Expected Skills, Required Program Content and Assessment System to Address the Diverse Century Challenges..., Khedidja ALLIA

6th
International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2016
‘Integrative Risk Management – Towards Resilient Cities‘ • 28 Aug – 1 Sept 2016 • Davos • Switzerland
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Required program content and assessment
system to address the diverse century
challenges for future engineers.
Khedidja. Allia
LSGPI - USTHB, Algeria
Khedidja.allia@usthb.dz

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OUTLINE
1. Current issues & Higher education challenges
2. Quality assurance  Accreditation: Cases of
Algeria, ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and
Technology), Euro- Ace (European quality label for
engineering degree programmes at Bachelor and Master)
and how the Topic of Disaster Risk
Management (RDM) is considered or treated?
3. Observations and suggestions

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Current issues/challenges & Higher education
challenges:
Quality improvement of life in parallel of progress in Science and
Technologies has led to risk taking which in some cases,
appears to have generated our diverse and future challenges
of the century.
Indeed, the signs are everywhere stating that our planet is
experiencing major problems which closely interact with the
environment and human health.
We can quote some of them as in the following figures:

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The GHG emissions growth has been larger between 2000 and 2010
than in the previous three decades
The CO2 concentration in the atmosphere is now very close to 400
ppm at the global level.
Source: IPCC (2014); based on global emissions from 2010

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Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions by kind of Gas ([CO2 ]>75%)
5
Source: IPCC (2014); based on global emissions from 2010

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Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Economic Sector
(energy-intensive sectors.)
Source: IPCC (2014); based on global emissions from 2010. Details about the sources included in these estimates can be found in the Contribution of
Working Group III to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change .
6
In fact, some of the changes in extreme weather and climate events
observed since about 1950 have been linked to human activities.

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The Choices We Make Will generate Different Outcomes
With substantial
mitigation
Without
additional
mitigation
Change in average surface temperature (1986–2005 to 2081–2100)
IPPC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) Report 2014
7

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In addition to other examples that abound as:
Energy supply & Conversion and
Storage
Clean water and water conservation
Mitigation of air pollution, land and
water
Use of the potential of biotechnology
to agriculture, food and drugs
Without missing endocrine disruptors to
which humans are exposed due to 150 000
synthetic chemicals listed in our medicines,
our foods, pesticides, etc.
For these issues, and
for industries
involved, the engineer
is concerned and must
be able to meet these
new challenges.
But How?
By being the result of
an appropriate
training program

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 The SAFETY demands a deep scientific knowledge and application
of effective hazard analysis methods;
 In Engineering Education, students should have the opportunity to
expand their basic understanding of process hazard analysis and
learn how to extend order-of-magnitude scenario risk
calculations to other uses.
Which means that higher education should consider changing its
policy and its understanding of risk by having effective education
systems, especially the engineering education one able to provide
engineers “ready to meet” future challenges such as new ways to
supply and consume energy, to reduce the greenhouse gases
(GHS),etc., and particularly how to manage disasters risks of all
kinds, if we want to avoid a greater risk of damage.

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In addition to the present situation characterized by increasingly
rapid conversion and ongoing of paradigms which are real
drivers of societies.
Along with the rapid evolution of higher education, where
maintaining high quality and education standards has become a
major concern for institutions, and governments;
The result was the establishment of National Quality Assurance
system in many countries and the planned introduction of this
system in other countries. which leads to Accreditation
System.

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The exponential growth of new knowledge and diversification
teachings;
The massification of higher education;
The lifelong educational needs of citizens in a knowledge-driven,
global economy.
Globalisation, internationalization and openness of Higher
Education to private (for developing world);
The impact of new technologies that evolve at exponential rates
(e.g., info, bio, and nanotechnology).
Difficulties of funding: budget cuts, diversification of funding and
autonomy;
Educated unemployment of the Higher education etc.
Resume of Issues/challenges facing higher education

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Also,
We know that in different countries, Higher education system
follows its own development philosophy of curricula to supply
the market, industry and the public service by engineers “ready
to work”.
However, in industrialized countries, accreditation systems have
been introduced to engineering and engineering technology
education to streamline the various curriculum development
philosophies such as;
 the ABET Engineering Technology Criteria and the EUR – Ace,
European label, managed by the ENAEE (European Network for
Accreditation of Engineering Education) association.

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QUALITY ASSURANCE  ACCREDITATION SYSTEMS:
CASES OF ALGERIA, ABET, EURO- ACE AND THE
DRM TOPIC

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The Algerian university network consists of:
One hundred eleven (111) higher education institutions,
spread over forty-eight wilayas (48), covering the entire
country, and there are about;
fifty institutions (50) offering engineering technology
programmes and affiliated or not to several universities
spread across the country.
It has more than a million and half students (1,623, 000)
including 1.493 million at the first and second cycle for the
2016-2017 academic year.
All these institutions are monitored by the government body
NCA (National Committee for Accreditation)[5].
The programmes offered by government engineering education
institutions continue to be highly subsidised and funded by
the government.

