Spatiotemporal Analysis of Food Programs of Engineering Education Accreditation in the mainland of China

Abstract

Engineering education accreditation serves as a globally recognized quality assurance mechanism that ensures the competence and international competitiveness of engineering graduates. However, systematic investigations into accreditation patterns within food-related programs remain limited. This study provides the first spatiotemporal analysis of accredited food program sites in mainland China based on official data from the China Engineering Education Accreditation Association (CEEAA). The results revealed a clear three-phase development process. From 2008 to 2016, accreditation activity was minimal, limited to a few leading universities. Growth accelerated after the accession of China to the Washington Accord in 2016, peaking in 2022 with 19 newly accredited food program sites as the accreditation scope expanded to include fields beyond food science and engineering. Spatially, accredited food program sites were highly concentrated in economically developed eastern and central provinces such as Jiangsu (9 sites), Shandong (7), and Henan (7), while many western and less-developed provinces reported few or no accredited programs. Food science and engineering dominated the accreditation landscape, whereas specialized fields such as grain, dairy, and brewing engineering were accredited in only a handful of universities. Correlation analysis showed that the number of accredited programs was strongly associated with regional economic output (R = 0.7257, p < 0.001) and food industry scale (R = 0.7139, p < 0.001). These findings highlight significant regional and structural disparities in the accreditation of food programs and provide evidence-based insights for optimizing resource allocation, strengthening support for underrepresented regions, and promoting the development of specialized disciplines. The study offers a novel perspective on the role of engineering education accreditation in shaping the cultivation of engineering talents for the sustainable transformation and upgrading of food industry in China.