Knowledge

Assessment
Applicant guidance
September 2024
Contents
Why you need a Knowledge Assessment 3
Knowledge Assessment pathways 4
Our process 4
Stage 1: Credential check 5
Stage 2: Preparation 5
Defining the standard 5
How to prepare 9
Stage 3: Application 10
a) Profile: Check and update your information 10
b) Request a Knowledge Assessment 10
c) Self-assessment 10
d) Work samples as evidence 11
e) Complete and upload your referee declaration form 12
Stage 4: Validation 13
Stage 5: Evaluation 13
Stage 6: Decision 14
Appendix 1: Referee Declaration Form 15
Referee details 15
Referee declaration 15
Appendix 2: Online application form 16
Appendix 3: Decision review form 27
Application for Knowledge Assessment decision review 27
Frequently asked questions 28
Common terms 29
Why you need a Knowledge Assessment
There are two reasons you may need a Knowledge Assessment.
1. You are planning to immigrate to New Zealand. Immigration New Zealand may ask you to provide a letter from us
certifying you meet the benchmark requirements to apply for registration as a Chartered Professional Engineer in
New Zealand. The benchmark is a Washington Accord-accredited qualification or equivalent knowledge. Before we
can provide a letter, we’ll need to check your credentials.
2. You would like to apply to become a Chartered Member or a Chartered Professional Engineer. To be eligible to apply to
become Chartered you must have a Washington Accord-accredited qualification (In New Zealand this is an accredited
4-year Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)) or be able to demonstrate equivalent knowledge.

Whether you are immigrating or wanting to apply for CPEng, we’ll need to determine whether you have a Washington
Accord-accredited equivalent qualification. In both situations, your first step is to request a credential check. If your
credential check finds that you don’t have a Washington Accord-accredited qualification or recognised equivalent,
we can then assess whether you’ve gained the equivalent level of knowledge.

To demonstrate you’ve gained the equivalent level of knowledge, you’ll need to complete our Knowledge Assessment.
You’ll need to show you have a level of technical knowledge and understanding gained through your learning and work
that is equivalent to that of a Washington Accord-accredited qualification.

You’ll need to demonstrate equivalent knowledge in eight areas, known as Elements. The Elements are determined by
the knowledge profile expected of a graduate of Washington Accord-accredited qualification1. The Elements are:
1. Natural sciences knowledge
2. Mathematical knowledge
3. Engineering fundamental knowledge
4. Specialist engineering knowledge
5. Design process knowledge
6. Engineering practice knowledge
7. Engineering in society knowledge
8. Research-based knowledge

WARNING: Having your Knowledge Assessment written by another person or persons (this includes
all hiring or use of any third-party professional writers/companies to assist with completing your
documentation) constitutes unethical behaviour and may result in serious consequences including but
not limited to:
1. immediate rejection of the application along with the imposition of a stand-down period before you
can reapply and/or
2. reporting of your details to Immigration New Zealand.

1 The Elements are assessed against the NZQA level. You will need to reach NZQA level 8 in at least one of these areas in order to pass the assessment.
Typically this should be the Design or Engineering Practice elements.

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Knowledge Assessment pathways
When you request a Knowledge Assessment, you’ll need to let us know:
a. whether you need the Knowledge Assessment for immigration purposes (so we know you need a letter for Immigration
New Zealand), and
b. whether you need us to fast track your Knowledge Assessment. There is an extra charge for the fast tracked option.

There are two Knowledge Assessment pathways:

1. Standard Knowledge Assessment: This option is for all applicants who do not need their application fast tracked
for immigration.
2. Fast Tracked Knowledge Assessment: This option is only available to applicants who need a Knowledge Assessment
for immigration purposes.

Our team will open the correct option for you depending on your credentials and requirements. The table below indicates
the cost and timing for the Knowledge Assessment pathways:

Pathway Cost (excl. GST) Approximate Processing time2 Eligibility

Standard $1,292.50 Approximately 50 working days All applicants
Fast tracked $1,792.50 Approximately 25 working days Applicants needing a Knowledge
Assessment for immigration.

