EIP3702/101/0/2024

Tutorial Letter 101/0/2024

Industrial Project 1B
EIP3702

Year Module(s)

Department of Electrical Engineering

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Please register on myUnisa, activate your myLife e-mail account and
make sure that you have regular access to the myUnisa module
website, EIP3702-24-Y, as well as your group website.

Note: This is a fully online module. It is, therefore, only available on myUnisa.

BARCODE
 CONTENTS

Page

1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 4
2 MODULE OVERVIEW .................................................................................................................. 5
2.1 Purpose ........................................................................................................................................ 5
2.2 Outcomes ..................................................................................................................................... 5
3 CURRICULUM TRANSFORMATION ........................................................................................... 5
4 LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS................................................................................... 6
4.1 Lecturer ........................................................................................................................................ 6
4.2 Department ................................................................................................................................... 6
4.3 University ...................................................................................................................................... 6
5 RESOURCES ............................................................................................................................... 6
5.1 Prescribed book(s) ........................................................................................................................ 6
5.2 Recommended book(s) ................................................................................................................. 6
5.3 Electronic reserves (e-reserves).................................................................................................. 6
6 STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES ................................................................................................ 7
6.1 First-Year Experience Programme ................................................................................................ 8
7. STUDY PLAN ............................................................................................................................... 9
8 HOW TO STUDY ONLINE ............................................................................................................ 9
8.1 What does it mean to study fully online? ....................................................................................... 9
9. ASSESSMENT ........................................................................................................................... 10
9.1 Assessment criteria..................................................................................................................... 10
9.2 Assessment plan ........................................................................................................................ 10
9.3 Assessment due dates ................................................................................................................ 10
9.4 Submission of assessments ........................................................................................................ 11
9.4.1 Type of assignments and descriptions .......................................................................................... 12
9.5 The assessments ........................................................................................................................ 12
9.6 Other assessment methods ........................................................................................................ 12
9.7 The examination ......................................................................................................................... 12
9.7.1 Invigilation/proctoring .................................................................................................................. 12
10. ACADEMIC DISHONESTY ........................................................................................................ 13
10.1 Plagiarism ................................................................................................................................... 13
10.2 Cheating ..................................................................................................................................... 13

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11. STUDENTS LIVING WITH DISABILITIES .................................................................................. 13

12. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ........................................................................................ 13
13. SOURCES CONSULTED ........................................................................................................... 15
14. IN CLOSING ............................................................................................................................... 15
15. ADDENDUM ............................................................................................................................... 15
ANNEXURE: GLOSSARY OF TERM .................................................................................................... 15
16. ANNEXURE 1: GRAPHICAL VIEW OF ENGINEERING QUALIFICATION ............................... 15
17. ANNEXURE 2: GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT GRADUATES ATTRIBUTES ADVANCE
DIPLOMA ................................................................................................................................... 16
18. ANNEXURE 3: LIST OF GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES ADVANCE DIPLOMA ............................ 17

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1 INTRODUCTION
Dear Student

Unisa is a comprehensive open distance e-learning (CODeL) higher education institution.

The comprehensiveness of our curricula encapsulates a range of offerings, from strictly
vocational to strictly academic certificates, diplomas and degrees. Unisa's "openness" and its
distance eLearning character result in many students registering at Unisa who may not have
had an opportunity to enrol in higher education. Our CODeL character implies that our
programmes are carefully planned and structured to ensure success for students ranging
from the under-prepared but with potential to the sufficiently prepared.

Teaching and learning in a CODeL context involve multiple modes of delivery ranging from
blended learning to fully online. As a default position, all post graduate programmes are
offered fully online with no printed study materials, while undergraduate programmes are
offered in a blended mode of delivery where printed study materials are augmented with
online teaching and learning via the learner management system – myUnisa. In some
instances, undergraduate programmes are offered fully online as well.

