EUR-ACE / ENAEE

University engineering departments across Europe now have the opportunity to demonstrate their international standing through a prestigious new award. Called the EUR-ACE Label, it is the product of a European Commission backed initiative to create a degree accreditation framework with internationally acknowledged standards. Engineering Council UK (ECUK) has been granted the right to award the label to first and second cycle UK engineering degrees that meet the required standard.

As well as facilitating the mobility of students and graduates, the EUR-ACE label will boost the value and marketability of a degree programme. It is recognised and accepted throughout the European Higher Education Area and is also likely to enjoy recognition in many other parts of the world.

EUR-ACE is a progressive, outcomes based framework which is compatible with the UK-SPEC and QAA benchmarks. It is administered by the European Network for Accreditation of Engineering Education (ENAEE) of which ECUK is a founder member. The EUR-ACE specifications are at http://www.enaee.eu/?prm=enaeedoc

In the UK, degree courses that have been accredited by a professional engineering institution holding an ECUK accreditation licence will automatically meet the EUR-ACE standard. Initially, only courses that have become ECUK-accredited since November 2006 are eligible to be considered. Owing to the costs associated with the EUR-ACE scheme, ECUK has to make a charge of £125 for each course that is awarded the label. Contact jbirch@engc.org.uk for further information