Our process
Your Knowledge Assessment application will go through the following stages:

Stage 1: Credential check

Stage 6: Decision
6 1

2 Stage 2: Preparation

5
Stage 5: Evaluation

4 3 Stage 3: Apply online

Stage 4: Validation

2 These timeframes are based on current workloads, and are subject to change.

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Stage 1: Credential check
We use the credential check process to check your academic qualification(s) and/or credentials against the global
standard defined through the Washington Accord. Credential checks are a way to recognise formal engineering
qualifications and credentials that we are able to benchmark through the Washington Accord or other bilateral and
multilateral recognition agreements that we are signatories to.

If your credential check outcome does not meet the Washington Accord status, it does not mean that you are ineligible
for CPEng, or immigration. It just means we were unable to determine the level of your engineering knowledge through
our international benchmarking networks. If this is the case, you’ll have the option to complete a more detailed Knowledge
Assessment to demonstrate the required level of engineering knowledge needed to satisfy your CPEng eligibility criteria
or immigration requirements.

Find out more about credential checks.

Stage 2: Preparation
Defining the standard
You’ll need to demonstrate your equivalent knowledge in eight areas, known as Elements. The Elements are determined
by the knowledge profile expected of a graduate of a Washington Accord-accredited qualification.

Each Element is described below, together with the performance indicators we’re looking for. You’ll need to provide
evidence for at least a majority of each Element’s performance indicators.

NOTE: Assessment of Elements 1–4 draws particularly on your formal academic study. For each element, list the
courses/papers you studied in these areas.

ELEMENT 1 – Natural sciences knowledge

DESCRIPTION
A systematic, theory-based understanding of the natural sciences applicable to the discipline eg calculus-based physics.

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
» Fundamental quantitative knowledge underpinning nature and its phenomena.
» Knowledge of the physical world including physics, chemistry, and other areas of physical or biological science relevant
to your discipline.
» Knowledge of key concepts of the scientific method and other inquiry and problem-solving processes.

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ELEMENT 2 – Mathematical knowledge
Mathematical knowledge is the most difficult area to bridge using on-the-job training. If you hold a Dublin Accord
qualification and you’re attempting to apply through study of a Dublin Accord qualification followed by purely on-the-job
training, this is unlikely to be bridged without some level of further study.

DESCRIPTION
Conceptually based mathematics, numerical analysis, statistics and formal aspects of computer and information science
to support analysis and modelling applicable to the discipline.

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
» Knowledge of mathematics, statistics and numerical methods that supports the development or application
of models that replicate ‘real world’ behaviours.
» An understanding of the assumptions behind theoretical models and their impacts in the development and use
of those models.
» Ability to organise and analyse a data set to determine its statistical variability.
» Knowledge of trigonometry, probability and statistics, differential and integral calculus, and multivariate calculus
that supports the solving of engineering problems.
» Basic knowledge of computer programming

ELEMENT 3 – Engineering fundamental knowledge

DESCRIPTION
A systematic, theory-based formulation of engineering fundamentals required in the engineering discipline.

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
» Ability to define key factual information in core areas of fundamental engineering knowledge relevant to your
engineering discipline.
» Evidence of sufficient depth of knowledge of engineering fundamentals to demonstrate an ability to think rationally
and independently within and outside a chosen field of specialisation.
» Evidence of sufficient breadth of knowledge of engineering concepts and principles to allow subsequent professional
development across a broad spectrum of engineering.
» Ability to apply knowledge of engineering fundamentals to solve complex engineering problems relevant to
your discipline.

ELEMENT 4 – Specialist engineering knowledge

DESCRIPTION
Engineering specialist knowledge that provides theoretical frameworks and bodies of knowledge for the accepted practice
areas in the engineering discipline, much is at the forefront of the discipline.

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
» Evidence of sufficient depth of knowledge to support practice within one or more recognised field of engineering.
» Evidence of a systematic understanding of the coherent body of knowledge related to a particular field of engineering;
its underlying principles and concepts; its usage and applications; and analytical and problem-solving techniques.
» Ability to apply specialist engineering knowledge to solve complex engineering problems.

NOTE: Assessment for Element 5 focuses on the design process. Make sure you include a design example and an
analysis example for Element 5.