Furthermore, our programmes are aligned with the vision, mission and values of the
University. Unisa's commitment to serve humanity and shape futures combined with a clear
appreciation of our location on the African continent, Unisa's graduates have distinctive
graduate qualities which include

• independent, resilient, responsible and caring citizens who are able to fulfil and serve
in multiple roles in their immediate and future local, national and global communities

• having a critical understanding of their location on the African continent with its
histories, challenges and potential in relation to globally diverse contexts

• the ability to critically analyse and evaluate the credibility and usefulness of
information and data from multiple sources in a globalised world with its ever-
increasing information and data flows and competing worldviews

• how to apply their discipline-specific knowledges competently, ethically and creatively

to solve real-life problems

• an awareness of their own learning and developmental needs and future potential

Whether a module is offered either as blended (meaning that we use a combination of printed
and online material to engage with you) or online (all information is available via the internet),
we use myUnisa as our virtual campus. This is an online system that is used to administer,
document and deliver educational material to you and support engagement with you. Look
out for information from your lecturer as well as other Unisa platforms to determine how to
access the virtual myUnisa module site. Information on the tools that will be available to
engage with the lecturer and fellow students to support your learning will also be
communicated via various platforms.

You are encouraged to log into the module site on myUnisa regularly (that is, at least twice per
week). [the module website code written out in full, e.g. EIP3702-2024-S1].

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Because this is a fully online module, you will need to use myUnisa to study and complete the
learning activities for this module. Visit the website for EIP3702 on myUnisa frequently. The
website for your module is EIP3702-24-S1(semester 1). We wish you every success with your
studies!

If you have not completed EIP3701, you should register it together with this module.

2 MODULE OVERVIEW
2.1 Purpose

The purpose of the qualification is to develop the necessary knowledge, understanding and
skills required for learner`s further learning towards becoming a competent Engineering
Technologists. It is intended to empower Engineering Technologists to demonstrate that they
can apply their acquired knowledge, understanding, skills, attitudes, and values in the
engineering work environment.
2.2 Outcomes

For this module, you will have to master several outcomes:

• Apply engineering principles to systematically diagnose and solve ill-defined engineering

problems.
• Apply knowledge of mathematics, natural science and engineering sciences to wide practical
procedures and practices to solve ill-defined engineering problems.
• Perform procedural design of ill-defined components, systems, works, products or processes
to meet desired needs within applicable standards, codes of practice and legislation.

• Conduct investigations of ill-defined problems through locating and searching relevant codes
and catalogues, conducting standard tests, experiments and measurements.
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with engineering audiences.
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the impact of engineering activity on the
society, economy, industrial and physical environment, and address issues by defined
procedures.
• Understand and commit to professional ethics, responsibilities, and norms of engineering
technical practice.

3 CURRICULUM TRANSFORMATION
Unisa has implemented a transformation charter, in terms of which the university has placed
curriculum transformation high on the teaching and learning agenda. Curriculum transformation
includes student-centred scholarship, the pedagogical renewal of teaching and assessment
practices, the scholarship of teaching and learning, and the infusion of African epistemologies
and philosophies. All of these will be phased in at both programme and module levels, and as a
result of this you will notice a marked change in the teaching and learning strategy implemented
by Unisa, together with the way in which the content is conceptualised in your modules. We

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encourage you to embrace these changes during your studies at Unisa in a responsive way
within the framework of transformation.

4 LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS

4.1 Lecturer

The primary lecturer for this module is Dr Bessie Baakanyang Monchusi:

Department: Electrical Engineering
E-mail: monchbb2@unisa.ac.za

4.2 Department

You can contact the Department of Electrical Engineering as follows:

Telephone number: 011 471 3706
E-mail: muldeem@unisa.ac.za

4.3 University

If you need to contact the University about matters not related to the content of this module,
please consult the administrative staff. Contact addresses of the various administrative
departments appear on the Unisa website:
http://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Contact-us/Student-enquiries. Please include the
student number in all correspondence.

5 RESOURCES
5.1 Prescribed book(s)

There are no prescribed books for this module. Check MyUnisa under additional Resources for
important information.

5.2 Recommended book(s)

1. Dieter, E. George. “Engineering Design”.

2. Nigel Cross. "Engineering Design Methods Strategies for Product Design”.

3. S. Melville and W. Goddard. “Research Methodology - An introduction for Science and

Engineering Students Recommended books can be requested online, via the Library catalogue.

