For the first time, Insper’s Mechanical, Mechatronics and Computer Engineering courses have received the quality seal awarded by ABET‘s Engineering Accreditation Commission. “This achievement reinforces how Insper’s engineering courses are aligned with the most modern educational practices and the latest market trends. Recognition by ABET, a global accreditor of university programs, enhaces the international visibility of these courses and broadens the professional horizons of Insper students and alumni,” says Guilherme Martins, president of Insper.
“Insper’s engineering courses integrate different areas of knowledge and develop students’ theoretical and technical skills, such as understanding the social, economic and environmental context, teamwork and project vision. These are skills that allow professionals to face challenges and make a positive contribution to society,” says Priscila Claro, Insper’s director of undergraduate studies. “This new accreditation is further evidence of the quality of education offered by Insper.”
ABET accreditation certifies university education programs in applied and natural sciences, computing, engineering and engineering technology that meet the standards required to train professionals ready to enter innovative technical fields and those embedded in emerging technologies. ABET, a non-profit non-governmental organization with ISO 9001:2015 certification, currently accredits more than 4,500 programs in 895 colleges and universities in 40 countries.
“The dimensions evaluated and fully met were: objectives of the teaching programs; learning outcomes; continuous improvement of teaching; curriculum; faculty and students; infrastructure; and institutional support,” says Rogerio Costa, Insper’s accreditation coordinator. “In continuous improvement, for example, the course should regularly use appropriate and documented processes to assess the extent to which student outcomes are actually being achieved. These evaluations need to be used as inputs for continuous improvement of the teaching program,” he adds. This means that programs are continually refined based on student experience and the evolution of learning methods.
Regarding the “student body” dimension, performance must be assessed periodically so that graduates achieve the educational objectives defined by the program. Students also need to receive curricular and professional guidance. According to ABET´s criteria, in the “infrastructure” dimension, laboratories, classrooms, offices and equipment must be adequate so that students can present consistent results, and provide a conducive learning environment. These resources must be constantly updated to offer the best learning conditions. Students should also receive proper guidance on the use of the equipment and laboratories available in the teaching program.