How ABET Accreditation Setting the Standard Worldwide? Ensure Distinct Quality in Total Academic Processes through ABET !
1. What's ABET? Originally founded in 1932 as the Engineers’ Council for Professional Development (ECPD), in 1980, it became the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology to more accurately describe the emphasis on accreditation. In 2005, to reflect It's expanded scope, it began using the acronym ABET only.
2. How ABET Accreditation adds value to the institutions?ABET accreditation ensures that educational programs meet specific quality standards set by industry professionals, ensuring that graduates are well-prepared for their careers.The ABET accreditation review process is an intensive team effort, and program accreditation is voluntary in the U.S. So why go through the trouble? Because the process yields data and insights; you can use it to deliver the best educational experience for your students.
More than 2,000 professionals from academia, industry and government carry out every aspect of ABET accreditation. They know their profession’s dynamic and emerging workforce needs and review academic programs to ensure they provide the technical and professional skills graduates need to succeed.
ABET accreditation tells your prospective students, peers and the professions you serve that your program:
- Has received international recognition of its quality.
- Promotes “best practices” in education.
- Directly involves faculty and staff in self-assessment and continuous quality improvement processes.
- Is based on “learning outcomes,” rather than “teaching inputs.”
- Can more easily determine the acceptability of transfer credits.
3. How ABET Accreditation adds value to the students?Your degree is a significant achievement and perhaps the largest investment you will make toward your future. The quality of education you receive makes a big difference in your career success. ABET accreditation:
- Verifies that your educational experience meets the global standard for technical education in your profession.
- Enhances your employment opportunities—multinational corporations require graduation from an accredited program.
- Supports your entry to a technical profession through licensure, registration and certification—all of which often require graduation from an ABET-accredited program as a minimum qualification.
- Establishes your eligibility for many federal student loans, grants, and/or scholarships.
- Paves the way for you to work globally, because ABET accreditation is recognized worldwide through international agreements, and many other countries’ national accrediting systems are based on the ABET model.4. How ABET Accreditation adds value to the institution globally?
5. What's the eligibility criteria for obtaining ABET Accreditation?Here is the step-by-step explanation of the ABET accreditation criteria and their eligibility.
The ABET accreditation review process is an intensive team effort, and program accreditation is voluntary in the U.S. So why go through the trouble? Because the process yields data and insights; you can use it to deliver the best educational experience for your students.
More than 2,000 professionals from academia, industry and government carry out every aspect of ABET accreditation. They know their profession’s dynamic and emerging workforce needs and review academic programs to ensure they provide the technical and professional skills graduates need to succeed.
ABET accreditation tells your prospective students, peers and the professions you serve that your program:
- Has received international recognition of its quality.
- Promotes “best practices” in education.
- Directly involves faculty and staff in self-assessment and continuous quality improvement processes.
- Is based on “learning outcomes,” rather than “teaching inputs.”
- Can more easily determine the acceptability of transfer credits.
Your degree is a significant achievement and perhaps the largest investment you will make toward your future. The quality of education you receive makes a big difference in your career success. ABET accreditation:
- Verifies that your educational experience meets the global standard for technical education in your profession.
- Enhances your employment opportunities—multinational corporations require graduation from an accredited program.
- Supports your entry to a technical profession through licensure, registration and certification—all of which often require graduation from an ABET-accredited program as a minimum qualification.
- Establishes your eligibility for many federal student loans, grants, and/or scholarships.
- Paves the way for you to work globally, because ABET accreditation is recognized worldwide through international agreements, and many other countries’ national accrediting systems are based on the ABET model.4. How ABET Accreditation adds value to the institution globally?
Here is the step-by-step explanation of the ABET accreditation criteria and their eligibility.
1. Understand The Eligible Programs
Encircling my previous point, I would like to again explain that not every program is eligible for ABET accreditation. Nationally accredited institutions & regionally accredited educational institutions in the USA can apply for the accreditation process.
