Abstract
This research was conducted to assess the effects of an engineering education accreditation program devised by the University of Seoul on higher education outcomes by comparing and analyzing the evaluation results of engineering accredited students (31) and those who are not accredited (47) with the OECD AHELO (Assessment of Higher Education Learning Outcomes) in 2013. The AHELO assessment tool consisted of 25 multiple-choice questions which evaluated generic skill-learning outcomes, also using contextual surveys to establish the students' backgrounds. The results were evaluated statistically. In the results from the multiple-choice exam for generic skill learning outcomes, accredited students scored 1.35 points higher than non-accredited students. Secondly, according to the contextual survey related to students' university education experience, such as lectures, seminars, group projects, and online tutoring, it was found that accredited students were provided more activities in seminars and group projects. Moreover, for class activities, more of these were provided to accredited students, especially in the areas of assortment-structuralization and teamwork-based activities. Thirdly, according to the contextual survey results related to participation in class, specifically regarding asking questions and participating in discussions, interacting with the professor, and opportunities for study time, there were no recognizable differences between accredited and non-accredited students, However, while accredited students at least had opportunities to gain experience in most areas, there were some areas for which education resources were not provided to non-accredited students. Therefore, for the University of Seoul, our results imply that accredited students may show better performance in the areas of academic accomplishment and in their educational environment as compared to non-accredited students. These results demonstrate that the engineering education accreditation program positively contributes to employment competitiveness while also improving the necessary global standards of higher education outcomes.