5.3 Electronic reserves (e-reserves)

There are no electronic reserves for this module.

E-reserves can be downloaded from the library webpage Find e-reserves. More information is
available at: http://oasis.unisa.ac.za/search/r

5.4 Library services and resources

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The Unisa Library offers a range of information services and resources. The library has
created numerous library guides, available at http://libguides.unisa.ac.za

Recommended guides:

• For brief information on the library, go to https://www.unisa.ac.za/library/libatglance

• For more detailed library information, go to
http://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library
• Frequently Asked Questions,
visit https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Frequently-Asked-Questions
• For research support and services such as the Personal Librarian service and the
Information Search Librarian's Literature
Search Request (on your research topic) service,
visit http://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Library-services/Research-
support.
• For library training for undergraduate
students, visit https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Library-
services/Training
• Lending Services https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Library-
services/Lending-services
• Services for Postgraduate students -
https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Services-for-Postgraduates
• Support and Services for students with disabilities -
https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Services-for-students-with-
special-needs
• Library Technology Support -https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/techsupport
• Finding and using library resources and tools -
http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/Research_skills
• A–Z list of library databases – https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/az.php

Important contact information:

• Technical problems encountered in accessing library online services: Lib-
help@unisa.ac.za
• General library-related queries: Library-enquiries@unisa.ac.za
• Queries related to library fines and payments: Library-fines@unisa.ac.za
• Interlibrary loan service for postgraduate students: libr-ill@unisa.ac.za
• Literature Search Service: Lib-search@unisa.ac.za
• Social media channels: Facebook: UnisaLibrary and Twitter: @UnisaLibrary

6 STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

The Study @ Unisa brochure is available on myUnisa: www.unisa.ac.za/brochures/studies

This brochure contains important information and guidelines for successful studies through
Unisa.

If you need assistance regarding the myModules system, you are welcome to use the following
contact details:

• Toll-free landline: 0800 00 1870 (Select option 07 for myModules)

• E-mail: mymodule22@unisa.ac.za or myUnisaHelp@unisa.ac.za
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You can access and view short videos on topics such as how to view your calendar, how to
access module content, how to view announcements for modules, how to submit assessment
and how to participate in forum activities via the following link: https://dtls-
qa.unisa.ac.za/course/view.php?id=32130

Registered Unisa students get a free myLife e-mail account. Important information, notices
and updates are sent exclusively to this account. Please note that it can take up to 24 hours
for your account to be activated after you have claimed it. Please do this immediately after
registering at Unisa, by following this link: myLifeHelp@unisa.ac.za

Your myLife account is the only e-mail account recognised by Unisa for official
correspondence with the university and will remain the official primary e-mail address on
record at Unisa. You remain responsible for the management of this e-mail account.

6.1 First-Year Experience Programme

Many students find the transition from school education to tertiary education stressful. This is also true in
the case of students enrolling at Unisa for the first time. Unisa is a dedicated open distance and e-
learning institution, and it is very different from face-to-face/contact institutions. It is a mega university,
and all our programmes are offered through either blended learning or fully online learning. It is for this
reason that we thought it necessary to offer first-time students additional/extended support to help them
seamlessly navigate the Unisa teaching and learning journey with little difficulty and few barriers. We
therefore offer a specialised student support programme to students enrolling at Unisa for the first time –
this is Unisa’s First-Year Experience (FYE) Programme, designed to provide you with prompt and helpful
information about services that the institution offers and how you can access information. The following
FYE services are currently offered:

FYE Website Email Support

www.unisa.ac.za/FYE fye@unisa.ac.za

FYE1500
Post
myUnisa; Study
Registration
Referrals to Skills; Academic &
Orientation Digital Literacies;
other support
services i.e. etc
Counselling;
Reading & Writing
workshops

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To ensure that you do not miss out on important academic and support communication
from the SRU, please check your myLife inbox regularly.

