DEBRE BERHAN UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT

International Accreditation of Programs

Action Plan

Prepared by CoTM Accreditation team

March 2023
Introduction

In order to ensure the highest quality of education and to maintain consistency across
educational institutions around the world, international accreditation is essential.
International accreditation provides a framework for institutions to assess the quality of
their offerings for students. This system also serves to protect students’ interests, setting a
minimum standard of educational quality so that students can be sure they are receiving a
worthwhile education. Additionally, international accreditation helps to ensure educational
institutions meet their own internal standards and achieve their mission. Accreditation also
protects the reputation of educational institutions by maintaining a high standard of
quality and maintaining the integrity of their programs. It ensures that the qualifications
attained by the students are accepted and recognized all over the world. As a result,
students will receive a valuable education that prepares them for the workforce and they
can compete in the global marketplace.

In recent years, there have been increasing calls for higher education institutions to receive
international accreditation. This is due to the growing globalized nature of every society,
which has led to an increased demand for the recognition of degrees earned from other
countries. To meet this need, many nations have implemented international accreditation
standards for their universities, which promote the quality of higher education institutions
and the academic excellence of their graduates. Moreover, international accreditation
serves to create a ground for international students who are seeking higher education in a
foreign country.

As autonomous institutions, higher education institutions need to accredit their programs

in order to attract both domestic and international students. Accreditation offers students
and employers a means of verifying that the programs meet the international standards of
quality and requirements of the industry, enabling them to be confident in the
qualifications of their graduates. Furthermore, it serves as a guarantee that students will be
able to transfer credits from one university to another or from one country to another and

1
provides governments with an assurance that they are providing an education of a high
standard.

Debre Berhan University is working hard to become an autonomous and world-class

institution, and international accreditation is an important part of that goal. In order to
meet the standards set by global accreditation bodies, the university has to demonstrate
that its academic programs are of the highest quality and that they meet international
educational standards. The university has started the process of implementing rigorous
quality assurance measures to ensure that it meets all the required criteria for international
accreditation.

In order to receive international accreditation, the university will identify and shortlist a
few of its academic programs that are deemed to have the potential to meet the criteria for
accreditation. These programs shall be in the areas of engineering, computing, agriculture,
health, and business and economics where by the university is differentiated to offer the
training. The university shall also be expected to form a team of experts at department level
who are tasked with ensuring that the programs meet the standards set by international
accreditation bodies.

As a result of this accreditation, Debre Berhan University will be able to attract more
domestic and international students and faculty, which will in turn improve the overall
quality of education. In addition, the university can benefit from increased networking
opportunities and collaboration with international universities. With its international
accreditation, the university will be able to open its doors to a wider range of global
educational opportunities. It may also inspire governing bodies, legislators, funders,
communities, industry owners and others to be involved in the betterment of the
programs.

Construction Technology and Management Program

2
The Construction Technology and Management program is an interdisciplinary field that
involves the application of technical and managerial skills to the construction industry. The
program covers a wide range of topics including construction methods, materials, project
management, cost control, and safety.

The construction industry is one of the largest industries in the world, and it plays a vital
role in the development of infrastructure and economic growth. The program is designed
to prepare students for careers in the construction industry, and it provides a solid
foundation in both technical and managerial skills.

The program typically includes courses such as construction methods and materials,
project planning and scheduling, construction cost control, construction safety, and
construction project management. Students may also be required to take courses in
engineering, architecture, business, and law.

In addition to classroom instruction, students in the Construction Technology and

Management program often have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience through
internships or co-op programs. These programs provide students with practical experience
in the field and allow them to apply their classroom learning to real-world situations.

Upon completion of the program, graduates can pursue a variety of careers in the
construction industry, including project managers, construction managers, estimators, cost
engineers, and safety managers. Graduates may also choose to continue their education by
pursuing advanced degrees in construction management or related fields.

