Dr. I. Wasser

1
ECTNA and ASIIN Perspectives of Mutual
Cooperation Plenary Meeting of the ECTNA in
Vienna
ASIIN
Accreditation Agency for Study Programs in
Engineering, Informatics, Natural Sciences and
Mathematics
2
Content

• General Context and Prevailing Conditions of
  Accreditation in a European Setting -
  International Accreditation Networks of Relevance
  - The Decisions of the Bergen Conference
• Impediments for Transnational Recognition of
  Degrees in Europe
• The EUR-ACE-Project and the Creation of ENAEE
• Presenting the new ECTNA-Member ASIIN
• Perspectives of Mutual Cooperation between ECTNA
  and ASIIN

3
General Context
Paris (1998) Bologna (1999) Prag
(2001) Berlin (2003) Bergen (2005)

Completion of the European Higher Education Area
until 2010, in which citizens can choose from a
wide and transparent order of high quality
courses and benefit from smooth recognition
procedures Goals European knowledge society
characterized by high mobility and permeability,
lifelong learning
Promotion of comparability and compatibility of
degrees Two cycle study system, ECTS,
adoption of a system of easily readable and
comparable degrees, Diploma Supplement,
permeability of study structures Promotion of the
European Dimension in Higher Education
Recognition of degrees in Europe
Transnational cooperation in the field of
quality assurance ENAEE and the
EUR-ACE-project, ECTNA, ENQA
London (2007)
Common European Market Goals freedom of
movement of workers, right of establishment,
freedom of services. Declaration of Lisbon,
Barcelona to make Europe the most competitive
and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world.
The European Directive on the recognition of
professional qualifications Goal A clear,
secure and quick system for the recognition of
qualifications in the field of the regulated
professions is required to ensure free movement.
The EC institutions and member states should
facilitate employment and the provision of
services through wholesale consolidation of the
existing regimes of professional recognition in
the regulated professions.
4
International Accreditation Networks
Field Specific
Generic
Washington Accord u.a. 2 Mitglieder von ENAEE
INQAAHE International Network for Quality
Assurance Agencies in Higher Education
Global Scale
ENQA European Network for Quality Assurance
European Scale
More than 40 members in Europe, mostly Quality
Assurance/Accreditation Agencies National
Unions of Students in Europe (ESIB), European
University Association (EUA), European
Association of Institutions in Higher Education
(EURASHE), European Centre for Higher Education
(UNESCO-CEPES) and the Union of Industrial and
Employers Confederations of Europe (UNICE).
ECTN (Eurobachelor-Label) European Chemistry
Thematic Network Association
ENAEE (EUR-ACE-Label) European Network for the
Accreditation of Engineering Education
ECA European Consortium for Accreditation
Österreichischer Akkreditierungsrat, Austria
Fachhochschulrat, Austria Akkreditierungsrat,
Germany ZEvA, Germany FIBAA,Germany ACQUIN,
Germany AQAS, Germany AHPGS, Germany The
Higher Education and Training Awards Council
(HETAC), Ireland Nederlands-Vlaamse Accreditatie
Organisatie (NVAO), the Netherlands/Flanders
Nasjonalt organ for kvalitet i utdanningen
(NOKUT), Norway Agencia Nacional de Evaluación
de la Calidad y Acreditación (ANECA), Spain
Organ für Akkreditierung und Qualitätssicherung
der Schweizerischen Hochschulen (OAQ), Switzerland
More than 200 chemical societies and HEI in
Europe
All European Engineering Accreditation Agencies
FEANI, SEFI, CESAER, EUROCADRE S etc.
5
The political framework - The decisions of the
Bergen conference

• Expansion of the European Higher Education Area
  (EHEA) to 45 European countries new members are
  Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and
  Ukraine.
• Confirmation of the Commitment to establish the
  EHEA by 2010.
• Central Role of HEIs, their staff and students as
  partners in the Bologna process.

• The degree system
• Observation that the two-cycle degree system is
  being implemented in most European countries with
  more than half of the students being enrolled
  (comparison to Germany in WS 2005/06 34 (3800
  programs) of all study programs completing with a
  Bachelor or Master degree.
• Adoption of an overarching framework for
  qualifications in the EHEA, comprising three
  cycles formulation of generic descriptors for
  each cycle based on learning outcomes and
  competences fixing of credit ranges in the first
  and second cycle (180-240 ECTS / 60-120 ECTS).
• Commitment of the 45 Bologna countries to develop
  national qualification frameworks until 2010.
• Complementarily between the overarching
  qualification framework for the EHEA and the
  proposed broader framework for qualifications for
  LLL encompassing general education as well as
  vocation education and training.

