The Accreditation Journey in Engineering Education: Insights From a Dean’s Perspective



Author Information

Yasar Guneri Sahin, Izmir University of Economics, Turkiye

Abstract

Accreditation in engineering education serves as a rigorous quality assurance process, verifying that academic programs are systematically designed to equip graduates with clearly defined professional competencies. These programs must align with recognized standards and be evaluated by independent accrediting bodies. At its core, accreditation establishes a consistent and transparent framework, ensuring that institutions, regardless of location or context, deliver education of comparable quality. While accreditation offers substantial value, it also poses significant challenges. These include securing commitment from diverse stakeholders, ensuring active participation, meeting human resource needs, and managing increased academic and administrative workload. Whether pursued voluntarily or mandated, accreditation often requires considerable institutional effort to foster engagement and shared ownership. Despite these challenges, the benefits of accreditation are far-reaching. It provides international recognition, validates graduate competence, and enhances the professional standing of graduates in both industry and academia. Moreover, it promotes transparency, fairness, and accountability in educational practices, contributing to improved institutional credibility and student outcomes. This paper draws on the insights and experiences of a faculty dean who has led multiple successful accreditation efforts over a 12-year period. It offers a practical perspective on the end-to-end process from initial planning and stakeholder alignment to site visits and evidence collection. The discussion further explores how accreditation results can be used as a strategic tool to foster continuous improvement, curricular innovation, and long-term educational impact within engineering programs.


Paper Information

Conference: BCE2025
Stream: Educational policy

This paper is part of the BCE2025 Conference Proceedings (View)
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To cite this article:
Sahin Y. (2025) The Accreditation Journey in Engineering Education: Insights From a Dean’s Perspective ISSN: 2435-9467 – The Barcelona Conference on Education 2025: Official Conference Proceedings (pp. 465-475) https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2435-9467.2025.37
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2435-9467.2025.37


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