Therefor for a Construction Technology and Management program, accreditation is

important as it ensures that the program provides students with the knowledge and skills
necessary to excel in the construction industry. Accreditation also provides assurance to
potential employers that graduates of the program have received a high-quality education.

Objectives

3
The objective of an action plan for accreditation for a Construction Technology and
Management program is to ensure that the program provides students with the knowledge
and skills necessary to excel in the construction industry and meets or exceeds the
accreditation standards set by the accrediting agency. The action plan provides a roadmap
for achieving this goal and helps ensure that the necessary improvements are made in a
timely and effective manner.

Goals

The goals of the accreditation program for a Construction Technology and

Management Department include:

Ensuring that the program provides a high-quality education that prepares

graduates for successful careers in the construction industry.
Establishing and maintaining standards of quality for the program that meet or
exceed industry standards and best practices.
Providing students with a challenging and well-rounded curriculum that includes
both theoretical and practical training in construction technology, project
management, safety, sustainability, and other relevant topics.
Developing partnerships with industry professionals and other stakeholders to
ensure that the program is aligned with current industry trends and practices.
Promoting faculty professional development and research activities to enhance the
quality and relevance of the program.
Creating a supportive learning environment that fosters collaboration, innovation,
and excellence among faculty, staff, students, and other stakeholders.
Encouraging continuous improvement in the program through regular reviews and
updates to the curriculum, instructional methods, and assessment tools.
Facilitating the accreditation process and ensuring that the program meets the
requirements of accrediting organizations.

Overall, the goals of the accreditation program for a Construction Technology and
Management Department are focused on ensuring that the program provides a high-

4
quality education that prepares graduates for successful careers in the construction
industry, meets or exceeds industry standards and best practices, and fosters a culture of
collaboration, innovation, and excellence.

Objectives

The objectives of the accreditation program for a Construction Technology and

Management Department include:

Ensuring that the program meets or exceeds industry standards and prepares
graduates with the necessary knowledge and skills to excel in the field of
construction technology and management.
Providing students with a challenging and well-rounded curriculum that includes
both theoretical and practical training in construction technology, project
management, safety, sustainability, and other relevant topics.
Developing partnerships with industry professionals and other stakeholders to
ensure that the program is aligned with current industry trends and practices.
Providing students with opportunities for hands-on learning experiences, such as
internships, co-op programs, and other work-based learning opportunities.
Encouraging faculty professional development and research activities to enhance the
quality and relevance of the program.
Providing students with a supportive learning environment that fosters
collaboration, innovation, and excellence.
Conducting regular reviews of the program to ensure continuous improvement and
alignment with industry standards and best practices.
Facilitating the accreditation process and ensuring that the program meets the
requirements of accrediting organizations.