7. STUDY PLAN
Use myStudies @ Unisa brochure for general time management and planning skills.

8 HOW TO STUDY ONLINE

8.1 What does it mean to study fully online?

Studying fully online modules differs completely from studying blended modules at Unisa.
Studying fully online means that:
• All your study material and learning activities are designed to be delivered online
through the myUnisa website.
• All your assignments must be submitted online. This means that you will do all your
activities and submit all your assignments on myUnisa. In other words, you may NOT post your
assignments to Unisa using the South African Post Office.
• All communication between you and the University happens online. Lecturers will
communicate with you via e-mail and SMS, and use the Announcements, the Discussion
Forums and the Questions and Answers tools. You can also use all these platforms to ask
questions and contact your lecturers.

8.2 myUnisa tools

The main tool that we will use is the Lessons tool. This tool will provide the content of and
assessments for your module. At times you will be directed to join discussions with fellow
students and complete activities and assessments before you can continue with the module.
It is very important that you log on to myUnisa regularly. We recommend that you log on at least
once a week to do the following:
• Check for new announcements. You can also set your myLife e-mail account to allow you to
receive the announcement e-mails on your cellphone.
• Do the Discussion Forum activities. When you do the activities for each learning unit, we
want you to share your answers with the other students in your group. You can read the
instructions and even prepare your answers offline, but you will need to go online to post your
messages.
Do other online activities. For some of the learning unit activities you might need to post a
message on the Blog tool, take a quiz or complete a survey under the Self-Assessment tool.
Do not skip these activities because they will help you complete the assignments and the
activities for the module.

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We hope that by giving you extra ways to study the material and practise all the activities, we
will help you succeed in the online module. To get the most out of the online module, you MUST
go online regularly to complete the activities and assignments on time.

9. ASSESSMENT
9.1 Assessment criteria

Your final mark will be calculated by using a ratio of 50%-year mark and 50% summative
assessment mark. Students are expected to demonstrate attainment of ALL graduate attributes
in all assessments where graduates’ attributes are evaluated. Assessments 1 - 4 are
compulsory for ALL students. Information about Graduate Attributes (GAs) are in the Study
Guides and in ANNEXURE 3.

9.2 Assessment plan

• To complete this module, you will be required to submit 4 assessments.

• All information about when and where to submit your assessments will be made available
to you via the myModules site for your module.
• Due dates for assessments, as well as the actual assessments are available on the
myModules site for this module.

The year mark is based on the marks obtained in all three assignments in Table 3 and
their contribution towards the final year mark are as shown in the table.

Table 3: Assignments contribution toward year mark.

ASSIGNMENT NUMBER CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS

YEAR MARK

ASSIGNMENT 1 20%

ASSIGNMENT 2 20%

ASSIGNMENT 3 20%

ASSIGNMENT 4 (Portfolio) 40%

9.3 Assessment due dates

• There are no assignment due dates included in this tutorial letter.

• Assignment due dates will be made available to you on the myUnisa landing page for this
module. We envisage that the due dates will be available to you upon registration.

• Assignments will be opened for longer periods to accommodate submissions in both the
first and second semester.

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• Please start working on your assessments as soon as you register for the module.

• Log on to the myUnisa site for this module to obtain more information on the due dates
for the submission of the assessments.

9.4 Submission of assessments

• Unisa, as a comprehensive open distance e-learning institution (CODeL), is moving

towards becoming an online institution. You will therefore see that all your study material,
assessments and engagements with your lecturer and fellow students will take place
online. We use myUnisa as our virtual campus.

• The myUnisa virtual campus will offer students access to the myModules site, where
learning material will be available online and where assessments should be completed.
This is an online system that is used to administer, document, and deliver educational
material to students and support engagement between academics and students.

• The myUnisa platform can be accessed via https://my.unisa.ac.za. Click on the

myModules 2024 button to access the online sites for the modules that you are
registered for.

• The university undertakes to communicate clearly and as frequently as is necessary to

ensure that you obtain the greatest benefit from the use of the myModules learning
management system. Please access the announcements on your myModules site
regularly, as this is where your lecturer will post important information to be shared with
you.

• When you access your myModules site for the module/s you are registered for, you will
see a welcome message posted by your lecturer. Below the welcome message you will
see the assessment shells for the assessments that you need to complete. Some
assessments may be multiple choice, some tests, others written assessments, some
forum discussions, and so on. All assessments must be completed on the assessment
shells available on the respective module platforms.