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ELEMENT 5 – Design process knowledge
DESCRIPTION
Knowledge that supports engineering design in a practice area.

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
» Ability to undertake research and analysis to support the design process.
» Ability to investigate a situation or the behaviour of a system and identify relevant causes and effects.
» Ability to develop from first principles and construct mathematical, physical and conceptual models of situations,
systems and devices, with a clear understanding of the assumptions made in development of such models.
» Application of technical knowledge, design methods and appropriate tools and resources to design components,
systems, or processes to meet specified criteria.
» Ability to analyse the advantages and disadvantages of alternative design options to support the development
of an optimised design alternative.
» Ability to analyse the constructability or manufacturing feasibility of a project or product.
» Experience of personally conducting a significant design exercise, providing evidence of the consideration of various
realistic constraints, such as safety, reliability, ethics, economic factors, aesthetics and social impact.
» Ability to apply appropriate design methods in solving complex engineering problems.

ELEMENT 6 – Engineering practice knowledge

DESCRIPTION
Knowledge of engineering practice (technology) in the practice areas in the engineering discipline.

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Tools and technologies
» Awareness of critical issues affecting current technical and professional practice.
» Applies such tools to simulate behaviour or model outcomes that might resolve a complex engineering problem,
checks the results for validity, evaluates results and recognises the limitations on those results.
» Appreciation of the accuracy and limitations of such tools and the assumptions inherent in their use.
» Knowledge of materials and resources relevant to the discipline and their main properties and ability to select
appropriate materials and techniques for particular objectives.
» Knowledge of a wide range of laboratory procedures relevant to the discipline and a clear understanding of the
principles and practices of laboratory safety.
» Knowledge of current types of systems, equipment, information technology, and specifications that accomplish
specific design objectives.

Communication
» Write correspondence that clearly and concisely communicates facts and circumstances related to a project,
product, or process.
» Plan, prepare and deliver an oral presentation, with appropriate visual aids and other supporting materials.
» Communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical individuals and audiences.

Engineering management principles and economic decision making

» Apply appropriate tools and techniques to monitor project schedules and costs.

Teamwork
» Operate as an effective team member or leader of a multidisciplinary team.

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ELEMENT 7 – Engineering In society knowledge
DESCRIPTION
Knowledge of the role of engineering in society and identified issues in engineering practice in the discipline, such as the
professional responsibility of an engineer to public safety and sustainable development represented by the 17 UNSDGs.

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
» Demonstration of ethical behaviour in accordance with ethical codes of conduct and established norms of
professional conduct.
» Evidence of making ethical decisions and regulating one’s own professional conduct in accordance with a relevant
code of ethical conduct.
» Implementation of appropriate health and safety practices.
» Application of safe practices in laboratory, test and experimental procedures.
» Awareness of the social, cultural and environmental effects of their engineering activities.
» Awareness of sustainable technologies and sustainable development methodologies.
» Ability to identify risks as a consequence of engineering compromises made as a result of project or business
constraints, and understanding of techniques to mitigate, eliminate or minimise risk.
» Knowledge of appropriate risk management techniques used to assess the accuracy, reliability, and authenticity
of information.
» Understanding of the role of quality management systems tools and processes.

ELEMENT 8 – Research based knowledge

DESCRIPTION
Engagement with selected knowledge in the current research literature of the discipline, awareness of the power of critical
thinking and creative approaches to evaluate emerging issues.

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
» Advanced knowledge in at least one area within your discipline, to a level that engages with current developments
in that area.
» Understanding of how new developments relate to established theory and practice and to other disciplines
with which they interact.
» Describe advancements in engineering research and technology and science in a particular area of
engineering practice.
» Commitment to lifelong learning/Continuing Professional Development demonstrates their professional
development within their practice area.

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How to prepare
Read through the guidance document
Familiarise yourself with the requirements set out in this guidance document before you start compiling your application.

Referee Declaration Form

If you are submitting work samples as evidence, we require a referee to sight and sign off on your Knowledge Assessment
application portfolio, The referee should be your current or most recent employer, and have had direct oversight of
your work. You will need to provide your referee with a copy of your application portfolio, and then complete the referee
declaration form which is downloadable from our website, here. The form must be uploaded with your application, in the
CV section of the application.

