Further testament to Mapúa Institute of Technology’s unwavering tradition of excellence, three more of its programs were accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET (www.abet.org), namely, Biological Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, and Materials Science and Engineering, in addition to the roster of earlier accredited engineering programs of the Institute.
With the recent recognition, coinciding with the continuation of accreditation of the eight other engineering programs, Mapúa now holds the most number of ABET-accredited programs in a single campus. The Institute enjoys accreditation given by ABET-EAC to 11 of its engineering programs in its Intramuros campus: Biological Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Environmental and Sanitary Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering. Mapúa also has two programs accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC) of ABET housed in the Makati extension of the Intramuros campus: Computer Science and Information Technology.
“This [accreditation] definitely manifests stability and advancement of OBE in our school,” Mapúa President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Reynaldo B. Vea said. He added that the accreditation of the three programs strengthens Mapúa’s lead role in this national effort towards outcomes-based quality assurance.
According to Mapúa’s Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) director Engr. Cesar Coronado, with the newly accredited programs, more students will now gain the benefits of being enrolled and being graduates from programs accredited by the EAC or CAC of ABET.
“Graduates of these ABET-accredited programs have a distinct advantage,” Engr. Coronado said. “The accreditation, in a way, strengthens and enhances the graduates’ chance in pursuing further studies or acquiring appropriate jobs in any country where ABET accreditation is recognized.”
The accreditation by EAC and CAC of ABET facilitates entry to the global workforce, as it is recognized worldwide. It also makes application for state licensure examinations in the United States and graduate school entry easier.
Successful OBE implementation
Dr. Vea said that the accreditation of the programs shows that the Institute was able to sustain its efforts to build an outcomes-based education (OBE) system and was successful in going through continuous quality improvement cycles.
“We like to think that we have blazed a trail towards outcomes-based accreditation and OBE in this country,” said Dr. Vea. “Going for outcomes-based accreditation was not without risks. In the absence then of any local accreditation agency to represent the Philippines in the Washington Accord, we had to go with the US-based ABET under a new, hitherto unfamiliar outcomes-based paradigm. Subsequently, realizing the need for a tide to lift all boats, we contributed towards the organization of the PTC-ACBET, which is now the Philippine representative organization to the Washington Accord and under which Mapúa also has a good number of its programs accredited. ”
Mapúa has been a pioneer in the implementation of OBE in the Philippines since it adopted the system in 2006. OBE is a learner-centered approach requiring students to validate their learnings through measurable outcomes. The system serves as the organizing principle of the Institute’s academic and administrative endeavors – befitting of a school that envisions itself to become a global center of excellence.
According to Mapúa Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Bonifacio T. Doma, Jr., the OBE implementation was a huge factor in the given accreditation to the engineering and computing programs.
“Now, more than ever, we are committed to the continuous and sustained implementation of OBE,” shared Dr. Doma. “Mapúa’s adoption of the OBE system ten years ago was a clear demonstration to the engineering and technology community that we are really focused on the quality improvement of Mapúan education.”
Dr. Doma added that Mapúa does not stop when it comes to improvement and development of the quality of education it aims to deliver to its students.
Continuous improvement
“It is Mapúa’s mission to develop its students to be globally competitive as they enter the workplace. The international accreditation of our programs is just one step towards this goal,” said Dr. Doma.
Engr. Coronado echoed Dr. Doma saying that improvements in the Institute has always been a continuous process. For years, Mapúa has been upgrading and improving its facilities, especially with the opening of the Research Building wherein various research projects of Mapúa are housed.