The Society was established as a medium for scholars to discuss relevant engineering issues and to fraternise.

[2] As such, it is one of the oldest surviving student clubs at the University of Canterbury; only being younger than the Christian Union by a couple of months.

In the early decades of the 20th century, the Engineering Society was regarded as one of the most important student organisation of what was then Canterbury College, alongside the Christian Union and the Dialectic Society.

[3] The Marlowe Cup is the societies most famous exchange with the University of Otago.

ENSOC operate a stationery shop at arm's length from the main organisation.