6
The decisions of the Conference of European
Ministers Responsible for Higher Education in
Bergen II

• Quality assurance
• Request vis a vis the HEIs to continue their
  efforts to enhance the quality of their
  activities through the systematic introduction of
  internal mechanisms and their direct correlation
  to external quality assurance.
• Adoption of the model of peer reviews of quality
  assurance agencies on a national basis, while
  respecting the commonly accepted guidelines and
  criteria.
• Introduction of the principle of a European
  register of quality assurance agencies based on
  national reviews. The ministers underline the
  importance of cooperation between nationally
  recognized agencies with a view to enhancing the
  mutual recognition of accreditation decisions.

• Recognition of degrees and study periods
• The Ministers urge all Bologna countries to
  ratify the Lisbon Recognition Convention (36 of
  45 countries have done so).
• Call on all partners to address recognition
  problems (degrees which are accepted in two or
  more countries of the EHEA should be accepted).

7
The European Union Facts Figures (I)
446 millions of citizens 25 countries 3.971.457,70
qm2 22 languages 25 different HEI systems and
quality assurance systemsGrowing grey HEI
market
Member States (15)
New Members since 01.05.2004
Candidate Countries (3)
8
The European Landscape Context for the
development of accreditation schemes
1.) Characterized by mostly public higher
education systems institutions and programmes
derive their formal degree-awarding capacity from
the state. Because of the diversity of both
degrees and institutions, public knowledge about
their quality is not sufficient across national
borders and even sometimes within one country.
2.) Degree and institutional diversity is
matched by a great variety of national quality
assurance and accreditation systems (some of them
are national, others decentralized). There are
few, sometimes even no mechanisms in place to
recognize the results of an accreditation. 3.)
In some countries the academic degree constitutes
the automatic admission ticket to the job market
whereas in others additional prerequisites are
demanded to acquire professional status (e.g.
registered engineer) 4.) Problem of a growing
non-official higher education sector and the
phenomenon of trans-national education with a
lack of regulatory codes.
9
Typical options for European HEI systems
Consecutive
Short
Integrated
TCD(Doctorate)
PostgraduateStudy 3 - 4 Years
LongDoctorate 4 - 5 Years
Doctorate 3 Years
Third Cycle
SCD(Master)
GraduateStudy 1 - 2 Years
SCD LongStudy Program 5 Years
Second Cycle
FCD(Bachelor)
FCD ShortStudy Program 3 - 4 Years
UndergraduateStudy 3 - 4 Years
First Cycle
UK, IR, Global Standard
Continental Europe
10
University Diplomas

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11
Variety of Academic Titles in Europe for Engineers
Akademiingeniør Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of
Engineering Bachelor of Science Civilingeniør Civi
lingenjör Diplom-Ingenieur Diplom-Ingenieur
ETH Diplom-Ingenieur (FH) Diplomi-Insinöör Diplomi
rani Inženir Doktor-Ingenieur Dottore in
Ingegneria
Engenheiro Europa-Ingenieur Ingenieur
(grad.) Ingeniør Inginer Insinööri Ingeniero
Químico Ingeniero Superior Ingeniero
Técnico Ingénieur civil Ingénieur
diplomé Ingénieur industriel Ingénieur technicien
Inženyr Inžinier Inzynier Magister Inzynier
Master of Arts Master of Engineering Master of
Science Okleveles mérnök Okleveles
üzemmérnök Sivilingeniør Teknikfræðingur Teknikumi
ngeniør Verkfræðingur
12
The two types of recognition systems in Europe
I The Continental European Tradition Having
successfully passed an Engineering study
programme at an institution of higher education
qualifies the graduate to automatically become an
engineer.
II The Anglo-Saxon Tradition You must graduate
successfully from an engineering study programme,
you then will have to establish proof of a
certain period of further training on the job and
finally there will be formal test/interview by
two well established collegues.
13
The EUR-ACE Project Membership
FEANI

• Eurocadres
• CESAER
• ENQHEEI

ECUK
C.T.I
ASIIN
EUR-ACE Aims at a European Accord for the Mutual
Recognition of accredited engineering programs
O.D.E

• CoPI
• UNIFI/Tree (University of Florence)

