CASEE Hallmarks of Excellence

Within engineering systems, the pursuit of excellence occurs in the face of changing environments and enhanced knowledge of system components and capabilities. The attributes of excellence are repeatedly re-defined as we raise the bar on the quality standards we seek to achieve and exceed. In fact, excellence is not a destination, but a goal toward which we must continuously strive. CASEE asserts that engineering education can be modeled as one or more systems. Although targets and milestones will vary among individual stakeholders, CASEE believes that progress toward excellence in engineering education can be judged by attainment levels within specific performance metrics:

ENGINEERING DEPARTMENTS AND COLLEGES/SCHOOLS
Facilitation of student progression between academic levels;
* Provision of added value to students’ individual knowledge, skills, abilities, and attitudes as a result of having received an engineering education
* Facilitation of student transition between academic institutions; and
* Balanced recognition and reward for faculty scholarship in the areas of discovery, application, integration/synthesis, and teaching.

ENGINEERING FACULTY
* Sensitivity to the desire for and needs of broad socio-economic, ethnic, gender, and geographic diversity among students and faculty;
* Broad diversity in ethnicity, gender, and physical ability among faculty;
* Knowledge of and ability to apply the latest findings within their disciplines; and
* Knowledge of and ability to apply the latest findings in promoting student learning of engineering.

ENGINEERING CURRICULA AND LABORATORIES
* Emulation of real-world complexity and interrelatedness;
* Preparation for workplace needs;
* Preparation for advanced study; and
* Preparation for lifelong learning.

STUDENTS
* All levels Sensitivity to the desire for and needs of broad socio-economic, ethnic, gender, and geographic diversity among students;
* Broad diversity in socio-economic status, ethnicity, gender, physical ability and geographic background among those applying to and admitted into engineering programs;
* Understanding of engineering bodies of knowledge and progress toward wisdom in the practical application of such knowledge; and
* Time to degree attainment.

Pre-college
* Awareness of engineering career fields;
* Interest in engineering study and practice; and
* Intention to major in engineering by high school seniors.

Undergraduate
* Percent of student taking engineering courses as preparation for technological literacy;
* Percent of students pursuing engineering majors;
* Rates of retention, progression, graduation and persistence to advanced study of engineering among those admitted as a whole and within identifiable sub-groups; and
* Preparation for careers within engineering and in other fields that can benefit from engineering “ways of knowing” and practice.

Graduate
* Rates of participation by US citizens and nationals;
* Rates of retention, progression, graduation and persistence to advanced practice among those admitted as a whole and within identifiable sub-groups;
* Balanced preparation for scholarship in the areas of discovery, application, integration/synthesis, and teaching; and
* Preparation for practice within a broad array of career fields.

Continuing Education
* Maintenance of engineering proficiency throughout a career;
* Facilitation of learning in emerging areas and with new tools;
* Learning within the context of practice; and
* Professional flexibility and career progression.