• To complete quiz assessments, please log on to the module site where you need to
complete the assessment. Click on the relevant assessment shell (Assessment 1,
Assessment 2, etc.). There will be a date on which the assessment will open for you.
When the assessment is open, access the quiz online and complete it within the time
available to you. Quiz assessment questions are not included in this tutorial letter
(Tutorial Letter 101) and are only made available online. You must therefore access the
quiz online and complete it online where the quiz has been created.

• It is not advisable to use a cell phone to complete the quiz. Please use a desktop
computer, tablet or laptop when completing the quiz. Students who use a cell phone find
it difficult to navigate the Online Assessment tool on the small screen and often struggle
to navigate between questions and successfully complete the quizzes. In addition, cell
phones are more vulnerable to dropped internet connections than other devices. If at all
possible, please do not use a cell phone for this assessment type.

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 • For written assessments, please note the due date by which the assessment must be
submitted. Ensure that you follow the guidelines given by your lecturer to complete the
assessment. Click on the submission button on the relevant assessment shell on
myModules. You will then be able to upload your written assessment on the myModules
site of the modules that you are registered for. Before you finalise the upload, double
check that you have selected the correct file for upload. Remember, no marks can be
allocated for incorrectly submitted assessments.

9.4.1 Type of assignments and descriptions

• Compulsory assignments
- If not submitted, the result on the student’s academic record will be absent.

I. Compulsory Assessment
a. when not submitted, the student will fail a Continuous Assessment module but will be
shown as absent from the examination in the case of other modules.

9.5 The assessments

As indicated in section 9.2, you need to complete 4 assessments for this module.

There are no assignments included in this tutorial letter. Assignments and due dates will be
made available to you on myModules for this module. We envisage that the due dates will be
available to you upon registration.

9.6 Other assessment methods

None

9.7 The examination

The summative assessment for this module is made up of two components. A summative
assessment based on conceptual design report and a summative assessment based on oral
presentation to panel of experts in the department.
9.7.1 Invigilation/proctoring

Since 2020 Unisa conducts all its assessments online. Given stringent requirements from
professional bodies and increased solicitations of Unisa’s students by third parties to unlawfully
assist them with the completion of assignments and examinations, the University is obliged to
assure its assessment integrity through the utilisation Turnitin. This tool will authenticate the
student’s identity and flag suspicious behaviour to assure credibility of students’ responses
during assessments. The description below is for your benefit as you may encounter any or all
of these in your registered modules:

Turnitin is a plagiarism software that facilitates checks for originality in students’ submissions
against internal and external sources. Turnitin assists in identifying academic fraud and ghost
writing. Students are expected to submit typed responses for utilisation of the Turnitin software.

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Students who are identified and flagged for suspicious dishonest behaviour arising from the
proctoring reports are referred to the disciplinary office for formal proceeding.

9.8 Supplementary

In the event a student qualifies for supplementary opportunity, the student will be required to
resubmit their portfolios. The additional assessment tab will be present on the module site for
the students to resubmit their assessments.

10. ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

10.1 Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the act of taking the words, ideas and thoughts of others and presenting them as
your own. It is a form of theft. Plagiarism includes the following forms of academic dishonesty:

• Copying and pasting from any source without acknowledging the source.
• Not including references or deliberately inserting incorrect bibliographic information.
• Paraphrasing without acknowledging the original source of the information.
10.2 Cheating
Cheating includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Completing assessments on behalf of another student, copying the work of another

student during an assessment, or allowing another student to copy your work.
• Using social media (e.g. WhatsApp, Telegram) or other platforms to disseminate
assessment information.
• Submitting corrupt or irrelevant files, this forms part of examination guidelines
• Buying completed answers from so-called “tutors” or internet sites (contract cheating).
For more information about plagiarism, follow the link below:
https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/myunisa/default/Study-@-Unisa/Student-values-and-rules

11. STUDENTS LIVING WITH DISABILITIES

The Advocacy and Resource Centre for Students with Disabilities (ARCSWiD) provides an
opportunity for staff to interact with first-time and returning students with disabilities.
If you are a student with a disability and would like additional support or need additional time for
assessments, you are invited to contact (name and e-mail address of the lecturer must be
inserted) to discuss the assistance that you need.

12. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The myStudies @ Unisa brochure contains an A-Z guide of the most relevant study information.

Question: What should I do if am not allocated to a supervisor for my project after I have submitted
my project proposal?

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Answer: Send an email through your UNISA student email address to the lecturer responsible for
this module monchbb2@unisa.ac.za. Use the following format for the email:
Subject: Not allocated to a supervisor for EIP3702
Dear lecturer,
I have not been allocated to a supervisor for my project.
Project title: Give your project title here
Student number: Student number here
Module code: EIP3702

Question: What should I do if the project title that is allocated to me is not the one I submitted?
Answer: Send an email through your UNISA student email address to the lecturer responsible for
this module monchbb2@unisa.ac.za Use the following format for the email:
Subject: Wrong allocation of project title for EIP3702
Dear lecturer,
I have been allocated a project title, which is different from what I submitted in my project proposal.
Project title: Give the correct project title here
Student number: Student number here
Module code: EIP3702

Question: Can I email an assignment to my lecturer if I missed the deadline?

Answer: No, you cannot email an assignment to a lecturer if I missed the deadline. Every
assignment that is marked is cross referenced with a unique number generated when a student
submits an assignment.

When you send an assignment via email to a lecturer, even if the assignment is marked by a
lecturer, the mark cannot be entered into the system because there is no reference number for it.

Question: Can I submit my assignment with any format or structure that I like?

Answer: No, you should use the templates on myUNISA. The template that should be used for each
assignment is on myUNISA under “Additional Resources”.

Question: Can I request for an extension for submission of an assignment?

Answer: No, the due date of an assignment cannot be extended. All dates are set a year ahead in
the assessment plan.

Question: What can I do, if I submitted a wrong assignment on myUNISA before the due date?

Answer: You can resubmit an assignment before the due date. However, once the due date is
passed you cannot resubmit.

Question: What would happen if I submitted my assignment late through UNISA portal?

Answer: All assignments should reach Assignment department on or before the due dates. Any
assignment that is received after the due date will get a zero mark.

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13. SOURCES CONSULTED

None

14. IN CLOSING
Please ensure that you have all the tutorial letters and prescribed book available before starting
with your studies. Do not hesitate to contact us by e-mail if you are experiencing problems with
the content of this tutorial letter or with any academic aspect of the module.

We wish you a fascinating and satisfying journey through the learning material, and trust that
you will complete the module successfully.

Enjoy the journey!

Dr. Bessie Baakanyang Monchusi – lecturer for EIP3702

15. ADDENDUM
None

ANNEXURE: GLOSSARY OF TERM

None

16. ANNEXURE 1: GRAPHICAL VIEW OF ENGINEERING QUALIFICATION

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17. ANNEXURE 2: GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT GRADUATES
ATTRIBUTES ADVANCE DIPLOMA

The Advanced Diploma in Electrical Engineering was designed considering the HEQSF
document from 2013 and the generic ECSA document “Qualification Standard for Advance
Diploma in Engineering: NQF Level 7; Document: E-05-PT; Rev 5”
Due to the extraordinary development of engineering knowledge and technology, there is a
need for defining a common denominator for the engineering qualifications in order to ensure
the mobility and global recognition. To this end, under the umbrella of International Engineering
Alliance (IEA), Sydney Accord was signed in 2001.
The Sydney Accord is an agreement for the international recognition of Engineering
Technologist qualifications.

For the Advanced Diploma qualifications, the Sydney Accord rules and regulations are
applicable

The following countries are the signatories of Sydney Accord.

