ABET accreditation enables academic institutions to demonstrate to the public that they are serious about advancing the quality of their programs. It is recognition by the technical professions that these programs are preparing students well, and it encourages "best practices" in education through formal, continuous quality improvement (CQI) processes.
The Professional Standard – a Peer-Review Process
ABET accreditation criteria are developed by the technical professionals who are members of ABET's 31 Member Societies. Each society dedicates volunteers to perform program reviews related to its professions. Coming from both academic and industry backgrounds, ABET volunteers are trained experts who evaluate the programs for relevancy, content, and quality. This third-party peer review protects the community’s best interests, as well as the professions’. This is critical in the technical fields, where quality, precision, and safety are of utmost importance, and sets ABET apart from other accreditors. It is a solid process that has been refined over nearly 80 years.
ABET itself is accredited by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). ABET has been recognized by CHEA as an accrediting organization since 1997. Please watch CHEA's short video on accreditation.
Educational Innovation
ABET supports and stimulates innovation in technical education by focusing on continuous quality improvement processes, not by prescribing methods. With technological change occurring so rapidly, institutions must ensure their programs are dynamically evolving. One way they can respond to this challenge is by participating in the ABET accreditation process.
Professional Proficiency
Graduates of ABET-accredited programs achieve the essential level of knowledge upon which the public can rely — as employers, consumers, and citizens. Graduation from an ABET-accredited program is often required to qualify for educational and professional advancement, including licensure, registration, and certification. That is because graduates of ABET-accredited programs can demonstrate the skills and expertise expected of professionals in their fields.
Global Workforce
Because of increasing globalization, ABET works to ensure that the graduates of accredited programs can employ their talents internationally. ABET does so by signing agreements with educational quality assurance organizations in other countries and jurisdictions. Not only does this allow ABET-accredited program graduates to use their skills around the world, but it also raises their value to key employers. The U.S. government, for example, and many multinational corporations seek employees with degrees from ABET-accredited programs that translate globally.
The Global Gold Standard
When ABET's quality standards are applied and promoted around the globe, the results are positive for all: a better-educated, global, and diverse technical workforce that is guided by its professions and responsive to its markets. This is one reason ABET accreditation has earned the reputation as the global gold standard in educational accreditation.