Dr. Çetiner’s Blogs (Dr. Beytullah Gültekin Çetiner)

What are A-Level Exams?
The A-level Exam, an acronym for Advanced Level Exam, is a General Certificate of Education qualification in England, Northern Ireland and Wales, usually taken by students during the optional final two years of secondary school (Years 12 & 13*, commonly called the Sixth Form except for Scotland), or at a separate sixth form college or further education college, after they have completed GCSE or IGCSE exams. The qualification is recognized around the world and is used as a sort of entrance exam for some universities. (In Northern Ireland, classes are numbered differently - the final two years of optional secondary education are called Year “13″ and “14″.)

It is a non-compulsory qualification taken by students in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, students usually take Highers and Advanced Highers of the Scottish Qualifications Certificate. However, very few schools offer the A-level as an alternative (usually private schools).

A-levels are also taken in some Commonwealth countries, including Bangladesh, Pakistan, the Commonwealth Caribbean, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Gibraltar, Brunei, New Zealand, Malta, Zambia and South Africa. In India, the same system is followed, though the names of the exams are different. Due to respective changes in the systems, these examinations differ both in terms of content and style from the A-levels taken in the United Kingdom but the standard remains relatively the same. Nevertheless, the British GCE A-levels are taken all around the world, as many international schools choose to use the British system as the examinations are widely recognised. Furthermore, students may choose to sit the papers of British examination bodies at education centres such as British Councils around the world.

You can get more information about these exams from your local branch of British Council. More information is available here.

Jeddah Students Among Cambridge High Achievers 2007
I am very happy to hear that my daughters Emine Rumeysa Çetiner and Fatma Şeyma Çetiner both ranked first in the World in Business Studies in the A Level (AL) Exam and As Level Exam in June 2007 International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE).

I asked them to place an interview herein on how to become a high achiever, and express their feelings *. They said they would be pleased to share their secrets with others when the time permits from their studies.
The following is the extract from ArabNews. The original article is here.

Jeddah Students Among Cambridge High Achievers
JEDDAH, 1 May 2008 — Students from local schools who excelled at the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE), Advanced Subsidiary (AS) and A Level (AL) University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) were awarded certificates at a ceremony held in collaboration with the British Council here yesterday.

They included eight IGCSE students, two of them ranking third in the world, four AL candidates, with Emine Rumeysa Cetiner of Jeddah Al-Wadi International School ranking first in the world in business studies, and seven AS level students.

“I feel great,” Amir Ashraf of Al-Wadi International School (Boys), who ranks third in the world among high achievers in chemistry at IGCSE, told Arab News. He is keen on studying medicine in Canada.

The other IGCSE third world ranker is Zainab Omer Naeem El-Ahmadi (in Arabic) of the Manarat International School.

Khaled Jamal Al-Amoodi of Al-Waha International School received three certificates of excellence in geography, French as foreign language and math.

Pakistan International School’s (English Section) Syed Farhan Bukhari and Muhammad Shahrukh received brilliance awards for their achievement in AS and A Level examinations, respectively.

“The students achieved the best results in the June 2007 Cambridge examination session. The awards recognize students who have scored the highest marks in Saudi Arabia in a single subject at either IGCSE, AS or A Level,” said William Bickerdike, CIE’s regional manager.

Bickerdike, who is currently on a two-week visit to the Kingdom, presented the certificates. Richard Falvey, British Council’s regional examinations manager, is accompanying Bickerdike on his tour of the Kingdom.

P.S. Thanks to the friends for the congratulations

* Rumeysa has decided to share her experiences in her blog Rumeysa Cetiner and has written already her first on this issue in How to Study Smartly. Happy blogging Rumeysa. I hope the blogging will not cause goal displacement in your studies.

ABET a-k Outcomes

The famous Programme Outcomes adopted by Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) known as ABET a-k Outcomes are given below. The Kulliyyah of Engineering Outcomes as well as EAC Programme Outcomes coincide with the 11 Outcomes of ABET a-k Outcomes. These ABET Outcomes are found in Criteria 3 Document of official ABET document.
* Outcome a: “an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering”
* Outcome b: “an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data”
* Outcome c: “an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability”
* Outcome d: “an ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams”
* Outcome e: “an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems”
* Outcome f: “an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility”
* Outcome g: “an ability to communicate effectively”
* Outcome h: “the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context”
* Outcome i: “a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning”
* Outcome j: “a knowledge of contemporary issues”
* Outcome k: “an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice”

Kulliyyah of Engineering Programme Educational Outcomes
The educational Educational Outcomes of the programmes conducted by the Kulliyyah of Engineering are as follows:

1. The ability to acquire and apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering fundamentals.
2. To have acquired a broad based education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global and societal context.
3. The ability to have in-depth understanding and technical competency in relevant engineering.
4. The ability to undertake problem identification, formulation and solution.
5. The ability to design a system, component, or process for operational performance.
6. The ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data.
7. The ability to understand the principles of sustainable design and development.
8. The ability to effectively communicate orally, in writing and using multimedia tools.
9. The ability to function effectively as an individual and in group with the capacity to be a leader or manager as well as an effective team member.
10. The ability to recognize the need for life long learning and possess the ability to pursue independent learning for professional development.
11. The ability to understand the social, cultural, global and environmental responsibilities of a professional engineer, and the need for sustainable development.
12. The ability to understand and commit to professional and ethical responsibilities.
13. The ability to understand the expectations of an engineer who practices in an industrial or governmental organization.

The Other resources related to topic are

• Programme Learning outcomes for Manufacturing Engineering

• Programme Outcomes of EAC

Programme Outcomes of EAC

In a recent posting, the Programme Outcomes which have been adopted in Manufacturing Engineering Programme were provided (see Programme Learning Outcomes for Manufacturing Engineering). We have all these outcomes same as Programme Outcomes of Kulliyyah of Engineering with the slight difference of Programme Outcome 3 referring to Manufacturing Engineering Field specifically. Engineering Accreditation Council (EAC) of Malaysia has 10 different Outcomes all of which are used in our Programme Outcomes (plus our own additional three). 10 Programme Outcomes for EAC are given below. Graduates from an accredited engineering programme should have the following attributes, capabilities, and outcomes:

1. Ability to acquire and apply knowledge of science and engineering fundamentals;
2. Ability to communicate effectively, not only with engineers but also with the community at large;
3. In-depth technical competence in a specific engineering discipline;
4. Ability to undertake problem identification, formulation and solution;
5. Ability to utilise a systems approach to design and evaluate operational performance;
6. Understanding of the principles of sustainable design and development;
7. Understanding of professional and ethical responsibilities and commitment to them;
8. Ability to function effectively as an individual and in a group with the capacity to be a leader or manager as well as an effective team member;
9. Understanding of the social, cultural, global and environmental responsibilities of a professional engineer, and the need for sustainable development; and
10. Expectation of the need to undertake lifelong learning, and possessing/acquiring the capacity to do so.

For EAC Engineering Accreditation Council for more information.

Programme Learning outcomes for Manufacturing Engineering

The following is the list of Programme Learning Outcomes for Manufacturing Engineering at IIUM.
1. The ability to acquire and apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering fundamentals.
2. The ability to acquire a broad based education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global and societal context.
3. The ability to have in-depth understanding and technical competency in manufacturing engineering.
4. The ability to undertake problem identification, formulation and solution.
5. The ability to design a system, component, or process for operational performance.
6. The ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data.
7. The ability to understand the principles of sustainable design and development.
8. The ability to effectively communicate orally, in writing and using multimedia tools.
9. The ability to function effectively as an individual and in group with the capacity to be a leader or manager as well as an effective team member.
10. The ability to recognize the need for life long learning and possess the ability to pursue independent learning for professional development.
11. The ability to understand the social, cultural, global and environmental responsibilities of a professional engineer, and the need for sustainable development.
12. The ability to understand and commit to professional and ethical responsibilities.
13. The ability to understand the expectations of an engineer who practices in an industrial or governmental organization.

10 of these outcomes coincides with the Programme Outcomes of EAC (Engineering Accreditation Council) of Malaysia.

Opportunities vs Problems

The following is a good excerpt regarding the Opportunities vs Problems. When engineering managers make their decisions to solve problems they should be well aware of this. Every problem brings an opportunity with it.
OPPORTUNITY LIES IN THE MIDST OF DIFFICULTY
Every problem has hidden in it an opportunity so powerful
that it literally dwarfs the problem.
The greatest success stories were created by people
who recognized a problem and turned it into an opportunity.

You’ll find that every situation properly perceived
offers you opportunity.
As fast as each opportunity presents itself, use it.

Successful people don’t achieve their distinction
by having some new talent or opportunity presented to them.
They developed an opportunity that was at hand.

You must make your own opportunities if you want to be successful.
They are all around you.

Turkish Footballers in European Football Teams
The following is the list of Turkish Footballers in European Football Teams for those students who are interested.

