US Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch convened key stakeholders, including the Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharat, on September 14 to discuss the international accreditation of programs offered by the Faculty of Engineering and Technology at the University of Guyana (UG).
The University is in the process of obtaining accreditation through the Accreditation Board for Engineering & Technology (ABET). ABET is an internationally recognized accreditor of university programs in applied science, computing, engineering, and technology.
The University’s ABET accreditation team has been working diligently on several significant accreditation steps including curriculum data collection, facility evaluations, and laboratory upgrades. While the process of accreditation is ongoing, once achieved for UG’s programs, it will further establish graduates’ qualifications for engineering positions and enable them to take greater advantage of Guyana’s vast opportunities in the oil and gas, infrastructure, and other sectors.
The US Embassy is a proud long-standing partner to the University of Guyana and continues to provide technical assistance through the Fulbright Program to support the accreditation process. The University’s ABET lead is Dr. Norman Munroe, a Fulbright U.S. Scholar alumnus. Earlier this year, Fulbright Specialist Dr. Cesar Levy worked with the ABET accreditation team to review course portfolios and self-study supplements. Later this year, another Fulbright Specialist is expected to focus on laboratory maintenance and procedures, establishment of computer labs, and engineering curricula.
In her remarks Ambassador Lynch said “ABET accreditation is a vital step in ensuring that the people of Guyana will be better prepared to more broadly participate and take advantage of national and regional prosperity. ABET and the high-quality engineers who study here at the University of Guyana are key partners who can ensure Guyana’s transformative investments deliver well into the future.”
Other speakers included Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Dr. Paloma Mohamed-Martin and Dr. Norman Munroe, Chair of the ABET committee.
