PTC CASEE ACCREDITATION – KEY POLICIES AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Purpose of the Accreditation Review Visit
The accreditation review visit is the heart of the PTC-ACBET accreditation process. The visit provides the PET with the opportunity to review and validate the information provided by the program in its Self-Study Report (SSR). Site visits span several days and allow the visiting team to conduct interviews, review documents, observe the program processes, and tour the physical facilities. The visit is a fact-finding exercise to verify the SSR data submitted by the applicant HEI.
The key objectives of the site/virtual visit are to:
- Validate and seek clarification of program details based on a review of the institution’s completed Self-Study Report.
- Gather information about the program(s) and assess the extent to which Accreditation criteria are met.
- Evaluate the measures taken to resolve issues raised previously by the ACBET (if previous reviews were conducted) regarding the program (if applicable).
Traditionally, the accreditation visit has been an on-site exercise. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, visits to higher education institutions (HEIs) may not be possible for a variety of reasons (primary of which include travel restrictions and physical distancing limitations). Regardless of modality (i.e., in-person or virtual), the purpose and expectations of a visit remain unchanged. As such, the information provided in the PTC-ACBET Accreditation Criteria and Procedures shall apply to both in-person and virtual visits.
The PTC-ACBET recognizes that this is an unprecedented time for the HEIs that offer engineering programs, and the Accreditation Board shall be receptive to any reasonable and/or innovative measures that HEIs have taken to satisfy the criteria. Regardless of changes to program delivery or the method of accreditation evaluation, programs shall be expected to meet the criteria in place at the time of the visit. The PTC-ACBET and PET members have received additional training to help them understand the need for flexibility – in both how HEIs have had to adapt program delivery to the current realities of the pandemic and in how they undertake their assessments.
On-Site Review Visit Schedule
- Pre-visit Conference Call
- Occurs before the actual visit.
- Allows team members to coordinate and discuss objectives, roles, and expectations.
- Arrival and Private Team Working Dinner:
- The Site Visit PET arrives on the day before the visit officially begins.
- A PET private working dinner will be held, to finalize plans, incorporate any changes and complete preparations for the visit.
- Main Visit:
- Scheduled for 2.5 working days on campus.
- Typically begins on a Monday morning and ends at noon on Wednesday.
- Alternatively, it could start on a Wednesday and end on Friday afternoon.
- Tour of Facilities
