Gulf Cooperation Council Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (GABET)

1
Gulf Cooperation Council Accreditation Board for
Engineering and Technology (GABET)

• Report to the
• GCC Deans Committee
• Presented by
• Dr. Samir Al-Baiyat
• on behalf of the
• GABET Committee

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GABET Committee

• Dr. Andrew J. Wilson, University of Qatar
• Dr. Ahmet Yigit, Kuwait University
• Dr. Isa Qamber, Bahrain University
• Dr. J. Richard Williams, United Arab Emirates
  University
• Dr. Samir Al-Baiyat, King Fahad University of
  Petroleum and Minerals
• Dr. Waleed Abu Farag, King Abdulaziz University

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Outline

• Review of Committee purpose
• Summary of Committee activities
• Committee Report

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Committee Purpose

• Prepare report on the reasons and goals for the
  formation of a academic accreditation board that
  would include the previous experience of other
  universities already accredited
• Prepare for a workshop on academic accreditation
  to be held in parallel with any of the future
  meetings and coordinate with other international
  accreditation boards
• Report to the GCC Deans Committee in order to
  present this to the GCC University Presidents

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Committee Activities

• Attendance at ABET Meeting in Pittsburg,
  Pennsylvania, USA from October 31 to November 1,
  2002
• Ongoing communication the Executive Director of
  ABET
• Contact with representatives from JABEE, ABEEK,
  RAEE
• GABET Committee meeting in Dubai, February 26-27,
  2003
• Preparation of report and presentation

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Committee Report

• Introduction to ABETs international
  accreditation activities
• Background information
• GCC Accreditation Board
• Initiating GABET
• Conclusions and recommendations
• Workshop and conference plan

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Introduction

• Purpose and function of accreditation
• International recognition of quality
• External uniform and objective measures and
  evaluation
• Promote continuous evaluation and improvement
• Accreditation by ABET in the GCC
• Established practice
• Substantial Equivalence

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Introduction

• Direction of ABET
• Limiting international accreditation activities
• Promoting mutual agreements with other
  international accreditation agencies
• Need for GABET

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Background Information

• GCC Universities with ABET Substantial
  Equivalency
• Kuwait University
• King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
• United Arab Emirates University
• King Abdulaziz University
• Other GCC universities actively seeking
  accreditation

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Background Information

• ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and
  Technology)
• Accrediting programs for 75 years
• Over 500 different programs at over 170 colleges
  and universities visited each year in the US
• Operated and governed by member professional
  societies
• International activities coordinated by
  International Activities Committee (INTAC)

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Background Information

• ABET Criteria
• Engineering Criteria 2000 (EC 2000)
• Fully implemented for engineering programs in US
• International implementation to be fully phased
  in by fall of 2004
• Outcomes based assessment and continuous
  improvement

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Background Information

• ABET Organization
• Four commissions
• Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC)
• Technology Accreditation Commission (TAC)
• Computer Accreditation Commission (CAC)
• Applied Science Accreditation Commission (ASAC)
• Operated by professional societies with unpaid
  personnel
• Commissions responsible for
• Development of accreditation criteria
• Evaluation of programs
• Recommendation of accreditation actions

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Background Information

• International agreements of ABET
• Bilateral agreements and memorandums of
  understanding (MOU)
• Canada bilateral agreement
• Washington Accord agreement
• Original agreement between accrediting agencies
  of English speaking countries

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Background Information

• ABET international activities
• Focusing primarily on US accreditation
• Seeking to limit accreditation (Substantial
  Equivalency) of individual international
  institutions
• Promoting agreements of mutual recognition with
  international accrediting bodies
• Bilateral agreements
• Washington accord
• Promoting development of international
  accrediting bodies
• JABEE
• ABEK

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Background Information

• Summary of GCC ABET Activities
• Attendance at ABET Annual meetings
• Attendance at Istanbul ABET Workshop
• Preparation for Conventional and EC 2000 visits
• Preparation for and hosting of consultative and
  accreditation visits
• Participation in program evaluator training
• Presentation of papers on accreditation, outcomes
  assessment, and continuous improvement

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Background Information

• Conditions in the GCC
• Unlikely that each country has the ability to
  establish individual accreditation agencies
• Insufficient depth and breadth to accredit all
  programs of each university
• Only one or two universities in some countries
• Regional accreditation board is warranted
• Limitations
• Lack of professional society development
• Political and legal changes may be required
• Lack of culture of professional volunteerism
• Leadership and expertise must come from
  universities and industry

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Background Information

• Conditions in the GCC (continued)
• Professional registration
• Accredited degree is usually first step
• Registration of engineers not practiced in GCC
• Proposals have been made in Saudi Arabia and
  Kuwait
• Institutional assessment
• Self assessment is integral to EC 2000
• Self assessment has been adopted by nearly all
  regional universities
• Saudi Arabia and UAE have national institutional
  accreditation

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GCC Accreditation Board for Engineering and
Technology (GABET)

• Purpose
• Accredit programs within the GCC
• Engineering
• Technology
• Computer science
• Architecture
• Enter into a MOU with ABET to develop GABET
• Execute a bilateral agreement of mutual
  recognition with ABET
• Eventually, become a signatory of the Washington
  Accord

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GCC Accreditation Board for Engineering and
Technology (GABET)

