Resumen de 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 ofstudents. However, the concept of a university as a `community of scholars' ± involving teachers andpupils ± still holds good. The scope and method of government funding is outlined, together with itslink to the Quality Assurance Agency, responsible for the quality assessment of all subjects in alluniversities. The role of the Engineering Council and of the UK Engineering Institutions isdescribed, especially in the accreditation of engineering degrees. Fresh national and internationaldevelopments have led to the decision to raise the standards of UK engineering qualifications forthose registering as Chartered Engineer (CEng) or Incorporated Engineer (IEng). These changesare included in the latest edition of the Engineering Council's publication `Standards and Routes toRegistration' (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 followedby validated postgraduate learning. The participation of the UK in multi-national agreements onmutual recognition of qualifications is recorded. Of particular note are FEANI's `EuropeanEngineer' (EurIng) title and the `Washington Accord', comprising the mutual recognition ofaccredited degrees in eight countries. Benefits and barriers of such agreements are discussed.
