Preparing An Abet Self Study: Continuous Improvement The Second Time Around

ABET 2000 became the standard accreditation format for ABET almost a decade ago. As such, most universities have already been through their first accreditation cycle under the ABET 2000 format. Now colleges are preparing for and going through their second ABET visit under these new rules. The first Self Study for ABET 2000 took an immense amount of time and effort due to the enormous differences from the previous accreditation format. But now the change is continuous improvement? Now that universities need to show that they do not ‘just’ have an assessment system, but that it is used regularly and its’ results are used to implement change on a continuous basis, how should colleges and universities address this aspect? How should continuous improvement be demonstrated and documented? This paper will address one college’s approach to its second round with ABET 2000, and the aspects used to demonstrate the new ABET requirement of continuous improvement.