It strictly doesn’t accredit any doctoral program or any certification.
2. Be Associated With A Degree-Granting Educational Organization
ABET accreditation accepts requests for evaluation from degree-granting educational institutions.
3.Minimum Of One Graduate Is A Must
Programs must have at least one graduate before they proceed with the ABET accreditation. Otherwise, they may have to face rejection afterward.
4.Requirements For Name Of Program
The name of the program must clearly depict the objective & content of the program. It shouldn’t be misleading. It should be apt and anyone must be able to understand its nature just by reading the title.
5.Included Programs
ANSAC - Applied & Natural Science Programs, CAC - Computing Programs, EAC - Engineering Accreditation Commission, ETAC - Engineering Technology Programs, Distance Learning Programs, and Alternative Programs.
6.Preliminary SSR Reports
Every program needs to submit SSR reports before requesting the final on-site visit peer review. These SSR reports must be highly accurate and free from any kinds of data error. Once the SSR reports are approved, the ABET committee members will reach out for further proceedings.
6. What's the parameters of ABET Accreditation?- Long Term Objectives- Educational objectives set for the long term based on the standards set by alumni batch students and the constituency requirements.
- Measurable Goals - The student outcomes must be mapped throughout the graduation & need to be determined in advance. In simple words, the goals must be measurable.
- Sustainable Process - The evaluation & assessment process must be sustainable.
6. What are the Step by Step process of AccreditationThe 18 months of ABET is divided into the following steps-
Every program needs to submit SSR reports before requesting the final on-site visit peer review. These SSR reports must be highly accurate and free from any kinds of data error. Once the SSR reports are approved, the ABET committee members will reach out for further proceedings.
- Long Term Objectives- Educational objectives set for the long term based on the standards set by alumni batch students and the constituency requirements.
- Measurable Goals - The student outcomes must be mapped throughout the graduation & need to be determined in advance. In simple words, the goals must be measurable.
- Sustainable Process - The evaluation & assessment process must be sustainable.
The 18 months of ABET is divided into the following steps-
Stage 1: Readiness Review - October 1
To complete the readiness review, institutions need to collect samples of assignments, syllabus, curriculum and get ready by October 1.
Stage 2: Evaluation Request By January 31
RFE needs to be submitted by January 31. A review team is assigned by the month of April and May depending on the review.
Stage 3: Submit SSR Report By July 1
The review of SSR begins by the month of July.
Stage 4: Onsite Visit By September-December
An onsite visit can be arranged between September-December. Institutions need to be well prepared with documents & faculty will need to face interviews of the panel.
Stage 5: Decision-Making Process
- Any corrections in the documents are asked within 1 week
- Formal communication about findings is done in 2-3 months after the onsite visit
- Institutions need to clarify within 30 days regarding the shortcomings
- ABET commission takes a decision in the month of July
- The final statement regarding the decision is notified to institute by August 31
7. ABET Accreditation in IndiaCertainly! In India, only 10 universities have received ABET accreditation for their engineering programs. These include Chandigarh University, Bharath University, Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute, Kalasalingam University, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Mody University of Science and Technology, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, SVKM's NMIMS Deemed to be University (Mumbai Campus), and Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology.
- Any corrections in the documents are asked within 1 week
- Formal communication about findings is done in 2-3 months after the onsite visit
- Institutions need to clarify within 30 days regarding the shortcomings
- ABET commission takes a decision in the month of July
- The final statement regarding the decision is notified to institute by August 31
8. How to proceed for ABET Accreditation?ABET accreditation is the culmination of a practice of ongoing self-assessment and continuous improvement, which assures confidence that ABET-accredited programs are meeting the needs of their students, preparing graduates to enter their careers, and responsive to the needs of the professions and the world. This process has to be initiated by the institution.
Self-Study Report
Once your program has submitted a Request for Evaluation, it must submit a Self-Study Report to ABET Headquarters by July 1. The chair of your program’s accreditation review team will then instruct you on distributing copies of the Self-Study Report to each member of the review team.