CNEAA
UACER
IEI
SEFI
RAEE
14
What is the central purpose of the EUR-ACE
project?
In order to overcome the difficulties in the
mutual recognition of academic and professional
qualifications, and facilitate the mobility and
trans-national acceptance of engineers EUR-ACE
has on the 31.12.2005 proposed a framework for
setting up a single European system for
accreditation of engineering education at the
First Cycle and Second Cycle level (as defined
within the Bologna process) and thus has
contributed to establishing the European Higher
Education Area .
15
The EUR-ACE Project Objectives

• The EUR-ACE project is a contribution to the
  realization of the European Higher Education
  Area. It aims at proposing a framework with the
  following main aims
• to provide an appropriate European label to the
  graduates of the accredited educational
  programmes in Europe, while distinguishing
  between a first and second study cycle.
• to facilitate mutual recognition agreements
• to facilitate recognition by the competent
  authorities, in accord with the EU Directives. An
  intensive networking system with the FEANI index
  is planned.
• to improve the quality of educational programmes
  in engineering.

16
EUR-ACE Project What has been accomplished? (I)

• Between September December 2004 EUR-ACE
  reviewed criteria and standards already
  existing in Europe for FC and SC engineering
  degrees, compiling a background
  document Overview Accreditation Procedures and
  Criteria for Engineering Programmes in
  Europe".
• Between December 2004 February 2005, this
  document was sent to practically all
  stakeholders of Engineering Education in Europe
  and revised taking into account their
  feedback.
• At the end of 1005 the EUR-ACE- partners
  meanwhile have reached a consensus
  concerning Outcome-Standards for first and
  second cycle accredited engineering
  programmes. They are valid for all branches of
  engineering. On the basis of 6
  indicators (Knowledge and Understanding,
  Engineering Analysis, Engineering Design,
  Investigations, Engineering Practice,
  Transferable Skills), the qualification and
  capabilities competences of graduates
  are described.

17
EUR-ACE Project What has been accomplished? (II)

• An Agreement concerning the number of Credits
  assigned to the two cycles has been reached
  a graduate from a FCD must have no less than
  180 credits, a graduate from an accredited
  SCD no less than 240 credits.
• The criteria and quality requirements for the
  accreditation of engineering programs have
  been defined, considering the following items
  (Needs, Objectives and Outcomes
  Educational Process Resources and Partnerships
  Assessment of the Educational Process
  Management System).
• The 14 partners have reached a consensus with
  regard to Guidelines for the Evaluation of
  Individual Requirements (acceptable with
  prescriptions unacceptable) and for
  programme accreditation (accredited without
  reservation accredited with
  prescriptions not accredited).
• Consensus on Procedures for Programme
  Accreditation (composition of accreditation
  team, duration and structure of the visit
  verification and validation of the report
  decision on the accreditation publication
  (template)

18
Further observations (1)

• The framework has been designed to be applied to
  the accreditation of both First Cycle and Second
  Cycle programmes within the Bologna process, in
  which an accredited Second Cycle programme would
  normally be in series with a First Cycle
  programme. However the use of programme outcomes
  means that the framework is also applicable to
  the accreditation of integrated programmes.
• It does nor refer to short cycle or Doctoral
  (third cycle) programmes.
• It does not distinguish between branches
  (disciplines or specializations) therefore in
  actual applications must be complemented by other
  requirements.
• It is intended for accreditation of educational
  programmes as a suitable entry route to the
  engineering profession.

19
Further Observations (2)

• Although professional recognition of the
  engineering titles is considered as the ultimate
  goal of accreditation labels, these cannot be
  considered automatically equivalent to
  professional recognition. To practice the
  engineering profession, further qualifications
  (e.g. State exams) and/or experience are required
  in some countries.
• It is intended that if, in a particular country,
  established accreditation standards cover fully
  the requirements proposed in this framework, then
  the award of the European label will be
  automatic.
• The standards are not intended for evaluation of
  Institutions.
• The Tentative Standards appear flexible enough to
  accommodate national and subject differences and
  to leave the door open to future developments, so
  that the proposed accreditation standards will
  not become a straightjacket but rather an
  incentive to continuously make improvements
  through incorporating best practice.

