Young engineers from all over the world to debate healthcare

​The Global Engineering Debate (GED), now in its third year, is created and run by the Young Members of the Institution.

This year, the speakers will prepare to debate the question: ‘How can healthcare technology better support independent life for an ageing population?’.

In 2010, 17% of the UK population was aged over 65. That figure is projected to reach 23% by the year 2035. It is therefore ever more important that age is a high consideration in engineers’ design and planning.

The debate opens with an opportunity for each speaker to present their case and develop their arguments. Questions are invited from the audience and via social media before closing statements. What makes the GED exciting is that before the event, the audience is surveyed to see where they stand on the topic. A closing vote is taken to see to what extent the speakers have managed to shift the audience’s opinions. It is free to attend and you can book your place  via the Eventbrite website.

The speakers will discuss the question from four perspectives:

• life at home
• transportation
• healthcare providers, such as hospitals and pharmacies
• community providers, such as supermarkets.

The debate will consider areas such as cost, impact and technology push or pull. Questions from the audience can be emailed to ged14@imeche.org.

The launch event, which takes place on 6 April from 6pm at One Birdcage Walk, is hosted by Dr Helen Meese, Head of Healthcare at the Institution. The debate will be chaired by Professor Garth Johnson, Emeritus Professor at Newcastle University.

The purpose of the GED is to publicise the voices of young engineers around the world on themes of international importance. It is an event that celebrates the contribution of young professional engineers towards solving global problems that affect current and future generations.

Previous topics have included energy and transport. Young members from many countries, including Trinidad and Tobago, Hong Kong, and Singapore have held their own GED events.

GED Launch Event 2017

Date: 6 April
Time: 18:30 with a reception and refreshments from 18:00 
Location: The Lecture Theatre at One Birdcage Walk, London