The role of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in the accreditation of engineering programs is often misunderstood. While some may believe that IEEE itself accredits these programs in the United States, the responsibility lies with ABET, a global nonprofit organization. ABET specializes in accrediting academic programs leading to degrees in specific disciplines, focusing exclusively on the programs rather than the institutions, colleges, or faculty involved.
Collaboration and Structure
Founded in 1932 by the American Institute of Electrical Engineers (AIEE) and six other engineering organizations, ABET emerged from the Engineers’ Council for Professional Development. Currently, it has the support of 34 professional organizations, including IEEE, which contribute to policy-making, strategy development, and accreditation activities on a global scale. This collaboration allows ABET to maintain a rigorous standard across more than 4,770 programs at 930 colleges and universities in 42 countries.
IEEE’s involvement is particularly significant as it serves as the lead society for 877 programs. The organization provides volunteer program evaluators, who are essential to the accreditation process. These evaluators visit educational institutions seeking accreditation and assess them based on criteria developed in partnership with ABET and the professional societies. To ensure a comprehensive evaluation, these individuals must possess experience in industry, academia, or government.
Volunteer Evaluators and Their Impact
Once IEEE volunteers accumulate a minimum of five years as program evaluators, they can be nominated to serve on IEEE’s Committee on Engineering Technology Accreditation Activities (CETAA) or the Committee on Engineering Accreditation Activities (CEAA). These committees play a crucial role in supporting IEEE’s responsibilities with ABET. After serving two to four years, a volunteer may have the opportunity to join one of ABET’s commissions, potentially assuming a leadership role.
Victor Nelson, a long-serving program evaluator and professor emeritus of electrical and computer engineering at Auburn University, embodies the commitment of IEEE evaluators. With over two decades of experience, Nelson was honored with the 2024 IEEE EAB Meritorious Achievement Award in Accreditation Activities, which acknowledges efforts to enhance education through accreditation.
“Years of developing and leading undergraduate electrical and computer engineering programs, including preparing for ABET accreditation reviews, led me to believe that becoming an ABET program evaluator would be a great way to learn new ways to improve the quality of our own programs while also assisting others,” Nelson stated. He added that his extensive experience conducting ABET reviews has been rewarding, allowing him to study and learn from various programs worldwide.
In the upcoming 2025–2026 academic year, IEEE received 126 applications for the EAC and ETAC from 24 countries, with a mix of 105 applicants from academia and 21 from industry or government. The number of selected candidates may vary each year, ensuring that sufficient evaluators are available for future accreditation visits.
Accreditation plays a vital role in maintaining the quality of engineering education. To explore the significance of this process further, readers can refer to “How IEEE Ensures Quality in Engineering Education,” published last year in The Institute.