20

• Founding Date
• Initiated on October 7, 2005, in Berlin, Germany
• Statutes ratified on February 8th 2006
• Founding Members
• Open to
• Accreditation organizations for engineering
  programmes within the European Higher Education
  Area
• All other organisations having the development of
  engineering education accreditation procedures
  among their main objectives as well as
  organisations whose mission is to foster the
  interests of the profession of engineers
• Educational and training institutions and their
  associations.
• Organisations representing engineering students

• Uniunea Asociatilor Inginerilor Constructori
  Romania (UAICR)
• Societe Europeenne pour la Formation dIngenieurs
  (SEFI)
• Engineers Ireland (EI)
• Russian Association for Engineering Education
  (RAEE)
• Conseil des Cadres Europeennes (EUROCADRES)
• University of Florence (UNIFI)

• FEANI
• Engineering Council UK (ECUK)
• Commission des Titres dIngenieurs (CTI)
• ASIIN
• Ordem dos Engenheiros (OE)
• Conferenza dei Presidi delle Facoltá di Ingeneria
  Italiane (CoPI)

21
Introducing the ASIIN
ASIIN
Accreditation Agency for Study Programs in
Engineering, Informatics, Natural Sciences and
Mathematics
http//www.asiin.de/
?
22
ASIIN, founded in 2002
ASIIN Accreditation Agency for Study Programs
in Engineering,Informatics, Natural Sciences and
Mathematics
ASIIAccreditation Agency for Study Programs in
Engineering and Informatics
AC-BC Accreditation Organization for Chemistry
and Biochemistry


23
Member Groups of the ASIIN
Technical and Scientific Associations and
professional organizations (32)
Coordination Group of German Technical
Universities From A like RWTH Aachento Z
like ETH Zürich.(45 Members)
Broad based Alliance anchoring in the scientific
community and in the economy, working
together for quality assurance and improvement in
the German higher education system
national bodies representing the faculties of
engineering at German universities
Industrial federations / unions and management
(8). Von B like Berufsverband Deutscher
Geowissenschaftler -to V like VDI
Coordination Group of German Universities of
Applied Science. From A like FH Aachento Z
like Westsächsische Hochschule Zwickau.
national bodies representing the faculties of
engineering at German universities of applied
science
24
Important ASIIN Members in the Field of Chemistry
German Federation of Chemical Employers
Associations as Representative of the
Confederation of German Employers' Associations
Bundesarbeitgeberverband Chemie e. V. (BAVC)
Number of members1,800 Companies
Executives' Association of the Chemical
Industry Verband angestellter Akademiker und
leitender Angestellter der chemischen Industrie
e.V., (VAA) Number of members 28,000
German Association for Chemical and Process
Engineering DVCV Deutsche Vereinigung für Chemie-
und Verfahrenstechnik Number of members 4
Companies 4 Universities 2 Associations
Association of the German Chemical
Industry Verband der Chemischen Industrie e.
V.(VCI) Number of members 6,000 individual
100 corporate members (companies)
German Chemical Society Gesellschaft Deutscher
Chemiker e. V.(GDCh) Number of members 28,000
German Society for Biochemistry and Molecular
Biology Gesellschaft für Biochemie und
Molekularbiologie e. V. (GBM) Number of
members 5,500
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Fields of Accreditation

• What is accredited?
• Exclusively study programs at university level
• No institutional accreditation

Informatics
Natural Science (Biology, Chemistry,
Physics,Geoscience, Mathematics, Pharmacy)
Engineering, Architecture
ASIIN
26
ASIIN accredited study programs
Number of accreditations
(850)
(550)
(288)
(170)
(56)
(10)
Accreditation has become an act of national
strength!
27
German Chemistry Study Programs
There are 266 Chemistry Study Programs in
Germany. ASIIN has accredited 55 (another 50 are
currently under review)
28
Organizational structure of the ASIIN
three step accreditation process
ASIIN General Assembly
ASIIN Experts 800 auditors from industry,
universities and scientific organizations
130 honorary experts
Coordination group of German (technical)
universities
Coordination group of German universities of
applied science
Industrialfederations and umbrella organizations
of trade unions organizations
Technical and scientific associations and
professional organizations
13 Technical Committees 1/3 representatives from
universities/universities of applied science,
industry respectively
13 Technical Committees 1/3 representatives from
universities/universities of applied science,
industry respectively
Auditteams
Auditteams
every member group nominates 3 representatives to
the Board
on recommendation of TC appoints
on recommendation of TC appoints
appoints
appoints
44 honorary experts
Prof. Dr. Heinrich RakeChairman AC1
Accreditation Commission I (Engineering
Informatics)
Accreditation Commission II (natural science
mathematics)
administrates
ASIIN-Board 12 Persons
ASIIN Headquarters (Chief Executive Office)
appoints
Prof. Dr. Dietmar von Hoyningen-HueneChairman
AC2
29
Exercise of decision-making powers
All bodies of experts are composed of
1/3 Universities
1/3 Universities of Applied Science
1/3 Industry (Professional Life)
? There is parity of vote between them, they also
have veto power, exchange of personel every 3
years
30
Technical Committees
Consist of
3 Persons from Universities
3 Persons from universities of applied sciences
3 Persons from industry
1-2 Student members
Actual number of Technical Committees
Techn. Comm. 1 Mechanical Engineering/ Process
Engineering
Techn. Comm. 2 Electrical Engineering/ Informatio
n Technology
Techn. Comm. 3 Civil Engineering/ Surveying
Techn. Comm. 5 Physical Technologies, Materials
and Process Engineering
Techn. Comm. 4 Information Technology
Techn. Comm. 8 Agricultural and Nutritional
Sciences
Techn. Comm. 6 Industrial Engineering
Techn. Comm. 7 Information Management
Techn. Comm. 9 Chemistry
Techn. Comm. 10 Biology
Techn. Comm. 11 Geosciences
Techn. Comm. 12 Mathematics
Techn. Comm. 13 Physics
31
Members of the ASIIN Technical Commitee 9
(Chemistry)
Chairman Prof. Dr. Mathias Sprinzl, University
Bayreuth Deputy Chairman Prof. Dr.
Maximilian Kolb, FH Aalen Representatives from
universities of applied sciences Prof. Dr. Willy
Gombler,FH OL/Ostfriesland/WHV Prof. Dr. Eckhart
Nietzschmann, Hochschule Magdeburg-Stendal