TURKISH FOOTBALLERS in NETHERLANDS NATIONAL FOOTBAL TEAM
Uğur Yıldırım A
Gabriel Özcan U-19
Oğuzhan Türk U-19
Ömer Özçelik U-17
Ercan Sancar U-16
Serhan Candan U-17
Atam Koroğlu U-16
Ferdi Sönmez U-16
Mustafa Nalbantoğlu U-21

PLAYING FOR TURKISH NATIONAL TEAM
-NAC Breda (Aykut Demir)
Feyenoord(Nuri Şahin)
-NEC Nijmegen (Muslu Nalbantoğlu)

TURKISH FOOTBALLERS in GERMAN NATIONAL TEAM
Erdal Kılıçaslan U-19
Mehmet Akgün U-19
Serdar Taşcı U 19
Daniyel Çimen U - 19
Eren Şen U-19
Volkan Altın U-17
Selim Teber U-21
Abdül Yılmaz U-17
Volkan Kiral U-20
Mahmut Yılmaz U-21
Malik Fathi A
Bulut Aksoy U-18
Timur Özgüç U-18
Faruk Gül U-17
Serkan Durmaz U-19
Ersan Tekkan U-19
Mesut Özil -U-21

PLAYING FOR TURKISH NATIONAL TEAM
-Bayern Münih (Hamit Altıntop) -Schalke 04 (Halil Altıntop) -Stuttgar t (Yıldıray Baştürk) -SC Freiburg (Ali Güneş) -Wolfsburg (Emre Öztürk) -Ümut Özat (Köln)

TURKISH FOOTBALLERS in DENMARK NATIONAL TEAM
Muhammed Akıncı U-21
Olcay Senoğlu U-20
Musa Turan U-16
Saban Özdoğan U-16
PLAYING FOR TURKISH NATIONAL TEAM
(None)

TURKISH FOOTBALLERS in SWITZERLAND NATIONAL TEAM
Murat Yakın A
Hakan Yakın A
Yaşar Ursal U-18
Ferhat Çökmüş U-20
Diren Aydemir U-20
Erhan Koçak U-18
Samet Gündüz U-18
Murat Ural U-18
Gökhan İnler U-21
İlker Tugal U-19
PLAYING FOR TURKISH NATIONAL TEAM
(None)

TURKISH FOOTBALLERS in BELGIUM NATIONAL TEAM
Önder Turacı U-21
Onur Kaya U-17
Sinan Bolat U-16
Lokman Atasever U-19
Yusuf Nalıncı U-17
PLAYING FOR TURKISH NATIONAL TEAM
Serhat Akın - Anderlecht

TURKISH FOOTBALLERS in SWISS NATIONAL TEAM
Baykal Kulaksızoğlu U-19
Hasan Çetinkaya U-21
Kennedy Bakırcıoğlu U-21
Gabriel Özkan U-19
Erkan Zengin U-21
PLAYING FOR TURKISH NATIONAL TEAM
(None)

TURKISH FOOTBALLERS in NORWAY NATIONAL TEAM
Azar Karadaş A

TURKISH FOOTBALLERS in AUSTRIA NATIONAL TEAM
Ramazan Özcan A
Muhammed Akagündüz A
Yüksel Sarıyer A
Volkan Kahraman A
Salih Alıc U-19
Cemil Tosun U-19
Harun Erbek U-19
Veli Kavlak U-19
İhsan Poyraz U-19
Metin Batır U-18
Sabri Vural U-17
Turgay Bahadır U-17
Kemal Duran U-17
Cem Tosun U-17
PLAYING FOR TURKISH NATIONAL TEAM
(None)

TURKISH FOOTBALLERS in GREEK TEAM
PLAYING FOR TURKISH NATIONAL TEAM
-Xanthi (Deniz Baykara)
Olympiakos (Erol Bulut)
Larisa (Tümer Metin)

TURKISH FOOTBALLERS in SPAIN NATIONAL TEAM
PLAYING FOR TURKISH NATIONAL TEAM
-Villarreal (Nihat Kahveci)
-Huelva (Ersen Martin)

TURKISH FOOTBALLERS in BRITISH NATIONAL TEAM
PLAYING FOR TURKISH NATIONAL TEAM
Blackburn (Tugay Kerimoğlu)
Middlesbrough (Tuncay Şanlı)
Newcastle (Emre Belözoğlu)

TURKISH FOOTBALLERS in RUSSIAN NATIONAL TEAM
PLAYING FOR TURKISH NATIONAL TEAM
CSKA Moskova (Caner Erkin)
Zenit (Fatih Tekke)
Rubin Kazan (Gökdeniz Karadeniz- Hasan Kabze)

TURKISH FOOTBALLERS in FINLAND NATIONAL TEAM
Uğur Menekşe U-19

What is Washington Accord?