• Australia - (Engineers Australia, 2001)

• Canada - (Canadian Council of Technicians and Technologists, 2001)
• Taiwan - (Institute of Engineering Education Taiwan, 2014)
• Hong Kong - (The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers, 2001)
• Ireland - (Engineers Ireland, 2001)
• Korea - (Accreditation Board for Engineering Education of Korea, 2013)
• Malaysia - (Board of Engineers Malaysia, 2018)
• New Zealand - (Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand, 2001)
• South Africa - (Engineering Council of South Africa, 2001)
• United Kingdom - (Engineering Council UK, 2001)
• United States - (ABET, 2009)
• Sri Lanka - (The Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka)
Assurance of substantial equivalence through this agreement may enhance mutual exemption
between jurisdictions by leading to opportunities to streamline processes and procedures for the
recognition of competent individuals in other jurisdictions.

The agreement recognizes that there is substantial equivalence of programs accredited by

signatories. Graduates of accredited programs in any of the signatory countries are recognized
by the other signatory countries as having met the academic requirements for entry to the
practice of engineering.

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The equivalency of the engineering programmes was possible through the introduction of
Graduate Attributes. Graduate Attributes are assessable outcomes, developed by the
signatories that give confidence that the educational objectives of programmes are being
achieved ensuring the quality of the programme.

As the Graduate Attributes are “assessable outcomes”, each module part of the qualification,
has several Graduate Attributes attached to them and must be assessed in a measurable way,
namely through assignment or laboratory reports or projects or exams. Some Graduate
Attributes may be assessed via several measurable ways.

Since 2022 the Graduate Attributes (GAs) are assessed in design, practical, project and
modules and the total number of 11 Graduate Attributes will be assessed over the whole
qualification.

. The qualification may be awarded only if:

• the student has obtained the minimum of credits distributed in the knowledge areas
defined in the E – 05 – PT document,
• The graduates of this qualification will be able to demonstrate competence in the
Graduate Attributes from 1 to 11 as defined in the E – 05 – PT document.
If the student is not declared competent in all 11 Graduate Attributes, he
/she will not be able to graduate, regardless of the credit obtained in the
knowledge areas.
Therefore, it is extremely important for the students to understand the importance of the
graduate attributes, as is the only measure of the substantial equivalency of engineering
technologist qualifications, between signatory countries.

18. ANNEXURE 3: LIST OF GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES ADVANCE DIPLOMA

The graduate attributes defined below are stated generically and may be assessed in various
engineering disciplinary or cross-disciplinary contexts in a provider-based or simulated practice
environment. Words and phrases having specific meaning are defined in this document or in
ECSA Document E-01-POL.
General Range Statement: The competencies defined in the eleven graduate attributes may be
demonstrated in a university-based, simulated workplace context. Competencies stated
generically may be assessed in various engineering disciplinary or cross-disciplinary contexts.
Level Descriptor: Broadly-defined engineering problems:
a) require coherent and detailed engineering knowledge underpinning the technology area; and
one or more of the characteristics
i) are ill-posed, under- or over specified, or requiring identification and interpretation into the
technology area.
ii) encompass systems within complex engineering systems.
iii) belong to families of problems which are solved in well-accepted but innovative ways
b) and their solutions have one or more of the characteristics:
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i) can be solved by structured analysis techniques.
ii) may be partially outside standards and codes; must provide justification to operate outside.
iii) require information from practice area and source interfacing with the practice area that is
incomplete.
iv) involves a variety of issues which may impose conflicting needs and constraints; technical,
engineering and interested or affected parties

Graduate Attribute 1: Problem solving.

Identify, formulate, analyse and solve broadly-defined engineering problems

Graduate Attribute 2: Application of scientific and engineering knowledge

Apply knowledge of mathematics, natural sciences, engineering fundamentals and an
engineering speciality to solve broadly-defined engineering problems.
Level descriptor: Knowledge of mathematics, natural sciences and engineering sciences is
characterized by:
• A knowledge of mathematics using formalism and oriented toward engineering analysis and
modelling; fundamental knowledge of natural science: both as relevant to a discipline or
recognised practice area.
• A coherent range of fundamental principles in engineering science and technology underlying
an engineering sub-discipline or recognised practice.
• A systematic body of established and emerging knowledge in specialist area or recognized
practice area; and
• The use of mathematics, natural sciences and engineering sciences, supported by established
models, to aid solving broadly-defined engineering problems.
Range Statement: Mathematics, natural science and engineering sciences are applied in
formal analysis and modelling of engineering situations, and for reasoning about and
conceptualizing engineering problems.

