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.

Featured

  • Northeastern University Breaks Ground on New Housing Community

    Northeastern University recently announced the groundbreaking of a new student housing community on its campus in Boston, Mass., according to a news release. The university is partnering with American Campus Communities (ACC) for development of the project, which will have the capacity for 1,200 students and has a scheduled completion date of fall 2028.

  • Surging Demand for Student Housing Fuels Major Campus Investment Opportunities

    University leaders throughout the U.S. are accelerating plans to modernize and expand student housing as enrollment stabilizes and demand for on-campus living rebounds. Recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that total postsecondary enrollment is projected to grow through the end of the decade, with undergraduate enrollment alone expected to increase by more than 8 percent by 2030.

  • South Carolina District Starts Construction on $50M Middle School Renovation

    The Aiken County Public School District in North Augusta, S.C., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $50-million renovation and expansion of North Augusta Middle School, according to a news release. The project’s funding comes from the 2024 renewal of a one-cent sales tax approved by local voters.

  • Spaces4Learning Launches 2026 Education Design Showcase Awards

    Spaces4Learning has opened submissions for the 2026 Education Design Showcase! The awards program launched in 1999 with the goal of celebrating innovative, practical solutions in the planning, design, and construction of K–12 and higher-education facilities. EDS recognizes new developments that help achieve optimal learning environments, as well as the architecture firms that brought the ideas to life.