Accreditation Management System 2019

Accreditation Management System 2019

Many engineering education programs are designed to prepare graduates for entry to professional practice, and to provide the academic preparation for progression to Registration and Chartered, at the levels of Engineering Associate, Engineering Technologist and Professional Engineer. Engineers Australia contributes to the assurance of these programs by providing professional accreditation services to Education Providers.

Program accreditation is an evidence-based evaluation process to determine if educational programs meet defined outcomes - the EA Stage 1 Competency Standards for the three professional levels. The Competency Standards are threshold standards. Accreditation provides assurance that a program is suitably designed and delivered to prepare graduates for entry to professional practice in a specified field of engineering practice.

This is done in an international context, and alongside academic accreditation; both constrain the scope of accreditation and how it is implemented.

The Australian Engineering Accreditation Centre (AEAC) engages directly with many stakeholders, including the Australian Council of Engineering Deans (ACED), the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Authority (TEQSA), the International Engineering Alliance (IEA), the Australian Industry Skills Committee (AISC), the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) and many others.

Introduction to the 2019 Accreditation Management System 

The Engineers Australia Accreditation Management System (AMS) has been streamlined, updated and refreshed in appearance, with the purpose of improving its usability and effectiveness for all users. The 2019 AMS became effective from 1 January 2019, so that accreditation reviews scheduled for 2019 will need to be managed in accordance with this updated version.

The number of documents in the 2019 AMS has been substantially reduced, but the net changes to the standards and procedures are minimal. For example, the accreditation criteria have been recast and reduced in number, but the effect of the changes is such that programs accredited to the current criteria will be compliant with the new criteria.

The Policy and Standards documents in the 2019 AMS are:

• AMS-POL-01 Accreditation Principles
• AMS-POL-02 Accreditation Principles - COVID-19
• AMS-STD-10 Accreditation Standard – Higher Education
• AMS-STD-20 Accreditation Standard – VET Competency Programs

The Standards documents invoke the EA Stage 1 Competency Standards at the levels of Engineering Associate, Engineering Technologist and Professional Engineer. Together with an introductory document, these Competency Standards may be found at:

• Introduction and background to the Stage 1 Competency Standards
• Stage 1 Competency Standard for the Professional Engineer
• Stage 1 Competency Standard for the Engineering Technologist
• Stage 1 Competency Standard for the Engineering Associate

Supporting manuals are provided as a pair of manuals for Higher Education programs and a corresponding pair for VET competency-based programs. Each pair comprise a manual providing expectations for application of the accreditation criteria, and a manual outlining the accreditation procedures.

• AMS-MAN-10 Accreditation Criteria User Guide - Higher Education (updated 26 August 2019)
• AMS-MAN-11 Procedures Manual - Higher Education
• AMS-MAN-20 Accreditation Criteria User Guide - VET
• Procedures Manual - VET (to be provided)

Templates referred to within the Procedures Manual - Higher Education can be downloaded via the links below:

• AMS-TPL-300 Table of Programs Offered for Accreditation
• AMS-TPL-310 Accreditation Submission (Self-study Report)
• AMS-TPL-311 Admissions and Enrolments
• AMS-TPL-312 Engineering School Academic Staff Profile
• AMS-TPL-313 Staff CV Pro forma
• AMSi-CKL-04 EP Data Checklist

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