| Abstract: | The Accreditation System for Engineering Courses was launched by the Ordem dos Engenheiros (OE—Institute of Portuguese Engineers) in 1994. Although the process was not easily accepted at first, it eventually took hold as engineering schools became aware of the public's interest in the system. Today, accreditation is an 'open door' to the OE since it exempts applicants from writing the admission exam. In fact, it is a 'seal of quality'—a guarantee of the initial education quality on the engineer's path to professional practise. This paper describes our system and what we have learned from implementing it, from the experience of others and from our own mistakes; but note that what is written is not a Utopia— the system does work. |
