Accreditation for Engineering courses is only given by EAC (Engineering Accreditation Council). LAN and other bodies will submit the application to EAC for accreditation. Public university submit directly to EAC whilst private university go through LAN. After uni get accreditation from EAC then uni submit the letter to JPA/PTPTN etc. Later this year all these body will be merged in MQA.
This is a short description about engineering accreditation. ENGINEERS need to be REGISTERED with BEM before they can practice, this is requirement by the law. You can go to jail if you do not register with BEM and still practice. This is similar requirement as doctors, since being engineers your design/decision can effect lots of lives. Note: You have to register with BEM before you can register with IEM.
Now, Malaysia do not actually being very strict about this law, but just like doctors now, it will be tightened in the future as the engineering sector matures.
Starting from 2002 Malaysia is trying to get in Wahington Accord. Under this agreement accredited program will be mutually recognized. Currently US/UK/Canada/Australia/IReland/Hong kong/New Zealand/South Africa is signatories to the accord. Singapore and Japan just been admitted last year (after 5 yrs observation). Malaysia suppose to be the signatories by the end of this year, at the moment we are under observation status with Taiwan and few other countries.
The requirement is to fulfilled ABET like accreditation so it is very though and accreditation for BEM is not automatic even for public universities, there are rumours that for 2006 Curtin University and University Malaya do not get full accreditation. Uni can get full accreditation (5 years) or partial accreditation (2 years) or no accreditation. Last year auditors from Australia/UK/Hong Kong do the auditing with auditors from BEM. Just to observe whether the auditors here conform to the Washington Accord requirements.
Only accredited courses (local and overseas) can apply for BEM registeration. The list can be found here:
http://www.bem.org.my/bemfinal/html/index.htm
and about Washington Accord here:
http://www.washingtonaccord.org/
It is important for engineers from overseas university to register with BEM (RM 50). Most public university have some sort of Engineering Society linked with IEM/BEM that make the student become student member and later automatically converted into graduate member (RM 50 also). You have to take one exam and interview before you become full member.
So before you choose engineering courses you must ensure that the course is accredited.
Engineering Accreditation, Very important for want to be engineers