The Importance of Practising CDIO forAchieving EUR-ACE Certification

ANTÓNIO COSTAÂNGELO MARTINS

CDIO European Meeting, Gothenburg, 2014

Outline1. School2. Context (IE)3. Goals (IE)4. Accreditation in Europe5. EUR-ACE Experience (IE)6. Worldwide Accreditation7. Conclusion

School• A 160 years old public engineering school– Located in Porto, Portugal– Students: 6600, teachers: 400, staff: 130– Accepted as CDIO collaborator in 2008– In 2013-2014 lectures• 11 first cycle engineering 3-year programs (bachelor)• 12 second cycle engineering 2-year programs (master)

– In 2014• 4 masters and one 1st cycle already accredited by EUR-ACE• 6 more programs are being submitted or waiting for results

Context (IE)• Broadband

bachelor program

• Specialized master program with major, minors or electives

Goals (IE)• Accreditation and certification– National accreditation required for public funding– EUR-ACE Quality Seal by ENAEE• 2nd cycle Informatics Engineering achieved EUR-ACE in 2012• 1st cycle Informatics Engineering achieved EUR-ACE in 2013

Accreditation in Europe• “Expected outcomes” based accreditation– High-level frameworks• European Qualification Framework (EQF)• Bologna Process (adopted the Dublin Descriptors)• Most National/European accreditation agencies

– Engineering frameworks• CDIO: 12 Standards, Syllabus template• EUR-ACE: 5 Guidelines, 6 Outcomes, 14 Criteria• ABET: 8 Criteria, 11 Outcomes

– Area specific frameworks• ACM Computing Curricula for “Computing”, etc

EUR-ACE Experience (IE)• EUR-ACE process– Program management writes a self-evaluation report– Audit team visits the school and program– Audit team produces an audit report → decision– How CDIO Standards cover EUR-ACE Guidelines?*

* View of ISEP

CDIO x EUR-ACE – 1. Needs, Objectives and Outcomes• Program outcomes– CDIO Syllabus proposes a structured set of outcomes– EUR-ACE only defines 6 areas for outcomes• Knowledge and Understanding; Engineering Analysis; Engineering

Design; Research; Engineering Practice; Transferable Skills• The courses' syllabi should describe contributions to the areas

Bloomscale

example

CDIO x EUR-ACE – 1. Needs, Objectives and Outcomes• CDIO Standards– 1 CDIO As Context ++– 2 CDIO Syllabus Outcomes ++– 4 Introduction to Engineering +

• EUR-ACE Requisites– 1.1 Needs of the Interested Parties– 1.2 Educational Objectives– 1.3 Program Outcomes

CDIO x EUR-ACE – 2. Educational Process• CDIO Standards– 3 Integrated Curriculum ++– 5 Design-Build Experiences ++– 7 Integrated Learning Experiences ++– 8 Active Learning +– 11 CDIO Skills Assessment ++

• EUR-ACE Requisites– 2.1 Planning– 2.2 Delivery– 2.3 Learning Assessment

CDIO x EUR-ACE – 3. Resources and Partnerships• CDIO Standards– 6 CDIO Workspaces +– 9 Enhancement of Faculty CDIO Skills ++– 10 Enhancement of Faculty Teaching Skills ++

• EUR-ACE Requisites– 3.1 Academic and Support Staff– 3.2 Facilities– 3.3 Financial Resources– 3.4 Partnerships

CDIO x EUR-ACE – 4. Assessment of Educational Process• CDIO Standards– 12 CDIO Program Evaluation ++

• EUR-ACE Requisites– 4.1 Students– 4.2 Graduates

CDIO x EUR-ACE – 5. Management System• CDIO Standards– 12 CDIO Program Evaluation ++

• EUR-ACE Requisites– 5.1 Organization and decision-making processes– 5.2 Quality Assurance System

Worldwide Accreditation• ABET process– ABET accreditation process is much more demanding– How CDIO Standards cover ABET General Criteria?*

* View of ISEP

Conclusion• Program Assessment and Review

Conclusion• Present - changes after CDIO adoption in 2006

Conclusion• Future– Improve Std 9 (Enhancement of Faculty CDIO Skills)• Enhance faculty professional engineering practice by means of

more industry involvement, consultancy, R&D projects, etc

– Improve Std 10 (Enhancement of Faculty Teaching Skills)• Introduce and disseminate “Pedagogical Patterns” to enhance

faculty competence in teaching, learning and assessing students (Joseph Bergin, http://jbergin.com/)

– Threats and risks in south of Europe• Shortage of students due to demographic problems• Depletion of engineering graduates due to emigration

The Importance of Practising CDIO forAchieving EUR-ACE Certification

ANTÓNIO COSTAÂNGELO MARTINS

CDIO European Meeting, Gothenburg, 2014