Read through the application form

Appendix 2 provides an offline version of the online application to help you prepare. This will help ensure there are no
surprises when you start completing your real application online.

Prepare your CV
Where possible, your CV should be no more than three pages and should allow an Assessor to see your work history since
you graduated.
3 Provide the name, location and contact details of employing organisations, as well as the dates and duration of
employment, the title of your position, details of your role and how your work demonstrates your Washington-Accord
3 equivalent knowledge in accordance with the 8 Elements.
3 Clearly list your qualifications, year the qualification was obtained, and awarding education institution(s).
2 A list of projects you have worked on with no information on your roles and responsibilities.
Note: Your CV may be verified by Engineering New Zealand through our partner, Qualification Check. Please be sure
to provide accurate information, as inaccuracies may result in your application being rejected and/or reporting of your
details to Immigration New Zealand.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Please ensure you provide your CPD records since graduation, or from the past 6 years if you graduated more than six
years ago. You can upload your CPD records in the online portal or provide these by completing the CPD activity report
and uploading this with your evidence files.

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Stage 3: Application
a) Profile: Check and update your information
During your credential check, you would have already signed up for an account to be able to access the application portal
and upload your credentials. Please ensure all the credentials you wish to include in your Knowledge Assessment are
uploaded to your profile.

The credentials you upload should include:

» academic transcripts for all engineering qualifications, and any other significant tertiary qualifications (or parts thereof).
If your original transcript(s) are not in English, a certified English translation3 is required.
» a single PDF file for each of your qualifications, providing the course descriptor for each paper/unit of the qualification.
Remember, assessment of Elements 1–4 is almost entirely based on your academic transcripts, supplemented by work
sample evidence where academic equivalence has not been achieved.
» a copy of your CV that includes all the information required, as well as a recent photograph of yourself so that assessors
can confirm your identity at the interactive interview.
» a valid ID document must be provided with your application. This must be uploaded in the CV area of the form.

ID VERIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
To enhance security measures and safeguard against identity fraud, you must provide us with a valid photo identity
document together with your application, which should be loaded in the CV area of the application form. The image quality
should be clear enough for assessors to read all of the information on the ID.

Accepted IDs include:

» New Zealand Passport.
» New Zealand Driver’s License.
» New Zealand Firearms License.

The following documents are also accepted if they include your full name, date of birth, and photo:
» Overseas Passport.
» National Identity Card.

If an interactive assessment is conducted, the Assessor will verify the provided information, so you should have your
ID readily available. Please also ensure you have a functional webcam turned on throughout the interactive assessment.

b) Request a Knowledge Assessment

In the portal, request a Knowledge Assessment. You’ll need to let us know if you require your application to be fast tracked.
The fast track option is only available to applications that are required for immigration.

c) Self-assessment
In this section you need to provide statements of self-review explaining how you meet the standard for Washington Accord
equivalence.. Make sure you reference your evidence (your qualifications and work samples) including specific sections
and page numbers, to back up your statements. Aim for no more than 500 words per Element. Please note that you must
provide evidence (e.g. transcripts, calculations, drawings, presentations, etc. that is clearly your own work) to demonstrate
your knowledge. Simply providing a written description of what you completed is not considered as evidence.

It will help your Assessor if you can directly link each piece of evidence to specific Performance Indicators. For example.
In work sample 1, file xxx, I calculated xxx indicating my use of “knowledge of trigonometry, probability and statistics,
differential and integral calculus, and multivariate calculus that supports the solving of engineering problems”.

3 The translation must be done by a professional licensed/certified translator.

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d) Work samples as evidence
If you’re providing work samples as evidence, you’re required to submit a maximum of 4 work samples that demonstrate
application of Washington Accord equivalent knowledge to complex engineering problems. We do not accept academic
projects done during your studies as work samples. In your work sample summary, you need to indicate which element(s)
your evidence is related to and must explain how the evidence is complex, according to the complexity definition as below.
Work samples can be used as evidence for any of the 8 Elements, but the priority is that one or more should be evidence
of the requirement of Element 5 to demonstrate the “ability to apply appropriate design methods in solving complex
engineering problems.” Complex problems are defined as having some or all of the following characteristics.
» Involve wide-ranging or conflicting technical,non-technical issues (such as ethical, sustainability, legal, political,
economic, societal) and consideration of future requirements.
» Have no obvious solution and require originality in analysis.
» Involve infrequently encountered issues or novel problems.
» Address problems not encompassed by standards and codes of practice for professional engineering.
» Involve collaboration across engineering disciplines, other fields, and/or diverse groups of stakeholders with widely
varying needs.
» Are high level problems including many component parts or sub-problems that may require a systems approach.

