oa Chemical engineering curricula and challenges resulting from global megatrends

Chemical processing industry is progressively focusing their research activities and product placements in the areas of global megatrends, such as mobility, energy, materials, or health care and nutrition. Innovation in all these fields requires solving highly complex problems, rapid product development as well as dealing with international competition. These factors should also be reflected in modern chemical and biochemical engineering curricula. At TU Dortmund University, chemical and biochemical engineering education has a long tradition in combining fundamental knowledge in natural science with engineering skills. Hence, the introductory course on chemical engineering presents the subject in view of the aforementioned global challenges and megatrends. The lecture and tutorials are accompanied by a group project. Here, already in the first semester, the students work on a subject related to a/or more than one megatrend and finalize this with poster presentation. Besides the fundamentals in chemical engineering and related subjects, problem-based learning - as well as design skills and problem-solving techniques - are utilized throughout later courses. In the final phase of the Bachelor curriculum, for example, a group of 8 to 10 students develop a complete production plant, starting from conceptual process design including reaction kinetics and separation units identification, to detailed engineering (plant layout), up to cost calculation. In the last phase of their studies, students are often directly involved in research projects for their Bachelor's or Master's thesis. With the final presentation and “defence” of their work, the students are well prepared for their industrial experience.