There is a misconception among some that IEEE accredits engineering programs in the United States, but that is the responsibility of ABET.
The global, nonprofit agency accredits academic programs leading to degrees in specific disciplines. It does not accredit the institution, school, college, department, facilities, courses, or faculty—only specific academic programs.
IEEE and other professional organizations help evaluate programs for ABET, but they do not have the authority to accredit programs themselves.
There are 34 organizations, including IEEE, that are ABET members and assist the nonprofit with setting policy, developing strategy, and conducting accreditation activities worldwide.
IEEE’s partnership with ABET began in 1932 with an IEEE predecessor society, the American Institute of Electrical Engineers. AIEE, along with six other engineering organizations, founded the Engineers’ Council for Professional Development, which evolved into ABET.
Today more than 4,770 programs at 930 colleges and universities in 42 countries and regions are accredited by ABET. IEEE serves as the lead society for 877 of the programs.
The evaluation structure
IEEE and the other professional societies provide ABET with volunteer program evaluators. The evaluators are assigned to visit educational institutions that seek accreditation. The evaluators provide assessments based on specific criteria developed in collaboration with ABET and the societies. Evaluators must have experience in industry, academia, or government.
Once IEEE volunteers have five or more years of experience serving as a program evaluator, they may be nominated to serve on the IEEE Committee on Engineering Technology Accreditation Activities (CETAA) or the IEEE Committee on Engineering Accreditation Activities (CEAA). IEEE Educational Activities supports these committees, and all of IEEE’s responsibilities with ABET. After spending two to four years on one of the committees, a volunteer may be nominated to serve on one of ABET’s commissions, giving them the opportunity to serve as a team chair.
“Years of developing and leading undergraduate electrical and computer engineering programs, including preparing for ABET accreditation reviews, led me to believe that becoming an ABET program evaluator would be a great way to learn new ways to improve the quality of our own programs while also assisting others.” —Victor Nelson
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