ACECC History

The Asian Civil Engineering Coordinating Council History

The Asian Conference on Civil Engineering (ACCE) which was the first International Conference of its kind in Asia was organized and held in Manila, Philippines by three societies, Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers (PICE), American Society of Civil Engineers, (ASCE) and Japan Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE) on February 19-20, 1998; this conference was later designated as the 1st CECAR. Following this first CECAR, the presidents of the three societies felt that there was a need for an umbrella organization. Subsequently a Steering Committee of the three societies met in Quezon City, Philippines on May 7-8, 1999, during which the representatives of the three societies agreed to initiate the formation of the Asian Civil Engineering Coordinating Council (ACECC), including the drafting of the Constitution and By-Laws, inviting civil engineering organizations to join the membership of ACECC and naming all conferences sponsored by ACECC as the Civil Engineering Conference in the Asian Region (CECAR). The meeting to formally establish ACECC was held in Tokyo, Japan, on September 27, 1999, attended by the presidents/representatives of five societies, Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers (PICE), American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Japan Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE), Chinese Institute of Civil and Hydraulic Engineering (CICHE) and Korean Society of Civil Engineers (KSCE).

The proposed Constitution and By-laws were discussed, amended and adopted at that meeting, after which the document on the establishment of ACECC was signed by four of the representatives present; with ASCE signing on October 4, 1999. Following the signing ceremony, the first Executive Committee Meeting (1st ECM) was held on 27th and 28th, at which the first Chair of the Executive Committee was elected as the head of the organization and the Secretary General of the ACECC Secretariat was appointed. ACECC then began its activities.