For each work sample, provide a statement as to how the work sample demonstrates evidence of a specific learning
Element, giving examples and page numbers.

Provided work samples should be clear and professionally presented so an Assessor can easily confirm your
engineering knowledge.
3 Evidence statements clearly state how each file provided is relevant to the assessment, and which Element
it relates to.
3 The work samples provided clearly show this as being your own work. This requires you to submit copies of original
reports, drawings, calculations, emails, etc. where your name is clearly listed as the author of the evidence.
3 Evidence of use of calculations are supported, where appropriate, by computer modelling to predict the
performance of an engineering system.
3 Work samples demonstrate how you have applied Washington Accord equivalent knowledge to complex
engineering problems.
3 If your original work samples are not in English, a certified English translation is required. The translation must
be done by a professional licensed/certified translator.
2 Drawings or calculations only, with no supporting documentation.
2 Pages of printed spreadsheets, with unclear calculations or derivations. Evidence that cannot be directly
attributed to you as author.
2 Academic projects done as part of your studies are not considered appropriate work samples.
Tips for success
» When writing up your submission remember to talk about yourself using ‘I’, ‘me’ or ‘my’. The Assessors don’t want to
know what the team did as part of a project – they’re only interested in your involvement.
» Exercise judgement and submit your best evidence. Aim for no more than 4 work samples with 3 files per work sample.
» Please do not provide duplicate copies of your evidence files. Simply reference the evidence you would like to use in
your evidence statements, there is no need to upload the same evidence more than once.
» Your work samples must demonstrate you have worked on complex engineering problems and activities. They need
to demonstrate analysis (calculations) and evidence from reports, drawings, presentations, etc. and should clearly
show this as being your own work.

IMPORTANT: Simply providing a written description of work you have completed is not considered as evidence.

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e) Complete and upload your referee declaration form
If you are providing on-the-job training as evidence, you must provide us with a referee who you have worked with and is
familiar with your technical and professional capabilities. The referee will be asked to verify the content of your application
as being an accurate and authentic reflection of your engineering experience and knowledge. Ideally your referee will be
your current or most recent employer and hold a professional engineering registration.

Once you have completed all sections of the application form and are ready to submit, your final step will be to ask your
chosen referee to review your application portfolio and complete the referee declaration form. This form must be uploaded
with your application, in the CV section.

To do this, go to your complete application and click ‘Download PDF Copy’ as shown below:

Send the copy of your complete application together with the referee declaration form, to your chosen referee, and then
upload the signed form to the CV area of your application, before submitting to us.

NOTE: You do not need to provide us with a referee declaration form if you are applying using only your qualifications
as evidence.

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Stage 4: Validation
The next step is to submit your application to our team for validation. We’ll check the information you’ve provided and
will aim to give you feedback within 10 working days. We’ll let you know if you need to make any changes before your
application is sent to an Assessor. Our advisors will check the completeness of your application and are not qualified
to evaluate the content of the information you provide. Therefore, you may still be asked to submit additional information
by your Assessor at the evaluation stage, which is the next stage of your assessment.

If your Advisor asks you to make changes, it’s in your best interest to get them done as soon as possible and resubmit
for validation. If you take longer than two weeks to do so, your application is likely to be delayed. You have a maximum
of 30 days to provide the requested information; if this is not provided, your application will be closed with no refund.

