IEEE’s Role in ABET Accreditation Programs Explained

Some people mistakenly believe that IEEE accredits engineering programs in United Statesbut it's a responsibility ABET.

This global non-profit agency accredits academic programs leading to advanced degrees in specific disciplines. It does not accredit an institution, school, college, department, institution, course, or faculty—only certain academic programs.

IEEE and other professional organizations help evaluate ABET programs, but they do not have the authority to independently accredit programs.

34 organizations, including IEEE, are members of ABET and assist the nonprofit organization in setting policy, developing strategy, and conducting accreditation activities around the world.

IEEE's partnership with ABET began in 1932 with IEEE's predecessor society, American Institute of Electrical Engineers. ahhtogether with six other engineering organizations founded Engineering Council for Professional Developmentwhich evolved into ABET.

Today, ABET accredits more than 4,770 programs at 930 colleges and universities in 42 countries and regions. IEEE is the leading society for 877 programs.

Assessment structure

IEEE and other professional societies provide ABET volunteers. program evaluators. Assessors are tasked with visiting educational institutions seeking accreditation. Assessors provide scores based on specific criteria developed in collaboration with ABET and the societies. Evaluators must have experience in industry, academia, or government.

If IEEE volunteers have five or more years of experience as a program evaluator, they may be nominated to serve IEEE Committee on Accreditation of Engineering Technology (CETAA) or IEEE Engineering Accreditation Committee (Taxi). IEEE Educational Activities supports these committees and all IEEE responsibilities with respect to ABET. After serving two to four years on one of the committees, a volunteer may be nominated to serve on one of ABET's committees, giving the volunteer the opportunity to serve as group chair.

“Years of developing and guiding students in electrical engineering 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 helping others.” —Victor Nelson

Each accreditation visit is led by a team leader who is the primary point of contact for the institution whose programs are being evaluated. The term of office is typically five years with the option of three years on the executive committee of the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) and the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission (ETAC) of ABET.

There are approximately 380 IEEE evaluators, 26 of whom are currently IEEE panel members on the EAC and ETAC ABET.

Become a program evaluator

CETAA and CEAA select new program evaluators each year. The number of candidates selected varies from year to year to ensure a sufficient number of assessors for future accreditation visits.

During the 2025-2026 academic year, IEEE received 126 submissions to EAC and ETAC. Submissions were received from 24 countries, including 105 from academia and 21 from industry or government.

Victor NelsonA Lifetime Senior Member of IEEE, he has been involved in program evaluation for more than two decades. He is Professor Emeritus of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Go to Engineering College V Auburn Universityin Alabama. Nelson's work as an evaluator was recognized by the 2024 IEEE. EAB Award for Excellence in Accreditation. The award was established in 1984 in recognition of “efforts to promote the maintenance and improvement of education through the accreditation process.”

“Years of developing and teaching undergraduate electrical and computer engineering programs, including preparing for ABET accreditation reviews, led me to believe that serving as an ABET program evaluator would be a great way to learn new ways to improve the quality of our own programs while helping others,” says Nelson. “My 23 years of conducting ABET reviews have more than confirmed this belief and have been incredibly rewarding.

“As a program evaluator, I have had the privilege of studying and visiting programs around the world, and I am always impressed and learn from the efforts and accomplishments of many of the students and faculty in these programs.

“I always feel proud that I can make a small contribution to improving the quality of engineering education through the accreditation review process.”

To learn more about why accreditation is important, read “How IEEE Ensures Quality in Engineering Education“, published last year in Institute.

To become an IEEE program evaluator, apply here.