IHEQN

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IHEQNAND NEVER THE TWAIN SHALL MEET?CASE
STUDY OF COLLABORATION 1.Engineers Ireland and
University College Cork Denis
McGrathRegistrarEngineers Ireland

• IHEQN Conference October 2006

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Accreditation Criteria 1983

• Input-based
• Entry Standards
• Curriculum Content
• Laboratory Facilities
• External Examiners Reports

IHEQN Conference October 2006
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Development of Outcomes-based Accreditation
Criteria - 2001

• Context
• ABET move towards Programme Outcomes
• National Framework of Qualifications in Ireland
  10 Levels
• Reorganisation of university programmes heavy
  emphasis on learning outcomes
• Standards for awards in institutes of technology

IHEQN Conference October 2006
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Background ResearchAccreditation Criteria of
other organisations

• Accreditation Board for Engineering and
  Technology (USA) (ABET)
• Engineering Council (UK) (ECUK)
• Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA)
• Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand
  (IPENZ)
• Engineers Australia (IEAust)
• Canadian Council of Professional Engineers (CCPE)
• Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE)
• The Engineering Professors Council (UK) (EPC)
• Quality Assurance Agency (UK) (QAA)
• IHEQN Conference October 2006

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Development of Accreditation Criteria

• Accreditation Board Working Group
• 2 Years Preparation / Consultation

IHEQN Conference October 2006
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Accreditation Criteria 2003 Ethos

• Guidelines on inputs such as entry standard,
  curriculum content, staffing, laboratories.
• Prescribed Programme Outcomes.

IHEQN Conference October 2006
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Accreditation Criteria 2003Programme Outcomes

• The ability to derive and apply solutions from a
  knowledge of sciences, engineering sciences,
  technology and mathematics
• The ability to identify, formulate, analyse and
  solve engineering problems

IHEQN Conference October 2006
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Accreditation Criteria 2003Programme Outcomes

• The ability to design a system, component or
  process to meet specified needs, to design and
  conduct experiments and to analyse and interpret
  data
• An understanding of the need for high ethical
  standards in the practice of engineering,
  including the responsibilities of the engineering
  profession towards people and the environment

IHEQN Conference October 2006
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Accreditation Criteria 2003Programme Outcomes

• The ability to work effectively as an individual,
  in teams and in multi-disciplinary settings
  together with the capacity to undertake lifelong
  learning
• The ability to communicate effectively with the
  engineering community and with society at large.

IHEQN Conference October 2006
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Accreditation Criteria 2003Programme Areas

• Sciences and Mathematics
• Discipline-specific Technology
• Information and Communications Technology
• Design and Development
• Engineering Practice
• Social and Business Context

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Accreditation Criteria 2003

• Programme Area Descriptors
• Describe how the learning outcomes of
  modules in Programme Areas contribute to
  Programme Outcomes.

IHEQN Conference October 2006
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Accreditation Criteria 2003

• Sum of Learning Outcomes
• Programme Outcomes
• IHEQN Conference October 2006

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Accreditation Criteria 2003Process of
Implementation

• ABET Assessor Training Course, Washington DC
• Briefings for academic staff in colleges
• Training of Assessors

IHEQN Conference October 2006
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Accreditation Visit to College Visiting Panel

• Accreditation Panel Chairman
• Registrar Engineers Ireland
• Programme Panel for each degree programme
• Panel Chairman
• Two Assessors, one is Rapporteur
• Note One member of Programme Panel from
  industry if possible

IHEQN Conference October 2006
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Accreditation Visit to CollegePre-visit
Activities

• Final year projects evaluated for achievement of
  Programme Outcomes (one assessor)
• Laboratory facilities evaluated (other
  assessor)
• Initial views on documentation sent to
  university.

