Engineering Education in the United Kingdom: Standards, Quality Assurance and Accreditation

In recent years, the number of UK universities has greatly increased, as have the numbers of students. However, the concept of a university as a 'community of scholars' - involving teachers and pupils - still holds good. The scope and method of government funding is outlined, together with its link to the Quality Assurance Agency, responsible for the quality assessment of all subjects in all universities. The role of the Engineering Council and of the UK Engineering Institutions is described, especially in the accreditation of engineering degrees. Fresh national and international developments have led to the decision to raise the standards of UK engineering qualifications for those registering as Chartered Engineer (CEng) or Incorporated Engineer (IEng). These changes are included in the latest edition of the Engineering Council's publication 'Standards and Routes to Registration' (SARTOR), including the lengthening of the educational base by one year. The 'Matching Section' is introduced, enabling some students to take a shorter degree course followed by validated postgraduate learning. The participation of the UK in multi-national agreements on mutual recognition of qualifications is recorded. Of particular note are FEANI's 'European Engineer' (EurIng) title and the 'Washington Accord', comprising the mutual recognition of accredited degrees in eight countries. Benefits and barriers of such agreements are discussed.