Once your program has submitted a Request for Evaluation, it must submit a Self-Study Report to ABET Headquarters by July 1. The chair of your program’s accreditation review team will then instruct you on distributing copies of the Self-Study Report to each member of the review team.
The On-Site Visit
On-Site visits are typically scheduled between September and December in the same year of an RFE submission. For programs located in the U.S., the on-site visit usually takes place between September and December, generally Sunday through Tuesday. Programs outside the U.S. may have a different schedule.
Once the on-site visit is set, you will be asked to schedule interviews and provide meeting spaces and display materials to assist the review team in its evaluation. The on-site visit will conclude with an exit meeting, at which the review team will convey its findings.
On-Site visits are typically scheduled between September and December in the same year of an RFE submission. For programs located in the U.S., the on-site visit usually takes place between September and December, generally Sunday through Tuesday. Programs outside the U.S. may have a different schedule.
Once the on-site visit is set, you will be asked to schedule interviews and provide meeting spaces and display materials to assist the review team in its evaluation. The on-site visit will conclude with an exit meeting, at which the review team will convey its findings.
Due Process and the Accreditation Decision
Approximately two to three months after the on-site visit, we will send your institution a Draft Statement containing a section for each program reviewed. The institution has a 30-Day Due Process response period from receipt of the Draft Statement to provide information on actions the programs have taken to resolve any identified shortcomings.
The back-and-forth process of the due process review period must be completed before the commission’s decision-making meeting in July, when each team chair presents his/her team’s findings to the commission responsible for the accreditation decision.
A Final Statement is prepared and sent to the institution by August 31. The Final Statement is based on the review team’s findings, the program’s responses, and communicates the accreditation commission’s decision.
9. ConclusionsThe orientation is "productivity through quality," and there is a need for people who can:
- Direct, coordinate, and control the diverse components of the system
- Utilize resources in an optimal manner
- Translate discoveries into new products on a timely basis.
ABET aims that students must be able to demonstrate an ability to and perform at their best to:
(1) Identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
(2) Apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
(3) Communicate effectively with a range of audiences
(4) Recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
(5) Function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
(6) Develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
(7) Acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies
10. FAQsQ. What programs are eligible for ABET Accreditation?Ans.: The ABET accreditation offers accreditation for the following programs.
- ANSAC - Applied & Natural Science Programs
- CAC - Computing Programs
- EAC - Engineering Accreditation Commission
- ETAC - Engineering Technology Programs
- Distance Learning Programs
- Some Alternative Programs
References https://www.abet.org/accreditation/get-accredited/accreditation-step-by-step/
Approximately two to three months after the on-site visit, we will send your institution a Draft Statement containing a section for each program reviewed. The institution has a 30-Day Due Process response period from receipt of the Draft Statement to provide information on actions the programs have taken to resolve any identified shortcomings.
The back-and-forth process of the due process review period must be completed before the commission’s decision-making meeting in July, when each team chair presents his/her team’s findings to the commission responsible for the accreditation decision.
A Final Statement is prepared and sent to the institution by August 31. The Final Statement is based on the review team’s findings, the program’s responses, and communicates the accreditation commission’s decision.
The orientation is "productivity through quality," and there is a need for people who can:
- Direct, coordinate, and control the diverse components of the system
- Utilize resources in an optimal manner
- Translate discoveries into new products on a timely basis.
ABET aims that students must be able to demonstrate an ability to and perform at their best to:
(1) Identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
(2) Apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
(3) Communicate effectively with a range of audiences
(4) Recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
(5) Function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
(6) Develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
(7) Acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies
Ans.: The ABET accreditation offers accreditation for the following programs.
- ANSAC - Applied & Natural Science Programs
- CAC - Computing Programs
- EAC - Engineering Accreditation Commission
- ETAC - Engineering Technology Programs
- Distance Learning Programs
- Some Alternative Programs
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