipline.
Member - MHKIE
Member is a qualified professional engineer who has:
- obtained an accredited/recognised degree or the equivalent in an acceptable engineering discipline,
- received adequate training,
- had sufficient responsible experience, and
- successfully completed the Institution’s Professional Assessment or the equivalent.
Other Classes
Adjunct Fellow - AdFHKIE (nomination only)
Adjunct Fellow is an eminent non-engineer from a field closely related to engineering, who
- has occupied positions of significant responsibility for a sufficient period in or related to engineering, science or technology, and
- had special services to the Institution or to engineering generally, merit such recognition.
Associate Member - AMHKIE
Associate Member is an engineering technologist who has:
- attained the age of 23,
- obtained a Higher Diploma or Higher Certificate or engineering degree accredited/recognised by the Institution, or an acceptable equivalent in a recognised engineering or technological discipline,
- received adequate practical training,
- had appropriate responsible experience
Candidate with Higher Diploma needs to have a minimum of three years’ experience. Higher Certificate holder needs to have a minimum of four years’ experience.
Graduate Member
- have obtained an accredited honours degree or an acceptable equivalent in a recognised engineering or technological discipline (See Membership booklet M3, Section 2.) ; or
- have obtained an accredited / recognized higher diploma, higher certificate, associate degree or an acceptable equivalent in a recognized engineering or technological discipline; and
- have completed or are undertaking a programme of practical training.
Student
Student member is a person undertaking or has completed an engineering programme accredited/recognised by the Institution; this may be an engineering Degree or a Higher Diploma or a Higher Certificate.
Companion
Affiliate
A membership grade open to either non-engineers who have a special interest in one field of engineering or someone waiting to enter another class of membership.
All members of the Institution are bound by its Rules of Conduct, a code of practice and ethics which governs how an engineer behaves towards the profession and the public.
Competence-based Professional Assessment
The Q & M Board approved the HKIE Competence Standards (HKIE CSs) for Corporate Membership and Associate Membership, along with the implementation plan. Recognising that applicants may take time to prepare the documentation and accumulate the required experience, flexibility would be necessary during the transitional period. The implementation plan would proceed as follows: –
- Sep 2026 onwards: Use of current or revised HKIE CSs for membership admission to be decided by the applicants
- Sep 2028 onwards: Full implementation of the revised HKIE CSs
Applicants who choose to use the existing HKIE CSs for membership admission between September 2026 and August 2028 were required to provide (a) additional information about their work experience and (b) CPD related to sustainability, including but not limited to the UN SDGs, to demonstrate the applicant’s competence concerning sustainability and continuing effort in this aspect.
For details about the revised HKIE Competence Standards, please refer to the documents listed below:
Revised Competence Standards for Corporate Membership (Effective from Sept 2026)
Revised Competence Standards for Associate Membership (Effective from Sept 2026)
“Ir” Title
“Ir” is a recognised abbreviation for “Engineer” under HKIE Constitution Article 4, which stipulates that ‘Corporate Members may adopt the courtesy prefix “Engineer” in front of their names. The recognised abbreviation for “Engineer” shall be “Ir”.’
The correct pronunciation of “Ir” is “Engineer” and the Chinese title is 「工程師」. “Ir” is the official title for Corporate Members of the HKIE, who are encouraged to promote its use in public by addressing each other as “Ir”, by using it in their name cards and letterheads, etc.
Unauthorised use of the “Ir” title is not allowed.
For application of use by any person or character for promotion of a good cause, please make a request in writing for consideration by the HKIE. (Enquiries: hkie-sec@hkie.org.hk)