K VIV
Koninklijke Vlaamse Ingenieursvereniging
Royal Flemish Society of Engineers

MISSION & OBJECTIVES

The K VIV was founded in 1928 and represents more than 9.500 engineering members. It is the only professional organisation in Flanders uniting the university trained engineers (masters), including agricultural and military engineers, having obtained a degree after 5 years of study. They have graduated from the Catholic University of Leuven, the University of Ghent, the Free University of Brussels or the Royal Military Academy, which have conferred on them the legally protected title of “ingenieur”, abbreviated “ir.”. The K VIV also accepts other engineers graduated from universities which are recognised as equivalent to the universities mentioned above.

The K VIV’s main objectives are to:

  Improve the professional interests of university trained engineers

  Improve the contacts between the university trained engineers

  Improve the contacts between the faculties

  Improve the technical knowledge of the Flemish people as a whole

The K VIV also aims to stimulate its members’ consciousness about their social responsibility during the exercise of their professional activity. With its newly conceived “K VIV Ethical Code”, the K VIV wishes to testify to its awareness of the role and responsibility of engineers in our society. It arose from a round of self-reflection and invites engineers to consider the ethics of their own jobs from time to time. Download K VIV Code of Ethics in English here.


BASIC STRUCTURE

The K VIV offers a wide range of activities and services, channelled through different subdivisions.

LoMa (‘Loopbaan en Maatschappij’)

The main goal of this first department/subdivision is to promote the engineers’ professional interests. It maintains close relations with enterprises and is the favoured go-between in official governmental contacts.

On a national level, it cooperates closely with its sister organisation, the FABI (Fédération Royale d’Associations Belges d’Ingénieurs Civils et d’Ingénieurs Agronomes), within the scope of the Belgian Confederation of university-trained engineers, abbreviated to C.ir. There are frequent contacts with KivI, the Royal Institution of engineers in the Netherlands.

On a European level, K VIV is an active member of CLAIU-EU, the ‘Liaison Committee of Associations of University Engineers’, which strives for the recognition of the long-cycle engineering profession in all EU countries.

The K VIV is also a member of CEDIA (Comité Européen des Ingénieurs agronomes de la CEE).

Technological Institute

The ‘Technologisch Instituut’ (TI) - Technological Institute was founded in 1940 as a branch of the K VIV. The TI took on the specific task of contributing to the propagation of science and technology, both amongst engineers and scientists, and the public at large.

From the conceptual point of view the “Technologisch Instituut” plays a triple role:

• Running the membership service for K VIV individual members and TI corporate members:
  Organising member-oriented training and educational activities. These programmes meet the needs of the individual member and contribute to the development of personal knowledge and skills.
• The social role:
  Distributing knowledge and acting as a platform for discussion of social problems in which technology is a key issue.
• Professional training and exchange of information:
  Meeting the demand and need for professional continuing education and technological information for the engineer, scientist, technician and executive.

More information about the Technological Institute on www.ti.kviv.be/English/index.html.

Regional Divisions (Gewestelijke Afdelingen)

The Regional Divisions are active in the 5 Flemish provinces. These divisions organise cultural, social, educational and sporting activities situated within the engineers’ scope of interest. In this way, engineers can meet each other and can keep close contact.

K VIV Young Engineers (K VIV-Jongeren)

This branch unites the younger engineers and integrates them within the organisations of the K VIV. The K VIV Young Engineers organise all kinds of activities for their target group. On an international level, they are active member of EYE (European Young Engineers).

K VIV Alumni (Groepering der Schoolverenigingen)

Every faculty has its own alumni organisation. K VIV unites these different organisations in the K VIV Alumni. The main goal is to keep close contacts between members and their former faculty, and also to improve the contacts between students and their faculty.

Legal aid

The legal service of the K VIV helps individual members with problems in their work environment. This service is free of charge.

Employment/Job Service

K VIV helps members to find a (first or new) job and also gives advice when members are looking for a new professional or educational challenge.

Studies and reports

K VIV makes analyses and publishes reports on professional and financial issues concerning engineers in their work environment.

Publications

K VIV publishes ‘Het Ingenieursblad’, a monthly journal for the engineer in his social and economic environment, about the engineering studies and profession, about scientific and technological developments, about the business world.

K VIV also publishes "Ingenieurs in Vlaanderen" (Engineers in Flanders), a yearbook with the majority of the Flemish engineers listed and individual information on its members.