the “fundamentals” of accreditation quality assurance in educational programs lyle d. feisel...
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The “Fundamentals” of Accreditation
Quality Assurance in Educational Programs
Lyle D. FeiselChair, IEEE Com. on Global Accreditation Activities
Dean Emeritus of Engineering, SUNY Binghamton
ENGINEERING ACCREDITATION AROUND THE WORLDENGINEERING ACCREDITATION AROUND THE WORLD
Lima, Peru
3 – 5 December, 2005
Outline• IEEE, EAB, APC, and CGAA• What is accreditation• The goals of accreditation• Forms of accreditation agencies• Some general characteristics• Factors that may be considered• The big question• International considerations• Summary
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Formed in 1963 from two predecessor organizations
• About 350,000 members
• US in origin, now global in scope
• About 1/3 of members are non-US
From the IEEE Constitution
• Sec. 2. Its purposes are:
• (a) scientific and educational, directed toward the advancement of the theory and practice of electrical engineering, electronics, radio and the allied branches of engineering and the related arts and sciences ...
• … (b) professional, directed toward the advancement of the standing of the members of the professions it serves
Structure of IEEE
IEEE Board of Directors
Technical Activities Board
Regional Activities Board
Educational Activities Board
Publications Services & Products Board
IEEE Standards Association
Structure of IEEE
IEEE Board of Directors
Technical Activities Board
Regional Activities Board
Educational Activities Board
Publications Services & Products Board
IEEE Standards Association
Structure of EABIEEE Educational Activities Board
Awards & Recognition
Continuing Professional Education
Pre-college Education
Public Awareness
Accreditation Policy Council
Structure of EABIEEE Educational Activities Board
Awards & Recognition
Continuing Professional Education
Pre-college Education
Public Awareness
Accreditation Policy Council
Structure of APCEAB Accreditation Policy Council
Engineering Accreditation Activities (US)
Technology accreditation Activities (US)
Global Accreditation Activities
Computer Accreditation Liaison (US)
Structure of APCEAB Accreditation Policy Council
Engineering Accreditation Activities (US)
Technology accreditation Activities (US)
Global Accreditation Activities
Computer Accreditation Liaison (US)
Mission of CGAA
The Committee on Global Accreditation Activities coordinates IEEE activities related to education program accreditation in Regions 8, 9, and 10. The Committee is responsible for planning, developing and conducting activities to advance the IEEE-related professions through accreditation of educational programs in those regions.
The “Fundamentals” of Accreditation
First, what IS accreditation?
• External recognition of quality
• Varies from country to country
• Of value to: Prospective students
Graduates
Prospective employers
Graduate schools
Licensing agencies
Governments
The Goal of Program Accreditation
To assure that graduates are qualified to practice engineering
Some Unfortunate Misuses of Accreditation
• To control the universities
• To serve the faculty
• To limit enrollments
• To control competition
“Accreditation” is sometimes called…
• Certification
• Registration
• Approval
• Or …..?
Accreditation can be…
• Voluntary
• Required
• Coerced
Characteristics of Accreditation
• External Agency
• Standards (criteria)
• Evaluation
• Recognition
• Maintenance
• Generally Go or No Go
• Generally within borders
Kinds of Accreditation Agencies
• Government
• Peer (other colleges)
• Professional
• A combination
• Private agency
Factors that may be considered
• Curriculum
• Faculty
• Students
• Facilities
• Administration
• External constituencies
• Success of graduates
• Faculty salaries
• Staff support
• Faculty workload
• Demand for graduates
• Quality improvement
• Meets objectives
An Important Question
• Level of specificity
• What level of detail should be included in the accreditation criteria?
