2015 ABET Symposium

ABET is a nonprofit, non-governmental organization that accredits college and university programs in the disciplines of applied science, computing, engineering and engineering technology. ABET accredits over 3,400 programs at nearly 700 colleges and universities in 28 countries. ABET provides specialized, programmatic accreditation that evaluates an individual program of study, rather than evaluating an institution as a whole.

2015 ABET Symposium
Atlanta, GA
April 23-24, 2015

Constructive Disruption

Higher education is facing an unprecedented period of change. Technical educators have a strong history of embracing disruptive forces, but as institutions face growing pressures from external forces to rethink and transform the way they operate, even technical programs will find themselves impacted.

Over recent years, government has played a diminished role in funding higher education institutions. At the same time, online and blended learning are transforming how education is delivered, and student demographics are shifting, all while tuition climbs and emerging alternatives to traditional on campus education raise questions about the efficacy of conventional institutional and degree structures.

The 2015 ABET Symposium will explore these topics through the lenses of three high-profile plenary speakers: Chancellor of the State University of New York Nancy Zimpher will articulate the change imperatives facing higher education and explain why technical educators need to be agents for embracing change in their institutions. Deputy Director, Postsecondary Success of The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Jason Palmer will offer insight on the growth in unconventional learning institutions and delivery methods as well as their implications for accreditation. Former Deputy Director of the National Security Agency (NSA) Chris Inglis will draw on his years at the agency to speak on the rapidly growing demand for cyber security professionals and the future of the nascent academic discipline.

For more information or to register, log on to www.abet.org/symposium.

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