The integration of ABET and CSAB

On November 3, 2001, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) and the Computing Sciences Accreditation Board (CSAB), two US-based accreditation agencies, were officially integrated into a single agency. This action is the result of many dedicated professionals' engaged in many hours of work and discussions over a period of eight years. It has happened because these professionals and the two organizations share the fundamental belief that students, faculty, educational institutions, the professions, industry, and the global community will be better served by a single organization having accreditation responsibility for educational programs in engineering, technology, computing, and applied sciences. This article discusses the historical background of engineering accreditation and the activities leading to the proposal for the integration of ABET and CSAB. The integration transition period from 1998-2001 is discussed and future directions outlined.