Undergraduate Education of Food Science and Technology,TUST
CEEAA Evaluation

Evaluation Report on Application for Accreditation Extension

University: Tianjin University of Science and Technology
Program: Food Science and Technology
Evaluation Time: October 28, 2012 - October 29
 
I. Methods, Procedure of Evaluation Conclusion Suggestion Making
       According to the arrangements of the Secretariat, Committee of Experts of National Engineering Education Accreditation, the working group for Educatio  n Accreditation to Light Industry/Food Engineering Program evaluated and inquired the Extension Application Report (including self evaluation report and annual improvement reports) of Food Science and Technology Program of the Tianjin University of Science and Technology. Based on the above, two experts (Xia Wenshui and Zeng Mingyong) had been assigned to examine the scene in 2012 October 28–29. The experts listened to the extension application report by program director, reviewed the application materials and held forums with faculty members and students. On the basis, the experts exchange in-depth and finally made an evaluation conclusion.
     By optimizing the training plan, the teaching goal was pushed towards internationalization and popularization. FST referred the international standard of food science and technology to build wide curriculum platform for training undergraduate, master and doctorate candidates. FST intends meet the requirement of talents with multiple levels and multiple types for national economic and social development. Based on light industry and Tianjin, FST serve the whole country.
II. Program Situation and Brief of Last Round of Accreditation
      Program of Food science and Technology (FST), Tianjin University of Science and Technology, was established in 1958; the authority to offer Food Science Master Degree was awarded in 1983; the doctorate in Food Science was received in 2003. After 50 years of construction and development, from the initial development of food processing technology to cover the entire food science and technology fields with obvious characteristics.
     By optimizing the training plan, the teaching goal was pushed towards internationalization and popularization. FST referred the international standard of food science and technology to build wide curriculum platform for training undergraduate, master and doctorate candidates. FST intends meet the requirement of talents with multiple levels and multiple types for national economic and social development. Based on light industry and Tianjin, FST serve the whole country.
       The last accreditation of FST was conducted on May 31, 2009-June 2. The conclusion was as follows:

Indicator

Conclusion

Program Goal

P

Student

P

Curriculum

P/W

Faculty Members

P

Facilities

P

Quality

P

Administration

P/C

Problems raised were as follows:
     1. Food Plant Design, etal, are designated as elective or guided elective courses, which do not match the requirements as professional required course of Complementary Standard of Engineering Education Accreditation.
     2. The measures are not clear for improving the engineering abilities of faculty members. Laboratory teaching staffs are to be further improved. The teaching team as a whole should be further strengthened.
     3. The mechanisms for teaching quality feedback are not perfect and the relationship between administration department and supervision department has not been completely rationalized.
     Final conclusion: Qualified for accreditation, valid for 3 years.
III. Improvements after Accreditation Qualification
      According to the problems raised by experts group of last accreditation, FST has taken practical measures for continuous improvement since 2010. Main improvements are as follows:
      1. According to the accreditation requirements, the 2010 FST curriculum was revised including: the addition of metalworking practice course; increasing the duration for graduation internship from 3 weeks to 8 weeks; increasing the proportion of graduation design, extending graduation project to 26 weeks.  The credit distribution of the revised curriculum: natural sciences 43 credits; engineering basics 18.5 credits; professional basics 22.5 credits; professional course 20 credits; practical training, 21 credits and 26 credits for graduation projects. In the 2010, 2011 and 2012 graduation projects, the ratio of design projects is increased to 40%.
      2. FST Introduced 2 Doctor and postdoctoral with enterprise engineering background for professional course teaching. Technical personnel of large enterprises are invited as the professional course teachers and teachers for internship. Implementing TUST Young Backbone Teachers Enterprise Practice Plan, 3 young faculty members are assigned to TEDA for technical cooperation and improvement of engineering abilities. In Dongli District, Tianjin, 5 faculty members worked with 5 companies for technical development. FST supports young faculty members to study abroad for improving their professional quality and teaching level.
       3. Teaching administration team is established including CFEB dean and vice dean in charge of teaching, teaching secretary, department head and laboratory director.
       Teaching administration system is operated at three levels of university, college and department. Improve the teaching quality management regulations and the student administration regulations; Regulate the lecture visiting of administrator, faculty member and student information feedback system. The college teaching supervision group is set up and carries out lecture quality inspection, practice quality inspection and the graduation project quality examination. The formation, comments and suggestions are feed back to College administration.
IV. Review Comments on Self Evaluation Report and Problem verification
       After review, it is considered that the content of the self evaluation report is informative and the compliance of each index is clear. The material is complete and reliable. The problems of the last certification: (1) Food Plant Design and other professional courses are set as elective or guided elective, which is not in agreement with the requirements of accreditation; (2) The measures for improving of the capacity of faculty members are not clear; the laboratory staffs are to be further improved. The construction of teaching team should be further strengthened; (3) Teaching quality feedback mechanism is not perfect, and the relationship between management departments and supervision departments has not been rationalized. The verified results of the above problems are as following:
      (1) Food Plant Design has been set as professional required course in revised curriculum (2) TUST has formulated the "TUST Youth backbone Faculty Members Enterprise Practice Plan", the faculty members work with companies in TEDA and Dongli District for technology development and improve their engineering abilities. Full-time technical staffs with master degree are employed to enforcing the laboratory teaching team and encourage faculty members play more roles in laboratory development; (3) University, college and department three level teaching quality monitoring system is completed. The student teaching information system and college teaching supervision are formulated and operated. However, the relationship between teaching administration and teaching quality supervision has not been completely rationalized.
V. Achievement of Accreditation Standards
1. Students