5
 Action plan Timeline

SN Activities Expected outcome Responsible body Implementation time

1 Assign a team of stakeholders who will work together Assign a team Head and dc committee
to prepare the program for accreditation. February 17, 2023
2 Start reviewing the ABET accreditation standards or a clear understanding of the accreditation team
criteria for (CoTM). Includes: specific academic criteria that the program needs
standards, program outcomes, faculty qualifications,
and facilities. March 17-30/2023
3 Awareness creation/training for department staffs, Well-informed stakeholders accreditation team
students and other stakeholder on the importance about accreditation of CoTM
and processes of international accreditation of programs
academic programs May 1-15/2023
4 Evaluate CoTM program (curriculum, faculty Determine whether it meets each accreditation team
qualifications, student outcomes, assessment, and of the accreditation standards.
resources.) May 16- June 30 /2023
5 Conduct Self-Evaluation to identify areas of strength Self-evaluation faculty and accreditation
and weakness in relation to the accreditation criteria team July 1- August 14/2023
6 Develop an Improvement Plan Develop an improvement plan to Core accreditation team
address any areas of weakness August 15-27, 2023
7 Submitting program level self-assessment report to Approved self-assessment report/ Core accreditation team
the college after the approval of the department documentation September 10 / 2023
8 Presenting program level self-assessment report and Approved self-assessment report Core accreditation team and September 19 – 20/ 2023
 improvement plan to the college after the approval and enhancement plan/ Department
of the department documentation
9 Fulfilling the necessary facilities and requirements Fulfilled facilities and The university
based on the improvement plan (as per the requirements for accreditation management; Vice
accreditor’s criteria) Presidents; Colleges:
department October 2023 – March 2024
10 Create a timeline that outlines key dates for Develop a timeline Core accreditation team
submitting documentation and completing the site
visit. April 1-15/2024
11 Collect and organize all documentation related to the Organize documentation Core accreditation team
construction technology and management program. April 16/2024- May 10/2024
12 Communicate with stakeholders Keep all stakeholders informed Core accreditation team
about the accreditation process,
and provide opportunities for
them to ask questions and provide
feedback May 11- 19/2024
13 Perform a mock site visit to prepare for the actual site Identify areas that need Core accreditation team
visit. improvement and ensure that
everyone involved is ready for the
site visit. May 20-30/2024
14 Presenting first draft document of the would-be Well-informed community; Core accreditation team;
accredited programs to the university community enhanced document Colleges June 2024 -July 2024
15 Organizing workshop on the accreditation of the Well-informed stakeholders; Core accreditation team; July 2024

7
 programs with stakeholders (professional enhanced document Colleges
associations, industries, university management)
16 Prepare a final report that documents the Finalize the accreditation report Core accreditation team
construction technology and management program's
compliance with the accreditation standards and
identifies areas that require improvement. March 10 – 17/2023
17 Submit the accreditation report to the accrediting Submitted request and The university management
organization according to the established timeline. confirmation from the accreditors August 2024
18 Inviting the accrediting body to visit the university Better understanding of the The university management Depend on the accreditor’s
university plan
19 Having a discussion with the accrediting body and Facilitated accreditation process The university management Depend on the accreditor’s
giving responses to the issues that will be raised plan
20 Follow up with the accrediting organization Address any areas that require Core accreditation team;
further action or clarification. department ; college ;
university management After august 2024
21 Collecting feedback received during the accreditation Implement changes Core accreditations team;
process, implement any changes needed to improve department ; college ;
the construction technology and management Depend on the accreditor’s
program. plan
22 Submit regular reports to the accrediting Maintain accreditation Core accreditation team; Depend on the accreditor’s
organization. department ; college ; plan

8
Monitoring and evaluation

Monitoring and Evaluation is important to implement the plan effectively and monitor
progress towards achieving the desired outcomes accreditation process. Here are some
steps can take to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the M&E action plan:

 Implement the M&E plan: Start by implementing the M&E plan you have developed.
Collect the data required for monitoring and evaluation, use appropriate data
collection tools, and manage the data properly.
 Monitor progress: Monitor progress towards achieving the goals and objectives of
the action plan. Use the indicators you have developed to track progress, and collect
data at regular intervals.
 Analyze the data: Analyze the data you have collected to identify trends, patterns,
and areas for improvement. Use statistical tools and techniques to analyze the data
effectively.
 Review and assess the results: Review and assess the results of the M&E process. Use
the data analysis to identify areas where you have achieved your goals and areas
where you need to improve.
 Modify the action plan: Modify the action plan as needed based on the results of the
M&E process. Update the plan to reflect changes in your organization or the
environment, and revise the goals and objectives as necessary.
 Communicate the results: Communicate the results of the M&E process to
stakeholders. Share the progress made, the successes achieved, and the areas
identified for improvement. Use the results to inform decision-making and improve
the overall effectiveness of the action plan.
 Repeat the process: Repeat the M&E process periodically to assess progress towards
the goals and objectives of the action plan. Use the feedback received to modify the
plan and make further improvements.
10