Accredited third level courses

Engineers Ireland’s accreditation is an objective evaluation and approval of third level engineering programmes, ensuring that they meet international standards, the needs of the engineering profession and broader responsibilities to society, environment and economy.

Accreditation is a periodic assessment of a programme of engineering education against accepted standards. It is a peer review process, undertaken by appropriately trained and independent panels of practising engineers, both industrial and academic, on behalf of properly constituted agencies. The process normally involves both scrutiny of data about the programme, and a structured visit to the HEI running the programme. The hallmark of a professional engineer is the ability to apply the learning outcomes gained during study to real world situations. These are assessed as working experiences or learned competences.

Graduates of accredited programmes, at the appropriate standard, may go on to achieve one of the professional titles of Chartered Engineer, Associate Engineer and Engineering Technician. Find out more in the Engineers Ireland Accreditation Criteria, here.

Whether you are an engineering professional seeking a job, an employer seeking qualified engineering professionals, or a student choosing a programme, a properly accredited pool of engineering education programmes is of benefit. Accredited programmes are internationally recognised, encouraging travel and the exchange of ideas and experience, enriching our profession.

The benefits of accreditation are:

• For students: When choosing a programme, Engineers Ireland accreditation assures you that your programme has been subjected to a rigorous process of evaluation with input from industry and academics. All students on programmes accredited by Engineers Ireland are eligible to become student members of Engineers Ireland. You and your prospective employers can rely on an established measure of your value in the job market, even before you’ve gained work experience.
• For professionals: If you hold an accredited qualification, you will have a quicker route to membership with Engineers Ireland. Your qualification is recognised internationally (see below). You will also be eligible to apply for one of Engineers Ireland’s registered professional titles: Chartered Engineer, Associate Engineer or Engineering Technician.
• For industry: Graduates of accredited programmes have achieved a high standard of engineering knowledge and skills which have been designed around the needs of industry and society, environment and economy more broadly. The accreditation process also gives industry the opportunity to participate in review panels.
• For HEIs: Accreditation provides an objective, external evaluation and approval of engineering programmes, ensuring that they meet international standards and help to meet social, environmental and economic goals. Accredited programmes are promoted in Engineers Ireland communications and HEIs can use the accredited programme logo.

Engineers Ireland is a member of the International Engineering Alliance, a global not-for-profit organisation, which comprises members from 41 jurisdictions within 29 countries. Through Educational Accords and Competence Agreements members of the International Engineering Alliance establish and enforce internationally benchmarked standards for engineering education and expected competence for engineering practice.

Engineers Ireland is a signatory to the Washington Accord, Sydney Accord and Dublin Accords, which means that programmes accredited by Engineers Ireland are recognised by other signatories as being substantially equivalent to accredited qualifications in their jurisdiction.

Programmes accredited at the Engineering Technician standard meet the education requirements for the Dublin Accord, programmes accredited at the Associate Engineer standard meet the education requirements for the Sydney Accord and programmes accredited at the Chartered Engineer standard meet the education requirements for the Washington Accord.

Engineers Ireland is also a member of the European Network of Accreditation for Engineering Education (ENAEE), which licenses Engineers Ireland to award the EUR-ACE® label for first and second cycle engineering programmes. The EUR-ACE® labels is internationally recognised and is awarded by Engineers Ireland to HEIs for accredited progammes. Engineers Ireland is also member of FEANI (European Federation of National Associations of Engineering), which publishes the European Engineering Education Database including Engineers Ireland accredited programmes. These international affiliations support graduate mobility in Europe and certain other countries.

Accreditation is voluntary, it is requested by Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Engineers Ireland undertakes accreditation reviews of engineering programmes at least every five years and the HEI is required to submit detailed evidence focused on compliance with Programme Outcomes. Engineers Ireland assessors interview students, graduates, employers, review facilities and hold discussions with management and staff as part of a thorough visit to the HEI. Find out more in the Engineers Ireland Accreditation Procedure, here. Engineers Ireland does not accredit individual graduates, only full programmes.

HEIs can apply for accreditation of their programmes by completing the accreditation application form (here) and sending, along with the associated fee, to: accreditation@engineersireland.ie. You will find a list of accreditation fees on the application form.

Accredited Honours Bachelor’s (Level 8) programmes provide the bulk, but not all, of the Programme Outcomes to meet the education standard for Chartered Engineer. ‘Chartered Engineer with further learning’ is not a title but an internal classification to distinctly identify such graduates so that they can be encouraged to acquire the required further learning by completing an accredited Master’s programme or learning at a level equivalent to that of an accredited Master’s programme. Graduates of programmes accredited at the ‘Chartered Engineer with further learning’ standard can also apply for the professional title of Associate Engineer.

In the Accreditation Database, the Further Learning (FL) note means that this qualification met the education standard for Chartered Engineer for graduates on or before 31 December 2012. For graduates after 1 January 2013 further learning is required to meet the education standard for Chartered Engineer.

Accredited 5-year Masters programmes meet the education standard for Chartered Engineer. Graduates of 1-2 year Masters programmes must hold an accredited undergraduate qualification, under the Washington Accord, equivalent to a Honours Bachelor’s (Level 8).

You can apply for membership here. Engineers Ireland will review your qualification and will inform you of your relevant route to membership and a professional title. Typically, applicants with unaccredited qualifications must follow an experiential learning route which involves demonstrating substantial equivalence of your qualifications and experience to the outcomes of an accredited qualification.

Every accredited programme is assigned a panel, made up of a chair and two assessors drawn from industry and academia. The role and requirements of assessors are outlined in the Accreditation Procedure, here. To volunteer as an assessor, please email accreditation@engineersireland.ie.

UCD graduates completing the Master’s Programme in its entirety over 5 years are awarded a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Science after 3 years and upon completion of the 2-year Masters Programme meet the educational standard for Chartered Engineer.

From 2005 a change in naming convention was implemented on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ):

Find out more about the NFQ here.

Some Diploma in Engineering programmes delivered by Dublin Institute of Technology pre-1998 received parallel Bachelor of Science awards from Trinity College Dublin (University of Dublin).