     Program is with good reputation and high recognition showing a strong appeal. Therefore, the better enrolment comes from the majority being primary program choice. The program provides corresponding learning guidance, career planning, employment guidance and psychological counseling with better outcome. Evaluation system for students is well performed which      proved the achievement of the program goal and graduation requirement. However, the Accreditation regulation for program shift is still rigid and needed to be improved.
2. Program goals
      Professional training is reasonably oriented, and the training objective is measurable. The evaluation system of the training objectives is established.  The program goal can be achieved.
3. Graduation Requirements
     Graduation requirements can cover the basic requirements of the accreditation standards. The abilities can be achieved in the corresponding teaching process. The achievement of graduation requirements is evaluated as qualified (or passes). The graduation requirements can support the training objectives.
4. Continuous Improvement
      The administration regulation for teaching process is well covered. The curriculum is regularly revised. The courses can support the graduation requirement and training goal. However, the internal evaluation and monitoring system and the external evaluation mechanism need to be further improved.
5.Curriculum
     The curriculum meets the program objectives and graduation requirements. The curriculum is complete and reasonable and the teaching content of core courses supports the program objectives. Practical meet the training objectives and graduation requirements. However, the number of graduate design is still relatively simple and in less number. The long-term mechanism has not been established for enterprise or industry experts participating in guidance and assessment of graduation design (thesis).
6. Faculty Members
      The number and structure of Faculty members meet the needs of teaching, and the ability of engineering design needs to be further improved. Faculty members can meet the requirements of teaching, but also need to strengthen the guidance of engineering design course. The number and quality of part-time teachers from industry still need to be further strengthened.
7. Supporting Facilities
      Teaching facilities can meet the requirements of teaching.
VI.Problems to be further solved
      The university should rationalize the relationship between the teaching administration and teaching quality control departments as soon as possible. The policies and measures should be established to encourage young faculty members to improve their engineering capabilities. The long-term mechanism is to be adopted for enterprises or industry experts participating personnel training.
VII. Voting on Evaluation for Extension Application:

Indicator
Vote
Conclusion
Remark
Student
P*  11      
P/C**  1 
P/W***  0      
F****   0  
P
 
Program Goal
P  12      
P/C  0 
P/W  0 
F   0  
P
 
Graduation
Requirement
P  11      
P/C  1 
P/W  0       
F  0   
P
 
Continued Improvement
P  3      
P/C  9 
P/W  0       
F  0   
P/C
 
Curriculum
P  2      
P/C  10 
P/W  0       
F  0   
P/C
 
Faculty Members
P  8
P/C  4
P/W  0
F  0
P
 
 
Facilities
P  10
P/C  2
P/W  0
F   0
P
 
Suggestion on Extension Evaluation 
Conclusion Voting Result
Agreed to an extension for a further three years, 
concluded:
12.
Not agreed to an extension for a further three years, 
concluded: 0
Pass (qualified); ** Pass but need continuous improvement; ***Pass but weak; ****Fail

Conclusion on Evaluation for Extension Application:
The extension application is agreed. The 3 year effective period is extended to the program on the basis of the last round of accreditation.

Accreditation Working Group for Food science and Engineering Program
Chairman: Guan Huashi
November 23, 2012