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ENGINEERING AND ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY
CRITERIA IN ACCREDITATION SYSTEMS
As we know, accreditation is a comprehensive mechanism with
assessment tools and conformity certification that are all
based on domestic and foreign markets and can be used by
policy makers to ensure better regulation and control for;
environmental protection, public safety, prevention of fraud,
fair and efficient markets, public confidence and a quality
education with the development of the competency-based
curriculum. .
Indeed, accreditation systems help to assess, guide and label
any educational programs in adequacy with the progress of
science and technology and required skills of the graduates.

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Generally, they are converging on objectives and programs, and
more or less for the skills required to compensate somehow the
gaps in disaster risk management (natural and industrial).
Given the current major risks of natural or industrial type has led us
to believe that policy makers, managers at all levels of
institutions, whether educational or productive types have to
support RDM setting, even if it means changing some
paradigms.
Indeed, the world is becoming increasingly flat [3] and complex,
and decision making in our connected global environment, will be
based on complex interdisciplinary scientific research and that
decision makers and stakeholders will need to have increased
involvement with Science in order to make appropriate policy
decisions in regard to the diverse risks[4].

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Algeria accreditation system? Quality assurance
In this sense, the MESRS applies to adopt a quality policy;
With Creation in 2010 of two major bodies:
- the National Evaluation Committee (CNE) and;
- the Commission for Implementation of Quality Assurance in
Higher Education (CIAQES).
The CIAQES played a key role in disseminating the concepts of
quality and quality assurance and training "the prime
movers" of quality in institutions, namely the Quality
Assurance Managers (Responsible) (QAR).
It has also led the development of the first National Referential
(2015).

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What about the current situation of accrediting
programmes
Even if organs and texts exist to ensure the quality of training,
"culture of evaluation" and "quality" are not yet part of the
higher education landscape.
In fact, current habilitation/accreditation of Programmes is
conducted in three (3) steps and is endorsed by the National
Committee of assessment and habilitation [5] (license,
Master / Engineer).
The training offer is performed by a training team within a given
institution department and proposed by the institution in the
form of specifications [5] (criteria inherent to faculty capacity,
industry needs, program content..) which is subject to an
assessment procedure and habilitation by the committee,
then an order is established to confirm the training courses
validated for each establishment of higher education.

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The review of the system and different engineering and technologies
programs lets us make the following remarks:
cumbersome system where the pedagogical side is often left on
the sidelines, this being due to the bodies assessment statutes;
divergence in a number of programs for a given sector, lack in
nomenclature harmonization of concepts for the licenses and
masters / engineers;
Absence/insufficiency of interdisciplinary teaching that builds
skills, efficiency and attitudes of graduates for their insertion in the
professional field and so of the specific Courses or for Bachelor or
Master degree in DRM or DRR
and
the expert team of the body's assessment is often overloaded
elsewhere and often not representative of the evaluated
specialties; etc.

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Worldwide Accreditation Systems
Generally, all programs seeking accreditation are responsible to
clearly demonstrate that they are in compliance with all
applicable policies, procedures and criteria for accreditation
systems targeted such as the ABET (Accreditation Board for
Engineering and Technology (USA)), EUR-ACE (European
Accreditation System) we used in this study.
Indeed, some criteria of the two accreditation systems are
examined, to highlight the importance of integrating or not
Disaster Risk Management (natural and industrial) within
these assessment systems.

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1 ABET Engineering Technology Criteria
It is known that ABET [6] has classified the accreditation criteria
of engineering technology programmes being offered by the
engineering institutions into two categories:
 General Criteria for Basic Level Programmes apply to all
programs accredited by an ABET commission.
 Program Criteria for Advanced Level Programmes provide
discipline-specific accreditation criteria. Programs must show
that they satisfy all of the specific Program Criteria implied by
the program title.
For analysis we consider the criteria 3) and 5) and f) and j) of the
two categories listed chronologically in Table 1

