This October 2024, ABET Governance bodies approved significant updates to the accreditation criteria, placing an increased focus on diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI) and accessibility across all four commissions. These updates are designed to better prepare students to meet the demands of an increasingly diverse and global workforce.

Key DEI Criteria Updates

The DEI-focused revisions aim to ensure that curricula and institutional support align with both professional expectations and institutional mission and context.  Below are the newly approved criteria changes:

  • Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) Criterion 5: Curriculum (approved for implementation in 2025-26)
    • “d. content that ensures awareness of diversity, equity, and inclusion for professional practice consistent with the institution’s mission.”
  • Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission (ETAC) Criterion 5: Curriculum (approved for implementation in 2025-26)
    • “The curriculum must include topics related to professional and ethical responsibilities; diversity, equity, and inclusion awareness for professional practice consistent with the institution’s mission; quality; and continuous improvement.”
  • Applied and Natural Sciences Accreditation Commission (ANSAC) Criterion 5: Curriculum (approved for implementation in 2025-26)
    • “d. content that ensures awareness of diversity, equity, and inclusion for professional practice consistent with the institution’s mission.”
  • Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC) Criterion 5: Curriculum (approved for public review and comment period in 2024-25)
    • “The program’s requirements must be consistent with its program educational objectives and designed in such a way that each of the student outcomes can be attained. The curriculum must combine technical, professional, and general education components and must include diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility topics consistent with the institution’s mission. The curriculum must prepare students for a career, further study, and lifelong professional development in the computing discipline associated with the program.”
  • General Criterion 8: Institutional Support (Applicable Across Commissions, approved for implementation in 2025-26)
    • “Institutional support, resources, and leadership must be sufficient to: a) ensure the quality and continuity of the program; b) attract, retain, and provide for the continued professional development of a qualified faculty; c) acquire, maintain, and operate infrastructures, facilities, and equipment appropriate for the program; and d) create and foster a respectful environment among the program’s students, faculty, staff, and administrators such that the student outcomes can be attained. Resources include institutional services and policies, financial support, and administrative and technical staff.”

Continuing ABET’s Commitment to DEI

ABET has a long history of supporting DEI efforts in higher education. Since 2005, ABET has recognized exceptional achievements in DEI through the Claire L. Felbinger Award for Diversity and Inclusion, honoring individuals, educational units, associations and companies that have made extraordinary strides in promoting diversity and inclusion in the STEM fields. This award has highlighted the commitment of educators and organizations to creating more inclusive environments that prepare students to succeed in diverse and global workplaces.

In 2015, ABET formed the Ad Hoc Committee on Diversity and Inclusion, which was tasked with reviewing existing policies and identifying how accreditation criteria could better support underrepresented groups in STEM education. This initiative laid the groundwork for the DEI-focused updates to ABET’s criteria that were passed at the fall 2024 governance meetings.

Further solidifying its commitment, ABET launched the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) Council in 2020. The Council guides ABET in fostering an inclusive environment within its operations and accreditation processes. Through these efforts, ABET continues to promote access to high-quality education for all students, ensuring that DEI principles are embedded in the very framework of accredited programs.

These latest updates to DEI criteria reflect ABET’s ongoing mission to support inclusive education and to prepare students for the complexities of an increasingly diverse professional landscape.

If you or your organization would like to request a formal press release, please reach out to comms@abet.org.