When going through your application, our team go through the following validation checklist:
All personal details have been provided
» This includes employer, title and role.
Verified credentials have been provided Academic transcripts have been provided.
A single PDF file for each of the qualifications, providing the course descriptor (20-30 words) for each
paper/unit of the qualification, has been submitted.
An acceptable CV has been provided.
Self-assessment statements explain how competency in the Element has been met at the complex
engineering level, with references made to the evidence provided.
Work samples have been provided and are acceptable
» The applicant’s role in the work records provided is clear.
» No more than 4 work samples.
Evidence statements clearly state how files provided are relevant to the assessment, show evidence of complex
engineering activities, and reference which element they relate to.
CPD records since graduation, or from the past 6 years.
Completed referee declaration form if using on the job experience as evidence.
Valid photo ID.

Stage 5: Evaluation
Once your application has been validated, an Assessor will be assigned to your application. They’ll review your application
and may contact you to ask for additional information. Your Assessor may also schedule a video meeting with you to
discuss your application. This is called an ‘Interactive’ and is normally held via videoconference. Your Assessor will send
you an agenda so you have an idea of the Elements you will need to focus on during the Interactive. The Interactive usually
lasts around 60 minutes.

The Assessor will use the evidence you submit and the information from your Interactive to complete a report and
recommendations on your application. Once they’ve got all the information they need, the Assessor will make a
recommendation to Engineering New Zealand about whether to approve your application.

HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE INTERACTIVE

The Interactive lets your Assessor find out more about your qualifications and the engineering projects in which you’ve
been involved. It’s an opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the engineering behind the
work samples submitted in your application. Be ready to talk your Assessor through your qualifications as well as the
work samples you’ve provided, and think about how you might answer questions around the following:
» your formal study and the project(s) you’ve worked on, including what was involved, when was it done and who
was involved
» how the study/project(s) demonstrate your engineering knowledge in relation to the 8 Elements
» how your work samples demonstrate your engineering knowledge to solve complex engineering problems.

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Please note that all interactive assessments are conducted via videoconference and will require you to have a working
webcam. Interactive assessments are also recorded for quality assurance purposes. Recordings are securely stored on
Engineering New Zealand’s server for a period of three months, or until the assessment process is concluded.

The recording of interactive sessions serves to uphold the integrity of our assessment procedures and provides essential
evidence in the event of an appeal. Engineering New Zealand is committed to adhering to the regulations outlined in the
Privacy Act 2020 throughout this process.

Please note that all interactive interviews are conducted in English. You must be able to communicate with us clearly,
in English, both verbally and in writing.

Stage 6: Decision
We’ll let you know the outcome of your application by email. If your Assessor decides you have not demonstrated you
meet the requirements for Washington Accord equivalence, the report you receive will provide you with guidance on the
Element(s) you fell short on, and provide you with suggestions as to how you might be able to bridge any knowledge gaps.

If your report states that you only need to bridge knowledge gaps on either one or two Elements, your subsequent
Knowledge Assessment will be free if you provide evidence of activities you’ve undertaken within 12 months.

If you need to bridge knowledge gaps on 3 or more Elements, your subsequent Knowledge Assessment will be $500
(excl. GST) if you provide evidence of activities you’ve undertaken within 12 months.

If you wish to appeal the outcome of your Knowledge Assessment, you must write to us within 4 weeks of receiving your
assessment outcome. Your request must include:
» the completed Decision Review Form (Appendix 3)
» payment of $600 (excl. GST)4
» a cover letter explaining your reason(s) for appealing the assessment outcome.

Once your application for a decision review has been received, your request will be reviewed by our General Counsel
and may be referred to a new Assessor. They will evaluate the evidence you have provided and decide whether or not
the decision should be changed. You will not have the opportunity to present any new information during this process,
and there will not be another interactive interview. This process takes around 8 weeks to complete.

4 This fee will be refunded to you if the original decision is changed.

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Appendix 1: Referee Declaration Form
A downloadable version of this form is available on our website.

Name of applicant

Membership number or date of birth

Referee details
Full Name

Job title

Company name

Email

Mobile Number

Relationship to applicant

Professional Registration Number

(if available)

Referee declaration
I confirm that I have reviewed the applicant’s portfolio of evidence, and to the best of my knowledge, the content
of the application and work referenced as evidence are a true reflection of the applicant’s engineering work
experience, knowledge, and competence.
I understand that Engineering New Zealand may contact me directly if they have any questions regarding the
applicant’s evidence or my verification of it.
By submitting this report, I understand and acknowledge that my report will be used and retained by Engineering
New Zealand for assessment purposes.