• Representatives from universities
• Prof. Dr. William S. Sheldrick,
  Ruhr-Universität-Bochum
• Prof. Dr. Peter Welzel, Universität Leipzig
• Representatives from industry
• Dr. Gerhard Lapke, Deutsche BP AG
• Prof. Dr. Christof M. Niemeyer, Chimera Biotech
• Dr. Klaus Schöllkopf, Schering AG
• Student
• Claudia Leißner, TU Chemnitz
• Representatives from the Accreditation
  Commission II
• Prof. Dr. Friedrich Temps, Universität Kiel

32
Accreditation Criteria of the ASIIN

• The accreditation of ASIIN are based on two
  sources
• Our general requirements and procedural
  principles for the accreditation of Bachelors
  and Masters study programs
• The field specific criteria for each of the
  different fields including chemistry

All of them have been completely revised,
combining an input and output approach. In the
filed of Chemistry, the ECTNA-criteria have
provided an important point of reference
33
International activities of ASIIN (III) The
participation in the 6 x 4 EULAC project
This project is based on a strategic alliance
between Latin America/The Caribbean and Europe
dating from 1999. In summer of 2004 the
equivalent of the Bologna Higher Education Area
was founded in the city of Merida for the
countries in Latin and South America. In the 6 x
4 EULAC-project many HEIs have consented to
practice transnational cooperation with regard to
6 study field and 4 axes (professional
competences, academic credits, evaluation and
accreditation, training) Contributions of ASIIN
assistance in the creation of an accreditation
council and an accreditation agency for
engineering programs in Central America.
Participation in the EULAC project (Accreditation
of Electrical Engineering Projects).
34
The Washington Accord
Dublin IoEI
London EC
Düsseldorf ASIIN
Ottawa CCoPE
Baltimore ABET
Tokio JABEE
Hong Kong IoE
Members
Provisional Member
ASIIN
Johannesburg ECSA
Canberra IoE
Wellington IoPE
35
What is needed to make the EURO-Bachelor and
Master label a success?

• There needs to be a critical mass of potential
  HEIs interested in the EURO-Bachelor and Master
  label a market has to be established, the
  product has to be promoted (newsletter,
  conferences, work shops etc.)
• One needs an infrastructure which has the
  ressources and experience to deal with a
  considerable number of accreditation requests
  (administration and schooling of a pool of
  capable peers for conducting EURO-Bachelor and
  Master accreditations, personel to receive and
  give counceling with respect to accreditation
  requests, to compare the self-reports with the
  formal requirements of ECTNA, administrative
  preparations (timeschedules, logistics)
• Accompaniment of the accreditations, writing of
  the accreditation reports
• Establishment of a follow up-system

A strong and experienced organization is of great
importance for the success of the joint endeavor
36
Perspectives of Mutual Cooperation betwenn ECTNA
and ASIIN
If the members of the ECTNA-network come to
the conclusion, that ASIIN is a useful partner
having a long-standing experience of conducting
national and international accreditations on a
large scale, we will be of any assistance
required.
37
The End
Thank you for your attention