Graduate Attribute 3: Engineering design

Perform creative, procedural and non-procedural design and synthesis of components,
systems, engineering works, products or processes.
Range Statement: Design problems used in exit-level assessment must conform to the
definition of a broadly-defined engineering problem.
i) A major design problem should be used to provide evidence.
ii) The selection of components, systems, engineering works, products or processes to be
designed are dependent on the discipline or practice area

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Graduate Attribute 4: Investigations, experiments and data analysis

Demonstrate competence to design and conduct investigations and experiments.
Range Statement: The balance of investigation and experiment should be appropriate to the
discipline. Research methodology is to be applied in research or an investigation where the
student engages with selected knowledge in the research literature of the discipline.
Note: An investigation differs from a design in that the objective is to produce knowledge and
understanding of a phenomenon and a recommended course of action rather than specifying
how an artifact could be produced.
Graduate Attribute 5: Engineering methods, skills and tools, including information
technology.
Demonstrate competence to use appropriate engineering methods, skills and tools, including
those based on information technology.
Range Statement: A range of methods, skills and tools appropriate to the disciplinary
designation of the program including:
• Discipline-specific tools, processes or procedures.
• Computer packages for computation, modelling, simulation, and information handling.
• Computers and networks and information infrastructures for accessing, processing, managing,
and storing information to enhance personal productivity and teamwork

Graduate Attribute 6: Professional and technical communication

Demonstrate competence to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with
engineering audiences and the community at large.
Range Statement: Material to be communicated is in an academic or simulated professional
context.
i) Audiences range from engineering peers, management and lay persons, using appropriate
academic or professional discourse.
ii) Written reports range from short (300-1000 words plus tables diagrams) to long (10 000 to 15
000 words plus tables, diagrams and appendices), covering material at exit-level.
iii) Methods of providing information include the conventional methods of the discipline, for
example engineering drawings, as well as subject- specific methods
Graduate Attribute 7: Sustainability and impact of engineering activity
Demonstrate critical awareness of the sustainability and impact of engineering activity on the
social, industrial and physical environment.
Range Statement: The combination of social, workplace (industrial) and physical environmental
factors must be appropriate to the discipline or other designation of the qualification.
Comprehension of the role of engineering in society and identified issues in engineering
practice in the discipline: health, safety and environmental protection; risk assessment and

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management and the impacts of engineering activity: economic, social, cultural, environmental
and sustainability.

Graduate Attribute 8: Individual, team and multidisciplinary working

Demonstrate competence to work effectively as an individual, in teams and in multidisciplinary
environments.
Range Statement: Multidisciplinary tasks require co-operation across at least one disciplinary
boundary. Co-operating disciplines may be engineering disciplines with different fundamental
bases other than that of the programme or may be outside engineering.

Graduate Attribute 9: Independent learning ability

Demonstrate competence to engage in independent learning through well-developed learning
skills.
Range Statement: Operate independently in complex, ill-defined contexts requiring personal
responsibility and initiative, accurately self-evaluate and take responsibility for learning
requirements; be aware of social and ethical implications of applying knowledge in particular
contexts.

Graduate Attribute 10: Engineering professionalism

Demonstrate critical awareness of the need to act professionally and ethically and to exercise
judgment and take responsibility within own limits of competence.
Range Statement: Evidence includes case studies typical of engineering practice situations in
which the graduate is likely to participate. Ethics and the professional responsibility of an
engineer and the contextual knowledge specified in the range statement of Graduate Attribute 7
is generally applicable here.

Graduate Attribute 11: Engineering management

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of engineering management principles and
economic decision-making.
Range Statement: Basic techniques from economics, business management; project
management applied to one’s own work, as a member and leader in a team, to manage projects
and in multidisciplinary environments.

References
Qualification Standard for Advance Diploma in Engineering: NQF Level 7 E-05-PT
REVISION No. 5: 01 September 2020. Available via www.ecsa.co.za

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©
Unisa 2024

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