Referee signature Date

Please return the completed declaration to the applicant.

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Appendix 2: Online application form
The system automatically detects your current status with Engineering New Zealand. It states which application you
are eligible to complete.

Click ‘Request an assessment.’ Our team will then open an assessment for you and an automated email will be sent
with a link to get started. You can select the Fast Track Knowledge Assessment option here.

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 Work your way through each section individually. You will be unable to submit your application until all sections are
completed.

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Knowledge Assessment Page 18 of 31
 Your CV needs to be PDF format. You should also upload your completed self-assessment form (Appendix 1)
in this area.

Explain how you meet each Element in your self-assessment.

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 In this section, you’ll be required to add work records with supporting evidence. Attachments (preferably reports,
drawings, calculations that explain the design process). Select the ‘Add evidence’ button to add a new record.

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 Once you click on ‘Add evidence’, choose which type of evidence you wish to add – CPD or work records.

CPD RECORDS
If you already have the CPD record present, please click on the ‘Select’ button. If not, click on ‘Add CPD Record’.

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 If you select ‘Add CPD record’, you’ll need to complete the section below.

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 WORK RECORDS
If you already have the work record present, please click on the ‘Select’ button. If not, click on ‘Add work Record’.

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 If you select ‘Add work record’, you’ll need to complete the section below.

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 Once all the sections have been completed, you will be able to submit the application.

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 You will then be asked if you need an immigration report. Check the box if you need one.

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Appendix 3: Decision review form
Application for Knowledge Assessment decision review
Contact us at assessment@engineeringnz.org for an editable version of this form.

Applicants who wish to seek a decision review of their Knowledge Assessment must complete this form.
» An application for a decision review must be lodged within 28 days of the date of the original assessment outcome letter.
» The lodging of a decision review does not allow for the submission of any new documents to support your claim, unless
requested by the assessor.
» All necessary documentation will be forwarded to an independent assessor.

The decision review may take 6 weeks or more from the date of payment.

PERSONAL DETAILS

Full name

Date of original assessment

Address

Phone number

Mobile

Email

Signature

Date

REASON FOR REQUEST

Please provide the reason(s) you believe the decision made on your Knowledge Assessment was inappropriate.

Payment details
An invoice will be sent to you via email.

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Frequently asked questions
What does my application status mean?
» Started: You’re compiling your application.
» Payment pending: Awaiting payment by credit card or invoice.
» Submitted: With our team for checking and validation.
» Editing: Additional information required before being passed to an assessment panel (it is in your best interests
to submit the required information within 2 weeks, to avoid any delays in the process).
» Assessors being assigned: We’re finding your Assessor.
» Assessment in progress: Your assessment is being reviewed by the Assessor.
» Complete: Outcome of assessment finalised and shared with you.
» Withdrawn: Application has been withdrawn.

I can’t attach any documents because my work is highly confidential/

the property of my employer. What should I do?
We take confidentiality seriously and have put processes in place to protect your application.
» Engineering New Zealand Assessors sign a confidentiality agreement prohibiting them from disclosing any aspect
of your assessment to anyone except the relevant Practice Area Assessors, Knowledge Assessors, Competency
Assessment Board members or Engineering New Zealand staff.
» We accept Work Record files that have been redacted to protect confidential information.
» You’ll be given the opportunity to review who we’ve assigned to your assessment panel. If you have any concerns,
we’ll be happy to assign an alternative panel member.

How many evidence files can I attach?

Our general guidance is quality over quantity. Give your Assessor relevant information and be specific about where
your evidence is in the Work Record files. For example, specify page numbers, sections, calculations, photograph titles,
chart details etc.

What’s the difference between Chartered Membership and Chartered

Professional Engineer registration (CPEng)?
Chartered Members belong to Engineering New Zealand and receive the benefits of being part of our community. CPEng is
different from membership and is a registration under the CPEng Act 2002.

