The role of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in the accreditation of engineering programs is often misunderstood. While some believe that IEEE directly accredits these programs in the United States, the responsibility lies with the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). This nonprofit organization ensures the quality of academic programs leading to degrees in specific engineering and technology disciplines, rather than accrediting entire institutions or faculties.
ABET was founded by a coalition of engineering organizations, including IEEE’s predecessor, the American Institute of Electrical Engineers (AIEE), in 1932. Today, ABET accredits more than 4,770 programs across 930 colleges and universities in 42 countries, with IEEE serving as the lead society for 877 of these programs.
How IEEE Contributes to Accreditation Processes
IEEE, along with 33 other professional organizations, assists ABET by providing volunteer program evaluators. These evaluators visit educational institutions seeking accreditation, assessing them against criteria developed collaboratively with ABET and the various societies. Evaluators bring experience from industry, academia, or government, enriching the evaluation process. After serving for five years or more as evaluators, volunteers may be nominated to join committees such as the IEEE Committee on Engineering Technology Accreditation Activities (CETAA) or the IEEE Committee on Engineering Accreditation Activities (CEAA).
Victor Nelson, a life senior member of IEEE and professor emeritus at Auburn University, has been a program evaluator for over two decades. He emphasizes the importance of this role, stating, “Years of developing and leading undergraduate electrical and computer engineering programs, including preparing for ABET accreditation reviews, led me to believe that becoming an ABET program evaluator would be a great way to learn new ways to improve the quality of our own programs while also assisting others.”
Each accreditation visit is overseen by a team chair, who serves as the primary point of contact for the institution being evaluated. The term for a team chair typically lasts five years, with the possibility of serving an additional three years on ABET’s executive committee for its Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) or Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission (ETAC). Currently, there are about 380 IEEE evaluators, of whom 26 serve as IEEE commissioners on ABET’s EAC and ETAC.
Opportunities for New Evaluators
The CETAA and CEAA select new program evaluators annually, with the number of applicants varying each year to ensure sufficient evaluators are available for upcoming accreditation visits. For the 2025–2026 academic year, IEEE received 126 applications from 24 countries, including 105 from academia and 21 from industry or government.
Victor Nelson’s contributions as a program evaluator were recognized with the 2024 IEEE EAB Meritorious Achievement Award in Accreditation Activities, established to honor efforts that promote educational quality through accreditation. “My 23 years of conducting ABET reviews have more than confirmed that belief and have been incredibly rewarding,” he says. “I always feel a sense of pride in being able to make modest contributions to improving the quality of engineering education through the accreditation review process.”
For more information on the importance of accreditation and IEEE’s role in ensuring quality in engineering education, readers can refer to “How IEEE Ensures Quality in Engineering Education,” published last year in The Institute.
