| Washington Accord 1989 |
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Overview: Initiated in the UK by the Engineering Council, this agreement took place on October 28, 1989. The Washington Accord is the parent agreement among engineering accrediting bodies in the signatory countries. It pertains to undergraduate engineering programs.
Signatories:
The original signatories were Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, United Kingdom, and United States. In 2005, Japan was admitted as a Full Signatory, with Singapore admitted in 2006, and Korea and Chinese Taipei admitted in 2007. Representatives from Australia and United States continue as Chairman and Secretariat of the Accord.
The signatory accrediting bodies are the following:
- Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)
- Accreditation Board for Engineering Education of Korea (ABEEK)
- Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board of Engineers Canada (CEAB-EC)
- Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA)
- Engineering Council UK (ECUK)
- Engineers Australia
- Engineers Ireland (EI)
- Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE)
- Institute of Engineering Education Taiwan (IEET)
- Institution of Engineers Singapore (IES)
- Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand (IPENZ
- Japan Accreditation Board for Engineering Education (JABEE)
Mission, Goals, and Achievements: The Washington Accord set the criteria, policies and procedures for accrediting engineering academic programs. Its signatories agreed to accept each other's accreditation decisions and to publish statements certifying their intent to do so. Thus, the signatories agreed to recognize the "substantial equivalence" of their respective programs in terms of meeting academic requirements for engineering programs. The signatories pledged to exchange information exchange and conduct mutual monitoring, to observe each other's accreditation visits, and to encourage best practices. The Washington Accord provides for admission of new members and a biennial general meeting. Thus, this accord promotes the effective mutual recognition of accredited Engineering Degree courses in each of the signatory countries. Australia and United States continued to be Chairman and Secretariat of the Accord.
Significant Web Sites:
The home page:
http://www.washingtonaccord.org/
Full text of the agreement:
http://www.washingtonaccord.org/wash_accord_agreement.html
For a list of signatory representatives:
http://www.washingtonaccord.org/wash_accord_reps.html
