PNGUoT’s ENGINEERING PROGRAMS REVIEWED BY ENGINEERS AUSTRALIA
By Lucy Kopana
Engineering courses at the Papua New Guinea University of Technology have undergone a general review by Engineers Australia, to evaluate the programs ensuring they meet international standards in terms of curriculum, infrastructure, and teaching quality.
PNGUoT’s Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Dr Shoeb Syed said this is a crucial part of attaining full accreditation, which the School of Engineering has been preparing for over the past 5 years.
“Accreditation is essential for maintaining the global credibility of our programs and ensuring our graduates are recognised internationally as competent engineers.”
“This review not only validates the efforts we’ve put in as an institution but also provides feedback on areas where we can continue to improve.”
The EA Panel headed by Engineers Australia’s Head of Accreditation, Dr Helen Fairweather, conducted a series of interviews with Dean of Faculty of Engineering, faculty coordinator teaching and learning, Heads of Schools, staff, students, Industrial partners, Employers, Graduates, and members of the Senior Executive Management Team (SEMT).
Dr Shoeb expressed that staff of the Faculty of Engineering worked extremely hard to evolve their teaching practices, upgrade their facilities, and to ensure students receive relevant education.
“Their commitment has been unwavering, even in challenging times, and this review is a testament to those collective efforts. It is their dedication that has kept the momentum going, ensuring that PNGUoT remains a leader in engineering education in the region.”
PNGUoT embarked on the process of accrediting engineering courses in 2017, to align the programs with associated facilities and systems for accreditation by Engineers Australia. This was supported by PNGUoT’s Industry Advisory Board (IAB) which consists of representatives from various industries in PNG.
In 2019, the engineering courses were granted Provisional Accreditation which complies with the Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competency Standards and criteria, and the PNG National Qualification Framework (PNGNQF) level 8.
Attaining full accreditation would allow PNGUoT’s engineering graduates to work in Australia and any other country that is a signatory of the Washington Accord. The Washington Accord is an agreement between bodies responsible for accrediting engineering degree programs.
The Heads of Schools, staff, and students all understood the significance of the review and cooperated to facilitate the process smoothly. Dr. Shoeb expressed his gratitude to all the members of the faculty of engineering, Heads of Schools, staff, students, Industrial partners, Employers, and Graduates for their support during the visit. He also thanked the Senior Executive Management Team (SEMT) for their support throughout the accreditation process.
“This is not the culmination of our journey but rather a significant milestone in our ongoing pursuit of excellence. We are confident that our programs will continue to grow, benefiting both our students and the engineering profession in Papua New Guinea and beyond. ”
The results of the general review will determine the accreditation status of PNGUoT’s engineering courses, which is yet to be announced.