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ABET Engineering GENERAL
CRITERIA
1. Criterion 1. Students
2. Criterion 2. Program Educational Objectives
3. Criterion 3. Student Outcomes
4. Criterion 4. Continuous Improvement
5. Criterion 5. Curriculum
6. Criterion 6. Faculty
7. Criterion 7. Facilities
8. Criterion 8. Institutional Support
ABET Engineering STUDENTS
OUTCOMES:
Criterion # 3 ABET Engineering g Technology “a) to k) i.e.
“Students Outcomes” states that: An engineering technology
programme must demonstrate that graduates have:
a) an appropriate mastery of the knowledge, techniques, skills
and modern tools of their discipline;
b) an ability to apply current knowledge and adapt to emerging
applications of mathematics, science, engineering and
technology ;
c) an ability to conduct, analyse and interpret experiments and
apply experimental results to improve processes;
d) an ability to creativity to design systems, components and
processes appropriate to programme objectives;
e) an ability to function effectively on teams;
f) an ability to identify, analyse and solve technical problems;
g) an ability to communicate effectively;
h) a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in
lifelong learning;
i) an ability to understand professional, ethical and social
responsibilities;
j) a respect for diversity and a knowledge of contemporary
professional, societal and global issue;
k) a commitment to quality, timeliness, and continuous
improvement

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About Program criteria
Each program seeking accreditation must demonstrate that it
satisfies all Program Criteria implied by the program Given
Title for each field. [6].

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For Engineering General criteria
Based on Engineering Education, criterion 3 and Criterion 5 appear to
help in the process of streamlining programs in engineering
technology (Table 1).
But, on closer look it is seen that each statement from “a) to k)” and the
statements in criterion 5 with respect to each discipline continues to
be more or less “generic” than “specific”, particularly vis-à-vis “Risk
Management /Disasters Risk Management”.
As example the 2 programs:
Criterion g) of “Program criteria for Environmental Engineering
Technology and similarly named programs” states that students
should be able to “applying probability and statistics to measured
data and performing risk analyses”;
criterion h) of “program criteria for Fire Protection Engineering
Technology and similarly named programs” students should be able
to “applying probability and statistics to measured data and
performing risk analyses;”

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For Engineering General criteria
However in Criteria for Accrediting Engineering Programs –
Proposed Changes [7] we can note the criterion 7 where the
student should have an ability to function effectively on teams
that establish goals, plan tasks, meet deadlines, and analyze
risk and uncertainty.
In addition, in page 27 [7], inherent to criteria objectives, where
student has to be “cognizant of the global dimensions, risks,
uncertainties, and other implications of their engineering
solutions.”

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2 EUR-ACE® (EURopean-Accredited Engineer)
For an accreditation request of a given program in engineering, three
fields describe the criteria to be demonstrated in term of Student
Workload Requirements, Programme Outcomes, and Programme
Management [8].
The first two fields are compliant with the overarching Framework of
Qualifications for the European Higher Education Area (EQF) [9].
Which “comprises three cycles, generic descriptors for each cycle
based on learning outcomes, and credit ranges in the first and
second cycles”, and is a translation tool that helps communication
and comparison between qualifications systems in Europe.
Eight levels are defined by a set of descriptors indicating the learning
outcomes (knowledge, skills and competences) are relevant to
qualifications at that level in any system of qualifications [8].

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EUR-ACE® (EURopean-Accredited Engineer)
The Programme Outcomes Framework
Programme Outcomes are described separately for both
Bachelor and Master Degree programmes with reference to
the following eight (8) learning areas: (1) Knowledge and
understanding; (2) Engineering Analysis;(3) Engineering
Design; (4) Investigations; (5)Engineering Practice; (6) Making
Judgements; (7) Communication and Team-working; (8)
Lifelong Learning.
• Only criterions 2 and 5 are considered here.
For each degree type, skills are required for labeling educational
program and are summarized in Table 2.and Table 3

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Bachelor Degree Master Degree
The learning process should enable Bachelor Degree
graduates to demonstrate:
The learning process should enable Master Degree
a) ability to analyse complex engineering products,
processes and systems in their field of study;
b) to select and apply relevant methods from
established analytical, computational and
experimental methods;
c) to correctly interpret the outcomes of such
analyses;
1. ability to analyse new and complex engineering products,
processes and systems within broader or multidisciplinary
contexts; to select and apply the most appropriate and
relevant methods from established analytical,
computational and experimental methods or new and
innovative methods; to critically interpret the outcomes of
such analyses ;
2. ability to conceptualise engineering products, processes
and systems;
d) ability to identify, formulate and solve engineering
problems in their field of study;
e) to select and apply relevant methods from
established analytical, computational and
experimental methods;
3. ability to identify, formulate and solve unfamiliar complex
engineering problems that are incompletely defined, have
competing specifications, may involve considerations
from outside their field of study and non-technical –
societal, health and safety, environmental, economic and
industrial – constraints;
d) to recognise the importance of non-technical –
societal, health and safety, environmental,
economic and industrial – constraints
4. to select and apply the most appropriate and relevant
methods from established analytical, computational and
experimental methods or new and innovative methods in
problem solving;
5. ability to identify, formulate and solve complex problems
in new and emerging areas of their specialisation.
a) Engineering Analysis (Cr 2):

