Quality Assurance & Accreditation Unit
  • The Quality Assurance & Accreditation Unit
  • QA and Accreditation Unit Responsibilities
  • ABET Accreditation at the College of Engineering

Dr. Hanan Al-khatri
Head of Quality Assurance and Academic Accreditation Unit (QAAAU)
College of Engineering
Ext: 2509
E-mail: khatri@squ.edu.om

Quality assurance refers to the process of ensuring that a product or service meets defined standards and expectations. In the context of higher education, it ensures that the educational process achieves a level of excellence that aligns with the institution’s vision and mission, and that graduates possess attributes consistent with those goals.

The importance of quality assurance in higher education stems from its role in enhancing institutional performance and equipping graduates with the knowledge, skills, and competencies needed to succeed in a competitive global market.

At Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), there is a clear commitment to achieving high-quality standards across all levels. To support this, the Quality Assurance Office (QAO) was established in 2010, followed by the creation of Quality Assurance and Academic Accreditation Units (QAAAU) in each college and the Centre for Preparatory Studies in 2017.

All undergraduate programs in the College of Engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, under both the General Criteria and relevant Program Criteria

  1. The Architectural Engineering (B.Eng.) program offered by the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering (CAED) is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET (https://www.abet.org), under the commission's General Criteria and Program Criteria for Architectural and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.
  2. The Civil Engineering (B.Eng.) program offered by the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering (CAED) is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET (https://www.abet.org), under the commission's General Criteria and Program Criteria for Civil and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.
  3. The Chemical and Process Engineering program (B.Eng.) offered by the Department of Petroleum and Chemical Engineering (PCED) is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET (https://www.abet.org), under the commission's General Criteria and Program Criteria for Chemical, Biochemical, Biomolecular Engineering, and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.
  4. The Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering (B.Eng.) offered by the Department of Petroleum and Chemical Engineering (PCED) is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET (https://www.abet.org), under the commission's General Criteria and Program Criteria for Petroleum and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.
  5. The Mechatronics Engineering (B.Eng.) program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET (https://www.abet.org), under the commission's General Criteria.
  6. The Mechanical Engineering (B.Eng.) program offered by the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (MIED) is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET (https://www.abet.org), under the commission's General Criteria and Program Criteria for Mechanical and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.
  7. The Industrial Engineering (B.Eng.) program, offered by the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (MIED), is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET (https://www.abet.org), under the commission's General Criteria and Program Criteria for Industrial and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.
  8. The Electrical & Computer Engineering (B.Eng.) program, offered by the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECED), is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET (https://www.abet.org), under the commission's General Criteria and Program Criteria for Electrical, Computer, Communication, Telecommunication(s) and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.

 

The College of Engineering currently offers 17 postgraduate programs, each undergoing the Academic Program Review (APR) process. This comprehensive review began in Spring 2025 and is scheduled for completion by Spring 2027. The APR aims to:

  1. Maintain high standards of quality assurance across all academic programs.
  2. Ensure that program outcomes are aligned with the mission and strategic objectives of Sultan Qaboos University (SQU).
  3. Evaluate the effectiveness of academic programs in achieving the intended learning outcomes associated with the awarded degrees.
  4. Develop comprehensive evaluation reports to support the continuous improvement of academic programs.
  5. Disseminate exemplary practices and innovations in academic program design and delivery.

 

In addition, the Quality Assurance and Academic Accreditation Unit (QAAAU) at the college plays a key role in supporting SQU’s Institutional Standards Assessment (ISA). This involves compiling and submitting both Mandatory Materials (MMs) and Supplementary Materials (SMs), which are essential components of the Self-Study Report (SSR) required for ISA evaluation. These materials collectively reflect the college’s commitment to transparency and continuous improvement.

Dr. Hanan Al-Khatri

Head of Quality Assurance and Academic Accreditation Unit, College of Engineering
  1. Prepare and draft an academic accreditation roadmap for the College of Engineering.
  2. Communicate with other relevant units within the College and the university on issues related to quality assurance and accreditation.
  3. Supervise and coordinate quality assurance and academic accreditation activities in the college.
  4. Follow up the implementation of quality assurance and academic accreditation processes in the college.
  5. Prepare regular reports to the Dean of the college about quality assurance and academic accreditation processes.
  6. Prepare and implement necessary training programs for staff on quality assurance and academic accreditation, in coordination with relevant units at SQU.
  7. Carry out the logistical activities related to quality assurance and academic accreditation processes in coordination with relevant university units.
  8. Collect and file data in the appropriate format required by institutional accreditation.

The College of Engineering has always strived to ensure and maintain a high-quality engineering education. After the graduation of the first batch, the college has started to invite ‘External Examiners’ for every offered program. These external examiners were very carefully selected with right balance of educational and research experience. This yearly critical review has helped the college to maintain its standard through the first decade.

In Fall 2000, the University and College decided to proceed with ABET accreditation for all engineering programs. The college and departments have dedicated ongoing committees to work on continuous evolution of curriculum and its delivery in response to recent advances and local and regional community needs. Currently, all engineering programs offered by the college are ABET accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET (https://www.abet.org):

  1. Architectural Engineering
  2. Civil Engineering
  3. Chemical and Process Engineering
  4. Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering
  5. Industrial Engineering
  6. Mechanical Engineering
  7. Mechatronics Engineering
  8. Electrical Engineering

 

Each program is accredited under the commission’s General Criteria and applicable Program Criteria. The College maintains continuous improvement processes and ensure relevance to recent advancements and community needs. Each ABET accredited program publishes its Program Educational Objectives (PEO) and Student Outcomes (SOs) in accordance with ABET requirements.

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