Quality Assurance In Engineering Education: Provision And Practices In Nepal

Abstract

Higher Engineering Education in Nepal was started only in 1978. With the liberal policy of the Government of Nepal, 43 private engineering colleges were established after 1994 and are in operation. Due to the globalization, the mobility of engineers from one country to another is increasing every year.  International mobility of the engineers compelled engineering colleges to enhance the quality of engineering education through the introduction of various quality assurance and accreditation processes. This research paper aims to analyze provision and different practices that are being adopted by different institutions of Nepal for quality assurance in engineering education. For this purpose, different literature in regards to the quality assurance and accreditation of engineering education was collected as a secondary data and reviewed from one side, and from the other, information on quality assurance and accreditations were collected from the website and reports of colleges, universities, Nepal Engineering Council (NEC) and University Grant Commission (UGC). The colleges and universities that are providing engineering education have developed and implemented their own system for quality assurance. NEC as per its checklist is regularly monitoring engineering colleges to know whether they are keen to maintain quality of engineering education or not. UGC from another side has started quality assurance and accreditation of Higher Education Institutions based on its QAA Guideline.