Washington Accord
The Washington Accord, signed in 1989, is an international agreement among bodies responsible for accrediting engineering degree programs. It recognizes the substantial equivalency of programs accredited by those bodies and recommends that graduates of programs accredited by any of the signatory bodies be recognized by the other bodies as having met the academic requirements for entry to the practice of engineering.
Introduction to Accords for Accreditation of Engineering Programmes
There are six international agreements governing mutual recognition of engineering qualifications and professional competence. In each of these agreements countries/economies who wish to participate may apply for membership, and if accepted become members or signatories to the agreement. In broad principle, each country/economy must meet its own costs, and the body making application must verify that it is the appropriate representative body for that country/economy.
Agreements covering tertiary qualifications in engineering
There are three agreements covering mutual recognition in respect of tertiary-level qualifications in engineering:
The Washington Accord signed in 1989 was the first - it recognises substantial equivalence in the accreditation of qualifications in professional engineering, normally of four years duration.
The Sydney Accord commenced in 2001 and recognises substantial equivalence in the accreditation of qualifications in engineering technology, normally of three years duration.
The Dublin Accord is an agreement for substantial equivalence in the accreditation of tertiary qualifications in technician engineering, normally of two years duration. It commenced in 2002.
Signatories of Washington Accord
Signatories have full rights of participation in the Accord; qualifications accredited or recognised by other signatories are recognised by each signatory as being substantially equivalent to accredited or recognised qualifications within its own jurisdiction.
* Australia - Represented by Engineers Australia (1989)
* Canada - Represented by Engineers Canada (1989)
* Chinese Taipei - Represented by Institute of Engineering Education Taiwan (2007)
* Hong Kong China - Represented by The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (1995)
* Ireland - Represented by Engineers Ireland (1989)
* Japan - Represented by Japan Accreditation Board for Engineering Education (2005)
* Korea - Represented by Accreditation Board for Engineering Education of Korea (2007)
* New Zealand - Represented by Institution of Professional Engineers NZ (1989)
* Singapore - Represented by Institution of Engineers Singapore (2006)
* South Africa - Represented by Engineering Council of South Africa (1999)
* United Kingdom - Represented by Engineering Council UK (1989)
* United States - Represented by Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (1989)
Organisations holding provisional status have been identified as having qualification accreditation or recognition procedures that are potentially suitable for the purposes of the Accord; those organisations are further developing those procedures with the goal of achieving signatory status in due course; qualifications accredited or recognised by organisations holding provisional status are not recognised by the signatories
* Germany - Represented by German Accreditation Agency for Study Programs in Engineering and Informatics
* India - Represented by National Board of Accreditation of All India Council for Technical Education
* Malaysia - Represented by Board of Engineers - Malaysia Engineering Accreditation Council (EAC)
* Russia - Represented by Russian Association for Engineering Education
* Sri Lanka - Represented by Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka
The Washington Accord, signed in 1989, is an international agreement among bodies responsible for accrediting engineering degree programs. It recognizes the substantial equivalency of programs accredited by those bodies and recommends that graduates of programs accredited by any of the signatory bodies be recognized by the other bodies as having met the academic requirements for entry to the practice of engineering.
Introduction to Accords for Accreditation of Engineering Programmes
There are six international agreements governing mutual recognition of engineering qualifications and professional competence. In each of these agreements countries/economies who wish to participate may apply for membership, and if accepted become members or signatories to the agreement. In broad principle, each country/economy must meet its own costs, and the body making application must verify that it is the appropriate representative body for that country/economy.
Agreements covering tertiary qualifications in engineering
There are three agreements covering mutual recognition in respect of tertiary-level qualifications in engineering:
The Washington Accord signed in 1989 was the first - it recognises substantial equivalence in the accreditation of qualifications in professional engineering, normally of four years duration.
The Sydney Accord commenced in 2001 and recognises substantial equivalence in the accreditation of qualifications in engineering technology, normally of three years duration.
The Dublin Accord is an agreement for substantial equivalence in the accreditation of tertiary qualifications in technician engineering, normally of two years duration. It commenced in 2002.
Signatories of Washington Accord
Signatories have full rights of participation in the Accord; qualifications accredited or recognised by other signatories are recognised by each signatory as being substantially equivalent to accredited or recognised qualifications within its own jurisdiction.
* Australia - Represented by Engineers Australia (1989)
* Canada - Represented by Engineers Canada (1989)
* Chinese Taipei - Represented by Institute of Engineering Education Taiwan (2007)
* Hong Kong China - Represented by The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (1995)
* Ireland - Represented by Engineers Ireland (1989)
* Japan - Represented by Japan Accreditation Board for Engineering Education (2005)
* Korea - Represented by Accreditation Board for Engineering Education of Korea (2007)
* New Zealand - Represented by Institution of Professional Engineers NZ (1989)
* Singapore - Represented by Institution of Engineers Singapore (2006)
* South Africa - Represented by Engineering Council of South Africa (1999)
* United Kingdom - Represented by Engineering Council UK (1989)
* United States - Represented by Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (1989)
Organisations holding provisional status have been identified as having qualification accreditation or recognition procedures that are potentially suitable for the purposes of the Accord; those organisations are further developing those procedures with the goal of achieving signatory status in due course; qualifications accredited or recognised by organisations holding provisional status are not recognised by the signatories
* Germany - Represented by German Accreditation Agency for Study Programs in Engineering and Informatics
* India - Represented by National Board of Accreditation of All India Council for Technical Education
* Malaysia - Represented by Board of Engineers - Malaysia Engineering Accreditation Council (EAC)
* Russia - Represented by Russian Association for Engineering Education
* Sri Lanka - Represented by Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka
