Engineering Management Education: Washington Accord Accreditation Programs

Abstract

This is the first paper to comprehensively review worldwide accredited Engineering Management (EM) programs under the Washington Accord (WA). Data on EM programs within the accreditation period are collected from 21 full signatories. Criteria of geographical distribution and discipline attribution at both global and national scales are then analyzed. The results of more than 400 accredited programs have been found in 16 countries. While the US, the UK, and Australia have dominance over other countries in their continents, a balanced distribution among countries is seen in Asia. There has been a fall-off in the number of accredited programs globally (except the US) due to multiple factors. Regarding discipline attribution, it is relatively different among continents, with management in conjunction mostly with industrial engineering in Asia and America, civil engineering in Australasia, and others in Europe. These findings coupled with a deep literature review provides implications for management requirements in engineering education, a benchmark for curriculum development, and quality standard among master of EM programs (MEM) through professional certification. Criteria of the American Society for Engineering Management (ASEM) are suggested for certified master programs. The paper also discusses emerging trends for future programs and practical insights for engineering managers.