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b) Engineering Practice (CR 5)
Bachelor Degree Master Degree
The learning process should enable Bachelor Degree
The learning process should enable Master Degree
a) understanding of applicable techniques and
methods of analysis, design and investigation and
of their limitations in their field of study;
b) practical skills for solving complex problems,
realising complex engineering designs and
conducting investigations in their field of study;
c) understanding of applicable materials, equipment
and tools, engineering technologies and processes,
and of their limitations in their field of study;
d) ability to apply norms of engineering practice in
their field of study;
e) awareness of non-technical -societal, health and
safety, environmental, economic and industrial -
implications of engineering practice;
f) awareness of economic, organisational and
managerial issues (such as project management,
risk and change management) in the industrial
and business context.
1. comprehensive understanding of applicable
techniques and methods of analysis, design and
investigation and of their limitations;
2. practical skills, including the use of computer
tools, for solving complex problems, realising
complex engineering design, designing and
conducting complex investigations;
3. comprehensive understanding of applicable
materials, equipment and tools, engineering
technologies and processes, and of their
limitations;
4. ability to apply norms of engineering practice;
5. knowledge and understanding of the non-technical
– societal, health and safety, environmental,
economic and industrial - implications of
engineering practice;
6. critical awareness of economic, organisational and
managerial issues (such as project management,
risk and change management)
Table 3: Required skills for Bachelor and Master Degrees

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Based on Engineering Education, and for bachelor and
master degrees, criterion 2 and Criterion 5 appear to
help in the process of streamlining programs in
engineering education.
The items of each degree as: f) and 3) for engineering
analysis, and e) and f) and 5) for engineering practice
respectively, mention and encourage the
consideration of risk management. (Table 2 and 3)

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Conclusion
This study highlights some accreditation criteria, taking into
account the concept of risk disaster management (RDM).
However, in most programs, this theme is not mentioned as a
bachelor or master diploma or a required/manatory course for
the wide variety of specialty diplomas.
Also, the mentioned criteria of ABET and Euro RACE are excellent
as generic skills, but need to identify much more specific
competencies in the profession concerning risk management in
different fields, so open the way to greater clarity on this issue
to all stakeholders especially, to program designers about the
philosophy to be adopted in the program development, its
implementation and its evaluation.

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Conclusion
It would be interesting
- To introduce the concept of green chemistry and energy at the
first level in the core courses and those related to process
design and to focus of attention on the ‘green shift’ in the
economy and society, notably towards “green innovation and
competitiveness”

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THANK YOU

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5. REFERENCES
1. http://www.abet.org
2. https://ec.europa.eu/ploteus/content/descriptors-page
3. T, Friedman (2007), The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First
century. Release 3, Picador I Farrar, Straus and Giroux New York.
4. S, Schaal (2008). The Role of Communications and Scientific Thinking.
National Academy of Sciences, N°13: 978-0-309-11927-6.
5. Ministerial Order N°167 of 13 April 2015 on the establishment,
composition, duties and functions of the National Accreditation
Committee (MESRS).
6. http://www.abet.org - 2015-2016 Criteria for Accrediting Engineering
Technology Programs
7. http://www.abet.org -2016-2017 - Criteria for Accrediting Engineering
Programs – Proposed Changes
8. EUR-ACE - Framework Standards And Guidelines - Edition 31st ® March
2015
9. https://ec.europa.eu/ploteus/content/descriptors-page
10. "CIAQES - MESRS Benaknoun Algérie - 2015" .

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Regulation and curent situation
A) Legal regulations for developing the AQI in higher education and scientific
research: Creating the CIAQES (Commission for the Implementation of
Quality Assurance in Higher Education) (Decree of 31 May 2010):
- Creation of the CNE (National Evaluation Council (Decree of 21 January
2010)) and of QAR (Quality Assurances Responsible) and CAQ (Cells
Insurance Quality) at each higher educational institution.
B) The gradual introduction of the CAQ and QARs at Universities and other
Higher Education institutions and Scientific Research:
- Appointment of QAR at rectors level, in institutions (or even at the level of
faculties and departments ... in progress) and training of stakeholders
- Installation of CAQs and formation of their members.
C) First experiments of AQI and various internal assessment in collaboration
with Tempus Programme Aquimed in the framework of mediterranean
cooperation.
D) Elaboration by CIAQES of national Referential of Higher Education and
Scientific Research in Algeria 2015.

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The expected results
Organization and recognition of AQI structures in the institutions
of higher education (QAR CAQ ...)
Appropriation of as a structuring guide for the steps of AQI in
institutions;
Enrichment of the National Referential, for his
experimentation in internal assessment approaches in the
pilot sites (06);
Improving the functioning and teachings in pilot sites, based
on internal self-assessment procedures conducted;
Modeling and dissemination of the practices of AQI
implemented in pilot sites;
Diffusion of Culture Quality in all institutions of HESR.

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