• Organizing philosophy
• Authority to accredit and recognition by GCC
  governments
• Represent the engineering, technical, and
  professional communities it accredits
• Balance between education and practice
  (university and industry)
• Non-governmental and independent, free of vested
  interests

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GCC Accreditation Board for Engineering and
Technology (GABET)
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GCC Accreditation Board for Engineering and
Technology (GABET)

• Initial Organization
• Board of Directors
• Executive Director
• Accreditation Commissions

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GCC Accreditation Board for Engineering and
Technology (GABET)

• Board of Directors
• Purpose
• Executive body
• Appoint Executive Director
• Development and approval of constitution
• Approves
• Polices and procedures
• Accreditation criteria
• Accreditation actions of Commissions

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GCC Accreditation Board for Engineering and
Technology (GABET)

• Board of Directors
• Membership
• Minimum of two from each GCC country one from
  industry and one from academia
• Nominated by national committee
• Ratified by the accreditation commissions
• Minimum of one international member who is a
  member of an international accreditation
  commission
• Term will be three years with membership having
  staggered terms

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GCC Accreditation Board for Engineering and
Technology (GABET)

• Board of Directors
• Qualifications
• Minimum BS degree in engineering, technology,
  computer science, or architecture
• Distinguished experience and accomplishments
• Serving on an accreditation commission
• Served as a visit team chair and program
  evaluator
• In countries where no accredited programs exist,
  qualifications will be waived as appropriate

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GCC Accreditation Board for Engineering and
Technology (GABET)

• Executive Director
• Appointed by Board of Directors
• Full time paid position
• Duties
• Responsible for administrative funtions
• Carry out polices and directives of the Board
• Liaison to the public
• Organize and coordinate meetings and conferences
• Establish and operate office

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GCC Accreditation Board for Engineering and
Technology (GABET)

• Executive Director
• Qualifications
• Experience in accreditation
• Member of one of the professions

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GCC Accreditation Board for Engineering and
Technology (GABET)

• Accreditation Commissions
• Performs actual accreditation activities
• Duties
• Develop and maintain accreditation criteria,
  polices and procedures
• Manage and operate the accreditation process
• Evaluate programs and recommend appropriate
  accreditation actions
• Provide information and training on accreditation
  activities

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GCC Accreditation Board for Engineering and
Technology (GABET)

• Accreditation Commissions
• Membership
• Balance between practitioners (industry and
  government) and educators
• Each country one industry and one academic
  member for each accredited discipline within the
  country
• Additional members will be granted to countries
  with more than one university with accredited
  programs
• Approved by the Board of Directors

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GCC Accreditation Board for Engineering and
Technology (GABET)

• Accreditation Commissions
• Membership (continued)
• Qualifications
• Minimum BS degree in engineering, technology,
  computer science, or orchitecture
• Distinguished by experience and credentials to
  merit respect by peers

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GCC Accreditation Board for Engineering and
Technology (GABET)

• Visit Team
• Recommendations to achieve ABET equivalency
• Headed by Team Chairman member of appropriate
  Accreditation Commission
• Team chairman will present the team report to the
  Accreditation Commission
• One program evaluator for each program being
  evaluated
• Program evaluator must have ABET or GABET
  training and have served as an observer
• At least one member of the team shall be from
  ABET
• If no GABET program evaluators are available, an
  ABET evaluator will be used

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GCC Accreditation Board for Engineering and
Technology (GABET)

• Funding
• Initially shared between the GCC Secretariat and
  the GCC universities
• GCC universities will pay annual fees
• GCC Secretariat will most likely need to fund
  startup costs and provide ongoing support
• In future, professional societies may join as
  society members and pay fees
• GABET office is recommended to be within the GCC
  Office Building in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

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GCC Accreditation Board for Engineering and
Technology (GABET)

• Reporting and accountability
• Financial accountability to GCC Secretariat
• Annual report to Secretariat, University
  Presidents Committee and Deans Committee

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GCC Accreditation Board for Engineering and
Technology (GABET)

• Training activities and conferences
• Annual meeting
• Conduct business
• Training workshops
• Conference on assessment and quality improvement
• International faculty workshop
• ABET to conduct every third year
• Meetings to rotate throughout the GCC

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Initiating GABET

• Establishment will require major commitment of
  time and expense
• Report cannot provide complete blueprint, but
  only how to begin

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Initiating GABET

• Process
• GCC Deans and Presidents Committees agree on
  GABET concept
• Proposal to GCC Secretariat for approval and
  funding
• GCC Deans to champion GABET
• Recognition by government ministries, national
  industries, and professional societies
• Formation of national committee and nomination of
  initial Board of Directors representatives

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Initiating GABET

• Process
• Board of Directors
• Seek an MOU with ABET
• Establishment of constitution
• Formation of commissions
• Appointment of Executive Director
• Development of detailed plan to fully develop
  GABET

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Conclusions and Recommendations

• The increasing demand for accreditation and
  ABETs position on international accreditation
  make the formation of GABET a necessity
• The GCC Deans Committee should revise and adopt
  the proposed plan to initiate GABET

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Board Policy on International Activities

• Promote and develop bilateral multilateral
  mutual recognition agreements.
• Assist nations in developing their accreditation
  systems, and provide guidance in the
  implementation of continuous quality improvement
  in engineering education in other countries.

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Board Policy on International Activities

• Work with other quality assurance organization to
  develop regional capacity building.
• Conduct substantial equivalency evaluations in
  countries where there is no national engineering
  accreditation body