Once a fortnight our ‘What it’s like…’ series will interview a member of one of the governance boards, highlighting their work, their role in the Engineers Ireland community and advice for members interested in becoming involved. This week’s interview is with Maria Kyne, a member of the Accreditation Board.

Engineers Ireland accredits hundreds of programmes across the diverse disciplines of engineering. Accredited programmes are internationally recognised, and graduates are eligible for membership and to later apply for one of the organisation's registered professional titles.

Maria Kyne, member of Accreditation Board, Engineers Ireland

Furthermore, Engineers Ireland accreditation creates, maintains and ensures a consistent standard of engineering programmes in Ireland. It is the responsibility of the Accreditation Board to develop these standards and evaluate third-level engineering programmes accordingly. The board generally meets four times a year.

Maria Kyne is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of Engineers Ireland and has worked as a civil engineer for more than 30 years. She is head of the Faculty of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology at Limerick Institute of Technology.

Kyne joined the Accreditation Board having previously been involved in its work as a frequent participant in Engineers Ireland accreditation panels.

Regular cyclical programmatic reviews

In discussing her decision to join the board, Kyne references her professional background and academic goals as key motivators. “As head of department and subsequently head of faculty at Limerick Institute of Technology, my role and responsibilities included regular cyclical programmatic reviews of all programmes as well as seeking Engineers Ireland accreditation.

"Then, with the introduction of the current accreditation criteria (including the introduction of programme outcomes and the detailed evidence review) in the early 2000s, the whole process around accreditation of engineering programmes changed.

"I joined the Engineers Ireland Accreditation Board to gain an insight into the process and how it operates at a governance level.” 

Furthermore, joining the board had the added benefit of supporting Kyne in pursuing her own academic goals, namely the progression of her PhD.

'Assist research and provide useful insight'

“I commenced my part-time PhD research into the accreditation and programmatic review processes around the same time as I had joined the Accreditation Board. I thought being a member could assist my research and provide useful insight.”

Considering the role and the responsibilities, Kyne notes that a challenging element of the work is the volume of preparation required for each meeting.

“There is a significant amount of documentation which must be carefully read before each meeting. The decisions made at these meetings affect whether engineering programmes are awarded accreditation by Engineers Ireland.

"The higher education institutes spend considerable time preparing their programmes for evaluation and accreditation. It is your responsibility to give each programme the careful attention and consideration they deserve.”

However, the challenges don’t outweigh the benefits. For Kyne, one of the most rewarding aspects is how membership has complemented her own professional background in engineering and higher education.

“The insights gained from being a member of an accreditation panel visiting another institute of technology or university and, how the Accreditation Board subsequently approved its accreditation, is very valuable to my role as head of faculty as I am able to better prepare for the accreditation of programmes in my own institute of technology.

"I am also fortunate to have been selected by the board to train as an international assessor to oversee the accreditation processes in other countries.

International Engineering Alliance

"I have been asked to participate as a member of an International Engineering Alliance panel to review compliance with international agreements in Canada and Pakistan over the past number of years.

"My experience of the implementation of the Engineers Ireland accreditation criteria has also assisted me in presenting papers at international conferences including a paper titled ‘Engineering Accreditation Objectives and their Relationship to the Quality Assurance Standards for Engineering Education Programmes in Ireland’.”

In considering the various voluntary roles with Engineers Ireland, Kyne has identified a way to couple her professional skillset with her interest in progressing engineering education and support her personal career goals.

Should other members of Engineers Ireland be interested in becoming a member of the Accreditation Board, Kyne’s advice is twofold. First “it is imperative to gain experience by being involved as an Engineers Ireland accreditation panel member in other higher education institutions, as this will enhance your ability to give impartial judgments at the board”.

Second, is to “attend as many Accreditation Board meetings as you can, come to the meetings prepared and have all the documentation read beforehand. Staying informed and up to date on the material is key to ensuring you are confident of your decisions as a board”.

The Accreditation Board is appointed by the Executive Board and vacancies arise as members finish their term or stand down. Those interested in joining should, in the first instance, gain experience by serving on accreditation panels.

Engineers Ireland could not function without the active participation of so many of our members who give so enthusiastically of their time and talents to serve the profession. Further information on the Engineers Ireland accreditation process is available here. If you would like to sit on an accreditation panel, please contact rmanton@engineersireland.ie.