Modular Building Institute, Center for Offsite Construction to Launch Accreditation Board for Offsite Construction Education

The Modular Building Institute and the Center for Offsite Construction at New York Institute of Technology have partnered to create the Accreditation Board for Offsite Construction Education, a new independent nonprofit organization dedicated to accrediting university degree programs in offsite construction.

The new accrediting body will help colleges and universities build rigorous undergraduate and graduate degree programs that prepare students for careers in offsite construction, a field that combines architectural design, engineering systems, manufacturing processes, supply-chain logistics, transportation, site assembly and coordinated project delivery.

The partnership builds on the work of the MBI-CfOC Accreditation Task Force, which examined the feasibility, structure, governance and need for an independent accrediting organization for offsite construction education. The task force concluded that offsite construction is becoming a distinct field with its own methods, workflows, delivery models and workforce requirements.

As construction continues to adopt factory-based production methods and integrated delivery systems, MBI and New York Tech’s CfOC identified a critical gap in higher education: while architecture, engineering and construction management programs have established accreditation systems, no comparable accreditation pathway exists for degree programs focused specifically on offsite and industrialized construction.

MBI will bring industry expertise, practitioner networks, workforce development experience and employer insight to the effort. CfOC will contribute its academic and research foundation, including its work on offsite design and delivery curricula and its leadership in convening experts from across the sector.

The Accreditation Board for Offsite Construction Education will serve as an independent, mission-driven accrediting body focused on educational quality, public benefit, transparency, balanced representation and conflict-of-interest safeguards. Its work will include developing accreditation standards and procedures, supporting model curricula and helping institutions organize the competencies needed for offsite construction degree pathways.

Through this partnership, MBI and CfOC aim to create a clearer educational pathway for students, a stronger workforce pipeline for employers and a reliable benchmark for universities developing programs in offsite construction. Those interested in participating in the development of the accreditation framework can learn more at aboce.org.