On the recommendation of the Executive of the WIETE International Academic Advisory Committee (WIETE-IAAC), a membership grade called Fellowship, was established in February 2012. This is the WIETE’s highest membership grade, awarded to prominent international academics in recognition of their distinguished contributions to engineering and technology education, outstanding achievements in the globalisation of engineering and technology education through the activities of the WIETE and, in particular, for their exceptional service to the WIETE.

Two distinguished international academics were elected WIETE Fellows on this occasion and were presented with their diplomas at the Conference Banquet of the 4th WIETE Annual Conference on Engineering and Technology Education, held in Cairns, Australia, on Wednesday, 13 February 2013, by Prof. Zenon J. Pudlowski, WIETE Director.

The two new WIETE Fellows are: Professor Derek O. Northwood of the University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada, formerly President of the WIETE-IAAC and Professor Andrew Nafalski of the University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia, a WIETE-IAAC Vice-President.

We would like to congratulate the recipients on their award and wish them further success in their outstanding input to the world of science, and also thank them wholeheartedly for their exceptional contribution to the life and activities of the WIETE.

As there is a possibility of organising the next WIETE Annual Conference in New Zealand, this matter was discussed during the Conference. Two distinguished academics, who chaired and moderated two special sessions, were each awarded a sterling silver one dollar NZ coin for their contribution to the Conference. It was also an expression of encouragement to continue their participation in, and support of, future WIETE conferences. The recipients of this special award were: Professor Promod Vohra, Dean of the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology at the Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois, USA and WIETE-IAAC Vice-President; and Prof. Valentin D. Petrescu, Vice-Dean of the Hermann Oberth Faculty of Engineering at Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Sibiu, Romania.