Program Assessment and Improvement: A Case Study of Newly Established Engineering Programs

Abstract

The rapid development of science in the twenty-first century has increased the demand for highly educated professionals. This requirement has led to the creation of a large number of new universities, institutes and professional training centres. In order to match the quality of resources demand with programs offered at these universities must be monitored. Assessing the quality of any university program is a complex process that is attributed to numerous key indicators and standards. The assessment of higher education outcomes focuses on students' progress in learning, skills and attitudes. This research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching and curriculum for new engineering programs. A qualitative survey has been conducted among the students of various engineering disciplines. The relative average is computed among feedback to base solid reasoning. It is observed that the mostly student are satisfied with the teaching performances of the faculty members of general courses and core engineering program courses. The analysis shows that the average accomplishment rate of all selected factors is around 80%. It is also observed that the students are satisfied with the overall program performance with an average accomplishment rate of all selected factors above 70% that is in-line with college and university strategic benchmarks. It is also very critical to evaluate the programs and teaching quality at certain periodic basis which is linked with the university strategic plan. For this case study for newly developed programs, it’s the right time to assess the program competence and efficacy to meet market demand.

Keywords: Program Evaluation, Program Assessment, Engineering Program, Teaching Quality