Where is the Forefront in Accredited
Engineering Education?
Ian Freeston
ifreeston@engc.org.uk
Ian Freeston. ENAEE Conference, Porto, 12 and 13 November 2012
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• How is level of accredited engineering programmes
specified?
• How is the specification implemented?
• Can the value of accreditation be increased?
Ian Freeston. ENAEE Conference, Porto, 12 and 13 November 2012
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Level of accreditation affects three groups:
• Programme developers and teachers
• Accreditation agencies and accrediting panels
• Over-arching organisations that assess agency
standards
Ian Freeston. ENAEE Conference, Porto, 12 and 13 November 2012
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• Focus is on accrediting panel assessing a particular
programme.
• ENAEE Accreditation Standard (EAFS) to illustrate
reasoning.
• EAFS intended to assess agencies, but does not
affect argument.
• Avoids using standards of a particular agency
Ian Freeston. ENAEE Conference, Porto, 12 and 13 November 2012
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Accreditation process evaluates:
• Content of programme;
• Level of programme;
• Infrastructure to support programme.
Content and Infrastructure relatively straightforward to
specify.
Level is more difficult; how does ENAEE do it?
Ian Freeston. ENAEE Conference, Porto, 12 and 13 November 2012
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Evaluation of accreditation agency standards:
• Content of programme:
• Level of programme;
• Infrastructure to support programme;
• Decision process of agency.
Content, Infrastructure and Decision process are
straightforward to specify, assess and correct (if
necessary).
Ian Freeston. ENAEE Conference, Porto, 12 and 13 November 2012
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Programme Outcomes in EAFS are specified as
‘consistent with their level of knowledge and
understanding’.
Programme Outcomes for Knowledge and
Understanding include:
• First Cycle: coherent knowledge of their branch of
engineering including some at the forefront of the
branch.
• Second Cycle: a critical awareness of the forefront
of their branch.
Ian Freeston. ENAEE Conference, Porto, 12 and 13 November 2012
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Dublin Descriptors specify:
• First Cycle: ‘…includes some aspects that will be
informed by knowledge of the forefront of their field
of study’.
• Second Cycle: ‘have demonstrated knowledge and
understanding that is founded upon and extends
and/or enhances that typically associated with first
cycle…’.
Ian Freeston. ENAEE Conference, Porto, 12 and 13 November 2012
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Forefront is defined in EUGENE project as:
• Forefront of a branch of engineering or
specialization is the knowledge of recent
developments in practice and research. In a field of
study that combines knowledge from different
branches, the forefront is interpreted as that of the
combination and not of the individual branches.
Ian Freeston. ENAEE Conference, Porto, 12 and 13 November 2012
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Two fundamental methods to assess Forefront:
• Top Down: Agency specifies rules and tests.
Consistency of judgements, but slow response to
change.
• Bottom Up. No rules, but accreditation panel makes
judgement based on evidence. Responsive to
change, but judgements inconsistent.
Ian Freeston. ENAEE Conference, Porto, 12 and 13 November 2012
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• TD and BU have different approaches, but may have
similar features.
• TD may be relevant to programmes for specific
employment.
• Initial purpose of accreditation is to ensure
standards.
• Accreditation also supports programme
development.
Ian Freeston. ENAEE Conference, Porto, 12 and 13 November 2012
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Reasons for preferring Bottom Up:
• Responsive to developments in engineering;
• Accommodates changes in teaching methods;
• Every accreditation visit is a discussion of Forefront;
• Every accreditation report is a statement about
Forefront by experts.
Ian Freeston. ENAEE Conference, Porto, 12 and 13 November 2012
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Two consequences for agencies (and for over-arching
organisations such as ENAEE).
• Agencies should explain that evidence needed of
Forefront in programme and in student achievement.
• Agencies will need to train accreditors to make
judgements about Forefront.
Two questions in assessing programme:
• How is Forefront incorporated into the programme?
• What are the criteria for assessing Forefront in
student achievment?
Ian Freeston. ENAEE Conference, Porto, 12 and 13 November 2012
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Is accreditation important? Accreditation of
engineering programmes supports
• Standard of engineering education which determines
• Quality of engineering professionals which is
• Central to the effectiveness of technical input to
solution of global problems.
• International networks of accreditation agencies are
ideally structured to provide a forum for determining
standards and procedures, and have a mechanism
for implementing them.
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