Washington Accord is an international aggreement signed in 1989 by different international organizations responsible for accrediting engineering degree programmes. Engineering Accreditation Council of Malaysia (EAC) is one of the Organisations holding provisional status which means as having qualification for accreditation or recognition procedures that are potentially suitable for the purposes of the Accord. EAC aims at further developing those procedures with the goal of achieving signatory status in due course; qualifications accredited or recognised by organisations holding provisional status are not necessarily recognised by the signatories.
The Washington Accord, signed in 1989, is an international agreement among bodies responsible for accrediting engineering degree programs. It recognizes the substantial equivalency of programs accredited by those bodies and recommends that graduates of programs accredited by any of the signatory bodies be recognized by the other bodies as having met the academic requirements for entry to the practice of engineering.

Introduction to Accords for Accreditation of Engineering Programmes
There are six international agreements governing mutual recognition of engineering qualifications and professional competence. In each of these agreements countries/economies who wish to participate may apply for membership, and if accepted become members or signatories to the agreement. In broad principle, each country/economy must meet its own costs, and the body making application must verify that it is the appropriate representative body for that country/economy.

Agreements covering tertiary qualifications in engineering
There are three agreements covering mutual recognition in respect of tertiary-level qualifications in engineering:

The Washington Accord signed in 1989 was the first - it recognises substantial equivalence in the accreditation of qualifications in professional engineering, normally of four years duration.

The Sydney Accord commenced in 2001 and recognises substantial equivalence in the accreditation of qualifications in engineering technology, normally of three years duration.

The Dublin Accord is an agreement for substantial equivalence in the accreditation of tertiary qualifications in technician engineering, normally of two years duration. It commenced in 2002.

Signatories of Washington Accord
Signatories have full rights of participation in the Accord; qualifications accredited or recognised by other signatories are recognised by each signatory as being substantially equivalent to accredited or recognised qualifications within its own jurisdiction.

* Australia - Represented by Engineers Australia (1989)
* Canada - Represented by Engineers Canada (1989)
* Chinese Taipei - Represented by Institute of Engineering Education Taiwan (2007)
* Hong Kong China - Represented by The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (1995)
* Ireland - Represented by Engineers Ireland (1989)
* Japan - Represented by Japan Accreditation Board for Engineering Education (2005)
* Korea - Represented by Accreditation Board for Engineering Education of Korea (2007)
* New Zealand - Represented by Institution of Professional Engineers NZ (1989)
* Singapore - Represented by Institution of Engineers Singapore (2006)
* South Africa - Represented by Engineering Council of South Africa (1999)
* United Kingdom - Represented by Engineering Council UK (1989)
* United States - Represented by Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (1989)

Organisations holding provisional status have been identified as having qualification accreditation or recognition procedures that are potentially suitable for the purposes of the Accord; those organisations are further developing those procedures with the goal of achieving signatory status in due course; qualifications accredited or recognised by organisations holding provisional status are not recognised by the signatories

* Germany - Represented by German Accreditation Agency for Study Programs in Engineering and Informatics
* India - Represented by National Board of Accreditation of All India Council for Technical Education
* Malaysia - Represented by Board of Engineers - Malaysia Engineering Accreditation Council (EAC)
* Russia - Represented by Russian Association for Engineering Education
* Sri Lanka - Represented by Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka

Engineering Accreditation Council (EAC)

Engineering Accreditation Council (EAC) is a delegated body by the Board Engineers Malaysia as the only recognized accrediting body for engineering degree programmes offered in Malaysia. Members of EAc comprise five (5) stakeholders namely, the Board Of Engineers (BEM) [6 representatives], the Institution Of Engineers Malaysia (IEM) [6 representatives], Employers [3 representatives], National Accreditation Board (LAN) [1 representative] and the Public Service Department (JPA) [1 representative].

EAC has provided leadership and quality assurance in engineering higher education since 2000. EAC accredits programmes at 25 institutions of higher learning (IHL) .

You can go to official EAC website from here.

EAC Vision and Mission
EAC Vision, Mission and Strategic plan are given below.
EAC VISION

• Recognised accreditation body at international level that ensures the standard of engineering programmes in Malaysia is at par with other international programmes.

EAC MISSION

• Accredit undergraduate engineering in Malaysia.
• Recognise overseas engineering qualification.

THE EAC STRATEGIC PLAN

1. To develop Accreditation Management System (AMS).
2. To achieve international recognition through Washington Accord (WA) / European National Accreditation Engineering (ENAEE) membership & bilateral / regional recognition.
3. Promote networking with top management of Institution of Higher Learning (IHL).
4. Promote Outcome-based education (OBE) culture in engineering education.
5. To be self-financing.

What is EAC Accreditation?

Taken from ENGINEERING ACCREDITATION COUNCIL (EAC) Web site

• myoorubrics.com/EAC_WEBSITE/index.php

• http://eacaccreditation.blogspot.com EAC Accreditation