Levels of Curricular Specificity
• Educational goal
• Abilities of graduates
• Overall curriculum
• Courses
• Course content
An Example
Levels of Curricular Specificity
• Educational goal Very general
• Abilities of graduates
• Overall curriculum
• Courses
• Course content Very specific
An Example
Levels of Curricular Specificity
• Educational goal
• Abilities of graduates
• Overall curriculum
• Courses
• Course content
Specified Educational Goal
• The program must provide an educational experience that prepares its graduates to enter the practice of engineering
An Example
Levels of Curricular Specificity
• Educational goal
• Abilities of graduates
• Overall curriculum
• Courses
• Course content
Specified Abilities of Graduates
• At the completion of the educational program, the graduate must be able to:– Define and solve engineering problems– Analyze the effects of their solutions on the
environment and society– Use computers and other modern tools– Defend the practices of the government– Etc., etc., etc.
An Example
Levels of Curricular Specificity
• Educational goal
• Abilities of graduates
• Overall curriculum
• Courses
• Course content
Specified Overall Curriculum• The program must provide instruction in
the following areas:– One semester - mathematics
– One semester – basic science
– Two semesters – engineering science
– One semester – engineering design
– One semester – humanities and social sciences
– One semester – industrial experience
– One semester – religion
An Example
Levels of Curricular Specificity
• Educational goal
• Abilities of graduates
• Overall curriculum
• Courses
• Course content
Specified Courses• The mathematics portion of the curriculum
must include the following:– One course in analytic geometry– Two courses in calculus– One course in vector calculus– One course in ordinary differential equations– One course in partial differential equations– One course in probability and statistics
An Example
Levels of Curricular Specificity
• Educational goal
• Abilities of graduates
• Overall curriculum
• Courses
• Course content
Specified Course Content
• The first course in electric circuits shall cover the following topics:– 2 lectures – Ohm’s Law– 1 lecture – matrix mathematics– 3 lectures – loop equations– 3 lectures – node equations– Etc., etc., etc.
An Example
Factors that may be considered
• Curriculum
• Faculty
• Students
• Facilities
• Administration
• External constituencies
• Success of graduates
• Faculty salaries
• Staff support
• Faculty workload
• Demand for graduates
• Quality improvement
• Meets objectives
The Big Question
If a program is judged to be doing well in all or most of these factors,
therefore
we may conclude that its graduates are qualified to practice engineering.
Is this true?
International Considerations
• Global community has led to increased mobility of engineers and students
• How can credentials and quality of education be assessed and certified?
Different Approaches to International Recognition• Accredit programs in other countries
– IEE (NOT IEEE) yes, ABET no
• Certify “Substantial Equivalency”– ABET yes, others ???
• Agree to mutual recognition– Washington Accord– Western Hemisphere Initiative– EUR-ACE
*Provisional status
Australia re-elected chair
United States re-elected secretariat
AUSTRALIA
CANADA
IRELAND
NEW ZEALAND
UNITED KINGDOM
UNITED STATES
HONG KONG
SOUTH AFRICA
JAPAN
SINGAPORE*
MALAYSIA*
GERMANY*
CHINESE TAIPEI*
KOREA*
Washington Accord Signatory Countries (2003-2005)
Copyright © 2005 by ABET, Inc.
• Verification required at regular intervals (no more than 6 years)
• Bilateral agreements by individual signatories not Recognized by other signatories
• Only addresses program accreditation or recognition, not licensure or registration
• Signatories may exchange observers to annual meetings or accreditation visits
The Washington Accord
Copyright © 2005 by ABET, Inc.
• Ultimate goal is Mutual Recognition Agreements among engineering education quality assurance organizations in the Western Hemisphere.
• Initial members include ABET, CHEA, CCPE, and CACEI.
Western Hemisphere Initiative
Copyright © 2005 by ABET, Inc.
Summary• Voluntary, required or coerced• Government, peer, professional or
combination• Criteria - general to specific• May serve
– Government– University– Faculty– Students– Profession
• International considerations
The “Fundamentals” of Accreditation
Quality Assurance in Educational Programs
Lyle D. FeiselChair, IEEE Com. on Global Accreditation Activities
ENGINEERING ACCREDITATION AROUND THE WORLDENGINEERING ACCREDITATION AROUND THE WORLD
Lima, Peru
3 – 5 December, 2005