CPEng is only open to professional engineers, who must demonstrate an ability to deal with complex engineering problems
and activities. Professional engineers are those that are deemed to have engineering knowledge equivalent to that
specified in the Washington Accord.

Chartered Membership is also available to professional engineers, but additional categories provide recognition for
engineering technologists, engineering technicians and engineering geologists.

Both require a similar assessment. The competence standard for both are effectively the same, but CPEng registration
requires evidence of New Zealand-specific good practice and reassessment at least once every 6 years. This makes
Chartered Membership more accessible for engineers practising overseas, and provides direct entry for engineers who
have been assessed in an equivalent overseas jurisdiction, eg CEng (UK) or CPEng (Australia). Chartered Membership
isn’t reassessed because you’ll be doing ongoing professional development to stay current.

Both CPEng and Chartered Membership are underpinned by the same Code of Ethical Conduct and a fair, robust and
proportionate complaints and disciplinary process.

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Common terms
Assessor: the Assessor evaluates your application, before providing their recommendation to Engineering New Zealand.

Knowledge Assessment: Evaluates whether you have a level of technical knowledge and understanding gained through
your work and learning that is equivalent to that of a Washington Accord-accredited qualification.

Chartered Assessment: evaluates if you meet the competence standard to become Chartered, either as a Chartered
Member (CMEngNZ) of Engineering New Zealand or a Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng).

Chartered Membership: the Engineering New Zealand class of membership for engineering professionals who have
demonstrated their engineering competence to an internationally-recognised benchmark.

Chartered Member CMEngNZ: solves complex engineering problems and activities by applying specialist engineering
knowledge and first principles to their work.

Chartered Member CMEngNZ (Engineering Technologist): solves broadly-defined engineering problems and
activities by applying knowledge of engineering principles.

Chartered Member CMEngNZ (Engineering Technician): solves well-defined engineering problems and activities
through knowledge and use of established analytical techniques and procedures.

Chartered Member CMEngNZ (PEngGeol): solves complex engineering geological problems and activities by applying
in-depth engineering geology knowledge.

Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng): solves complex engineering problems and activities, which requires
applying specialist engineering knowledge and first principles to their work.

Competence Assessment Advisor: a member of the Engineering New Zealand team assigned to your application and
your main point of contact once you submit your application for validation.

Competency Assessment Board (CAB): the group of senior engineers that accepts or rejects recommendations made
by the assessment panel.

Complexity: one of the key ways we differentiate between the competence registers.

CPD record: information about the continuing professional development activities you’ve done to maintain currency
as an engineer.

CPEng reassessment: evaluates if you have maintained current competence to meet the Chartered Professional
Engineer standard.

Dublin Accord: the agreement for the international recognition of Engineering Technician qualifications.

Educational accord: an agreement that benchmarks educational standards. If you hold an Accord-accredited
qualification, you’ll benefit from mutual recognition of your qualification between signatory countries.

Engineering Geologist: deals with complex engineering geological problems and activities requiring specialist and
in-depth geological engineering knowledge.

Engineering Professional: deals with complex engineering problems and activities requiring the application of specialist
engineering knowledge and work from first principles.

Engineering Technologist: deals with broadly-defined engineering problems and activities that require knowledge and
use of principles and applied procedures.

Engineering Technician: deals with well-defined engineering problems and activities requiring knowledge and use of
established analytical techniques and procedures.

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Knowledge Assessment: evaluates if you have gained an appropriate level of technical knowledge and understanding
through your work or study to practice at the level of a professional engineer.

Recognised external authorities: overseas engineering registration authorities that are signatories

Sydney Accord: the agreement for the international recognition of Engineering Technologist qualifications.

Sample evidence: documents you include in your Work Record to provide evidence of your personal involvement in
a project or activity.

Washington Accord: the agreement for the international recognition of Engineering Professional qualifications.

Work record: information about the projects or activities you’ve carried out in your engineering work, used in competence
assessments to demonstrate the practical application of your engineering knowledge and skills.

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L6, 40 Taranaki St The Registration Authority under the Chartered
Wellington 6011 Professional Engineers of New Zealand Act 2002
assessment@engineeringnz.org is the Institution of Professional Engineers New
www.engineeringnz.org Zealand (trading as Engineering New Zealand).