UKZN Makes History with Accreditation of All Engineering Disciplines

UKZN Makes History with Accreditation of All Engineering Disciplines

‘I am pleased to announce that all seven Engineering disciplines at UKZN are expected to receive accreditation from the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) in November 2024,’ said UKZN Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Nana Poku.

The decision to recommend UKZN’s Engineering programmes for accreditation follows a visit to the School of Engineering by the ECSA accreditation team and reviewers from the International Engineering Alliance (IEA). These visits, conducted on 4 and 5 September 2024, are part of a rigorous evaluation process to ensure high standards of Engineering education in South Africa.

ECSA is a signatory to the Washington Accord, which enforces internationally benchmarked standards for Engineering education and expected competence in Engineering practice. Therefore, ECSA’s involvement ensures that four-year Engineering qualifications like the Bachelor of Science in Engineering from UKZN continue to hold international credibility.

The visiting teams found no deficiencies in the School of Engineering, paving the way for the accreditation of all its qualifications. This ensures that there will be no need for interim visits or reports before the next scheduled accreditation. The next regular five-year accreditation cycle will be in 2029.

UKZN offers a four-year Bachelor of Science in Engineering honours degree (576 credits) in the following disciplines: Agricultural Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering and Mechanical Engineering.

‘This is history in the making, as it is the first time since the introduction of ECSA’s Graduate Attributes (GAs) that all seven disciplines in Engineering at UKZN will be recommended for accreditation after a single visitation by ECSA,’ said Dean and Head of the School of Engineering, Professor Glen Bright. ‘Furthermore, this ensures that our Engineering graduates can achieve professional registration with ECSA after graduation.

‘It was a supreme team effort!’

‘We extend our deepest congratulations to the dedicated staff whose hard work and commitment to excellence have made this possible,’ said Poku. ‘Special thanks go to Professor Bright, his outstanding team, the executive management and all those behind the scenes who have contributed to this exceptional success.’

In his summation of the visit, ECSA accreditation panel leader Professor Didier Nyembwe stated: ‘We are proud to announce the successful close of the KwaZulu-Natal leg of the International Engineering Alliance accreditation visit at the University of KwaZulu-Natal School of Engineering.

‘The preliminary reports are positive, reflecting our shared commitment to upholding the highest standards of Engineering education and practice. As South Africa’s engineering regulator, ECSA is dedicated to fostering global excellence through effective accreditation, ensuring our professionals are globally competitive and ethically sound. This visit is a significant step in fulfilling our mission to regulate, guide, and support the profession in the public interest.

‘Engineering at UKZN has set the bar for excellence for all other Engineering departments in South Africa, to follow.’

‘Such praise is not only a validation of our efforts but also a call to continue striving for even higher standards and greater innovation,’ said Poku. ‘Congratulations to everyone involved in this remarkable achievement. Let us take this moment to celebrate, while keeping our eyes fixed on future milestones that will elevate UKZN’s Engineering to even greater heights.’

Words: NdabaOnline

Photograph: Supplied