South African Institute of Electrical Engineers (SAIEE)

The South African Institute of Electrical Engineers (SAIEE) is the professional body representing electrical, electronic and computer engineers in Southern Africa. SAIEE was formed in 1909 and is based in Observatory, Johannesburg, according to a provider record checked in August 2026.

Registered name

South African Institute of Electrical Engineers (SAIEE)

Type

Professional body (electrical, electronic and computer engineering)

Fields funded

Electrical, electronic and computer engineering

Website

saiee.org.za

Email

reception@saiee.org.za

Phone

011 487 9045

Learning and lectures

SAIEE supports its members’ professional development through courses such as an introduction to engineering ethics and a strategic planning course on feasibility studies from an engineer’s perspective. SAIEE’s flagship event, the Bernard Price Memorial Lecture, reached its 75th edition in 2026. SAIEE also highlights South Africa’s contribution to research on generating, supplying and using electrical energy, and recalls hosting the ISH2009 high-voltage engineering conference in Cape Town, which drew participants from 47 countries.

Publishing for members

On 8 October 2024, SAIEE signed a memorandum of understanding with Taylor & Francis, one of the world’s leading academic publishers. Under the agreement, SAIEE compiles members’ white papers each year and sends them to Taylor & Francis, which can peer review and publish suitable papers in technical books and handbooks, with authors paid under their own publishing agreements.

Bursaries and scholarships

SAIEE awards a number of bursaries each year from its bursary fund, for students who intend to study for a diploma or degree in electrical or computer engineering at a South African institution. The fund finances new bursaries and supports existing bursars, and individuals and companies can donate to it. SAIEE’s bursary covers tuition, prescribed textbooks and accommodation or living costs, with preference for women with strong results and financial need, and asks bursars to serve as SAIEE ambassadors rather than sign a work-back contract.

The Past Presidents Forum of SAIEE also offers prestigious scholarships for undergraduate study, subject to available funds, which may support up to four years and cover tuition, accommodation, books and subsistence. SAIEE has announced that applications are open, and 2027 listings give 30 October 2026 as the closing date.

How to research SAIEE

Download SAIEE’s bursary application guidelines and read them before completing the form. Join SAIEE as a student member, attend a lecture or branch event, and read wattnow, SAIEE’s magazine, to learn which topics electrical engineers are discussing.

See the Siemens bursary for another electrical engineering funder.