1 Background of engineering education accreditation
Engineering education accreditation in China started in the year 1992 when the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of PRC launched accreditation of pilot engineering education programs for architecture. Over the past 25 years, “China Engineering Education Accreditation Association”, national engineering education accreditation committee, has developed documents for accreditation standards and procedures along with principle and guidelines for accreditation. Engineering education accreditation has undergone continuous improvement in China. The revised “Engineering Education Accreditation Standards (2017)” are more detailed and comprehensive than previous editions.
Engineering education accreditation has been a top priority of higher education institutions. Since China became a signatory to Washington Accord in June 2016, an increasing number of higher education institutions submitted application for engineering education accreditation for their engineering programs. The driving force behind the new trend is the economic globalization which leads to globalization of engineering education. Only by following standards of international engineering education and adopting the advanced teaching concepts of the other countries can China’s engineering education keep pace with that of the world. Through China engineering education accreditation and the realization of engineering education featuring “student-first, results-based and continuous improvement”, domestic engineering education reform is carried out and talent cultivation work is improved.
2 Process and significance of engineering education accreditation
USST “mechanical design, manufacture & automation” discipline was designated as “national special discipline”, pilot discipline of Shanghai “undergraduate education highland” and “outstanding engineers education & cultivation program of Ministry of Education” and “discipline comprehensive reform pilot program” of Shanghai and Ministry of Education. The discipline won the title of “excellent discipline” from Shanghai Municipal Education Commission in 2013. In 2015, the discipline earned ASIIN accreditation (ASIIN is a prestigious accreditation agency in Germany). In 2015, USST equipment manufacturing virtual simulation experimental teaching center was designated as national-level virtual simulation experimental teaching center. “Mechanical engineering experiment center” is the demonstration center of experimental teaching of Shanghai higher education institutions.
In 2016, “mechanical design, manufacture & automation” discipline submitted accreditation application to China Engineering Education Accreditation Association and the application was accepted by the association. In July 2017, a self-assessment report was submitted to China Engineering Education Accreditation Association for accreditation purpose. An Engineering accreditation panel conducted on-the-spot inspection from November 15 to 18 in 2017. By adopting China engineering education accreditation standards, the panel carried out in-depth investigation of the operation of the School of Mechanical Engineering from seven perspectives, i.e., student personal development, training objectives, graduation requirements, continuous improvement, curriculum system, faculty and support conditions. Through such means as listening to construction report, touring laboratory, checking teaching files, class observation, convening teachers/students meeting, employers meeting and graduates meeting, and on-the-spot investigation, the panel conducted detailed and comprehensive investigation into the undergraduate students training quality and disciplines construction work of “mechanical design, manufacture & automation” discipline, and developed conclusion of the investigation. In May 2018, China Engineering Education Accreditation Association issued a notification announcing that USST “mechanical design, manufacture & automation” discipline earned China engineering education accreditation with a condition and the accreditation validity period starts on January 2018 and ends in December 2023.
The accredited status of the School will motivate the School to make more efforts on construction, rectification and management. With a focus on construction, the School will continuous update teaching contents, optimize curriculum system, and enhance practical teaching. The School will apply the concept of “student-first, output-oriented and continuous quality improvement” to the entire engineering education talent cultivation process, innovate talent cultivation mode and carry out in-depth reform of talent cultivation system and mechanism in order to further enhance talent cultivation quality.
