CAETS is an independent non-political, non-governmental, international organization of engineering and technological sciences academies, one member academy per country, that advances the following objectives:

• Prepared to advise governments and international organizations on technical and policy issues related to its areas of expertise;
• Contribute to the strengthening of engineering and technological activities to promote sustainable economic growth and social welfare throughout the world; • Foster a balanced understanding of the applications of engineering and technology by the public;
• Provide an international forum for discussion and communication of engineering and technological issues of common concern;
• Foster cooperative international engineering and technological efforts through meaningful contacts for development of programs of bilateral and multilateral interest;
• Encourage improvement of engineering education and practice internationally; and
• Foster establishment of additional engineering academies in countries where none exist.

The first International Convocation of Academies of Engineering and similar institutions was held in 1978. Slight changes were made in the title of subsequent convocations from 1980 to 1985. In 1985 the name “Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences (CAETS)” was agreed upon. Upon incorporation in 2000, the name became the “International Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences, Inc. (CAETS).”