Ingenieur Vol.72 ingenieur October 2017-FA3 | Page 25

Items Engineering ( WA ) Engineering Technology ( SA ) Engineering Technician ( DA )
Academic / Teaching and Support Staff
• A viable engineering programme is expected to have a minimum of eight full-time academic staff whose first degree must be in the appropriate engineering discipline . Every programme shall have at least three full-time Professional Engineers registered with the BEM or equivalent , and actively teach in the programme . All academic staff who are eligible must register with BEM .
• Full-time academic staff ( minimum of eight ) with at least three Professional Engineers registered with the BEM or equivalent .
• Staff : student ratio 1 : 20 or better .
• Teaching staff must have postgraduate degrees ( Masters level or higher ). However , a staff member with first degree and five-year industrial / specialist experience with acceptable professional qualifications may be considered . 30 % of the lecturers / instructors must have a professional certification or at least two years of relevant industrial work experience . If this is not met , the institution should have a staff industrial attachment scheme in place .
• Staff : student ratio 1 : 15 or better .
• Teaching staff must have bachelor degrees or higher . However , a staff member with accredited diploma and five-year industrial / specialist experience with acceptable professional qualifications may be considered . 30 % of the lecturers / instructors must have a professional certification or at least two years of relevant industrial work experience . If this is not met , the institution should have a staff industrial attachment scheme in place .
• Staff : student ratio 1 : 20 or better .
Conclusion
This article has highlighted the contribution that BEM has made in enhancing the quality of engineering education in Malaysia . The change was brought about by the Outcomes-Based accreditation approach introduced in 2006 with the launch of the new Engineering Programme Accreditation Manual 2006 ( revised 2017 ). Two other manuals , namely the Engineering Technology Programme Accreditation Manual ( 2015 ), and the Engineering Technician Education Programme Accreditation Manual ( 2016 ) have also been introduced . The importance of setting the correct Programme Outcomes / Graduate Attributes has very much been emphasised to clearly differentiate the different categories within the engineering domain , namely the engineers , engineering technologists , and engineering technicians . It is hoped that with all these changes , the graduates produced by the IHLs will be of better quality , and fit for the purpose for which they have been educated for .
REFERENCE
Engineering Programme Accreditation Manual , 2017 . Engineering Accreditation Council , Board of Engineers Malaysia .
Engineering Technician Education Programme Accreditation Manual , 2016 . Engineering Technology Accreditation Council , Board of Engineers Malaysia .
Engineering Technology Programme Accreditation Manual , 2015 . Engineering Technology Accreditation Council , Board of Engineers Malaysia .
Graduate Attributes and Professional Competencies , 2013 , International Engineering Alliance . http :// www . ieagreements . org .
Malaysia Education Blueprint 2015-2025 ( Higher Education ), 2015 . Ministry of Higher Education , Malaysia .
MQA Act , 2007 . Malaysia Qualifications Agency . Registration of Engineers Act 1967 ( Revised 2015 ). Board of Engineers Malaysia .
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