IHEQN Conference October 2006
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Accreditation Visit to College Agenda Day One

• 11.00am - Accreditation Panel assembles at
  university
• Plenary Meeting between Accreditation Panel and
  senior Academic Staff to include 15 minute
  presentation by university, on programmes for
  accreditation
• 11.30am - Private Plenary Meeting of
  Accreditation Panel to brief Programme Panels
• 12 noon - Parallel meetings of Programme Panels
  and academic staff in separate rooms, commencing
  with 15 minute presentation on each programme
• 1.00pm - Buffet Lunch Accreditation Panel
  Staff

IHEQN Conference October 2006
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Accreditation Visit to CollegeAgenda Day One
(contd)

• 2.00pm - Parallel sessions in separate evidence
  rooms, of Programme Panels, to include
• Meeting to discuss panel views on documentation
  and pre-visit data
• Evaluation of evidence of achievement of
  Programme Outcomes
• Examination questions and answer books (scripts)
  for all years of each programme in previous year
• Laboratory Reports / Note Books
• Project Work
• Final Year Projects
• Other relevant material (if applicable)
• Meeting to discuss mid-point findings to date

IHEQN Conference October 2006
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Accreditation Visit to CollegeAgenda Day One
(contd)

• 5.15pm - Private Plenary Meeting of Accreditation
  Panel to discuss mid-point findings of each
  Programme Panel
• 6.00pm - Conclusion of Day One
• 7.30pm - Dinner with Accreditation Panel and
  Academic Staff

IHEQN Conference October 2006
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Accreditation Visit to College Agenda Day Two

• 8.45am - Private Plenary Meeting of Accreditation
  Panel
• 9.15am - Plenary meeting between Accreditation
  Panel and selected Academic Staff to discuss
  matters generally common to each programme
• 10.45am - Coffee
• 11.15am - Parallel meetings of Programme Panels
  with Academic Staff to discuss separately
  (separate rooms) achievement of Programme
  Outcomes for each Programme
• 1.00pm - Buffet Lunch Accreditation Panel and
  Staff

IHEQN Conference October 2006
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Accreditation Visit to CollegeAgenda Day Two
(contd)

• 2.00pm - Parallel separate discussions on how
  Programme Outcomes are being reached on each
  Programme Panel between each panel and
• Final Year Students on each Programme
• Previous Graduates of each Programme
• Employers who have employed numbers of recent
  graduates from each Programme
• 3.45pm - Private Parallel Meetings of Programme
  Panels to discuss findings in respect of each
  Programme

IHEQN Conference October 2006
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Accreditation Visit to CollegeAgenda Day Two
(contd)

• 4.45pm - Plenary Meeting of Accreditation Panel
  to finalise a consistent set of findings in
  respect of each programme
  Deficits (if any) identified
• Conditions
• Recommendations
• Features and Strengths

IHEQN Conference October 2006
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Accreditation Visit to CollegeAgenda Day Two
(contd)

• 5.45pm - Concluding Meeting Accreditation Panel
  Chairman / Programme Panel Chairman explains
  findings in respect of each programme, to senior
  academic staff
• 6.30pm - End of Visit
  

IHEQN Conference October 2006
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Accreditation PanelEvaluation and Report

• Findings and Recommendations on Accreditation
  disclosed
• 5 years, 3 years, lt 3 years
• Clarification given
• Conclusion of Visit

IHEQN Conference October 2006
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Accreditation PanelEvaluation and Report

• Recommendation to Accreditation Board
• Executive Committee of Council
• Final decision / final report to college
• Presentation of Parchment

IHEQN Conference October 2006
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Washington Accord Signatories

• Australia New Zealand
• Canada Singapore
• Hong Kong South Africa
• Ireland UK
• Japan USA

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Washington Accord Benefits

• Mutual acceptance of accreditation decisions
• Substantial equivalence of degree programmes

IHEQN Conference October 2006
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Washington Accord Benefits

• Biennial General Assembly
• Biennial Workshops
• Establishment of Permanent Secretariat

IHEQN Conference October 2006
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IHEQNAND NEVER THE TWAIN SHALL MEET?CASE
STUDY OF COLLABORATION 1.Engineers Ireland and
University College Cork Denis
McGrathRegistrarEngineers Ireland

• IHEQN Conference October 2006