Transcript Document

Professional Accreditation
and the
Institution of Chemical Engineers
Neil Atkinson
Director of Qualifications(IChemE)
Tempus Project
Moscow January 2010
Outline…
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What is IChemE?
Professional Accreditation
The Bologna Process
Accreditation & Learning Outcomes
The process
Course design (and course advice)
The Institution of Chemical Engineers
(IChemE)
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Founded in 1922
An international professional membership organization
The leading Qualifying Body for professional chemical
engineers in the world
The only organization to award Chartered Chemical
Engineer status.
‘Chartered Chemical Engineer’
our professional qualification
Quality
Academic
Formation
Quality
Professional
Formation
* MIChemE- can optionally take professional registration as CEng
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What IChemE does…
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IChemE represents chemical, biochemical and
process engineering professionals worldwide.
Promoting competence (e.g. through qualifications)
With a commitment to sustainable development
Advancing the discipline for the benefit of society
Supporting the professional development of members.
Accreditation of key education institutions worldwide
(chemical engineering degrees)
Membership
30,000 members in 120 countries
Extensive Member Services: e-enabled
tce magazine
tce onlinenews
Online database
Specialist publications
Policy Advice
E-Webinars
Journals
Subject Groups
Student resources
Conferences
Process Safety resources
CPD
Whynotchemeng
Corporate partnership
Training courses
Company training
Our International Strength
comes through Partnership
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Maximising benefits to our profession - through alliances with
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Industry Associations (eg CICM - Malaysia; CIESC – China)
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Pan Engineering Institutions (eg EA - Australia; IES – Singapore)
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Qualifications Providers and with Regulators (eg ECUK;
Universities worldwide)
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Chemical Engineering Institutions (eg SAIChE - South Africa;
IIChE - India)
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Kindred Societies (eg RSC; RAE - UK, RACI – Australia)
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...and increasingly Key Employers
Outline…
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What is IChemE?
Professional Accreditation
The Bologna Process
Accreditation & Learning Outcomes
The process
Course design (and course advice)
Professional Accreditation
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Assessment of university courses (degree
programmes) to determine whether they
provide the necessary academic formation for
graduates to become Chartered Chemical
Engineers
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Provides a common standard or ‘benchmark’
for all courses that are accredited
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Increasingly, this is an International Standard
Accrediting Bodies
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Many countries have accrediting bodies for
‘engineering’ but only IChemE (since 1944) accredits
Chemical Engineering courses
IChemE accredits 168 programmes in 13 countries
France
Hungary
Ireland
Spain
The Netherlands
United Kingdom
United Arab Emirates
West Indies
Australia
China
Malaysia
New Zealand
Singapore
Benefits of Accreditation
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Promotes, fosters and develops the general advancement of
chemical engineering
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Upholds the status of the discipline by requiring standards of
knowledge and experience recognised throughout the world
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Benefits universities – a globally significant group that are
accredited (share best practice)
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Benefits students – degree is easily recognised in many parts
of the world and graduates can go on to become chartered
engineers.
Outline…
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What is IChemE?
Professional Accreditation
The Bologna Process
Accreditation & Learning Outcomes
The process
Course design (and course advice)
Bologna Process (mobility of students)
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The European Commission Recommendation on the European
Qualifications Framework came into effect April 2008. It urges
Member States to adopt the EQF by 2010.
The Bologna process has received significant attention from countries
far beyond Europe, such as New Zealand, Australia and USA.
The Bologna process is being seen as a development of some form of
international standards in higher education.
Much of the attention from non-European countries has been directed
towards the qualifications framework, credits and quality assurance
standards.
IChemE Accreditation Guidance is compatible with ‘Bologna Process’.
Outline…
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What is IChemE?
Professional Accreditation
The Bologna Process
Accreditation & Learning Outcomes
The process
Course design (and course advice)
Accreditation & Learning Outcomes
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since 2000 IChemE accreditation has been based on
the assessment of LEARNING OUTCOMES.
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This ensures delivery of threshold standards while
stimulating and encouraging innovation in
curriculum design.
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It avoids an overt focus on Entry Standards
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It avoids too much emphasis on the curriculum
What are Learning Outcomes?
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Statements of the knowledge, skills,
and understanding acquired through
a student's participation in an
educational activity.
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They are essentially an expression of
the competencies you expect your
graduates to have after completing
the course.
Examples of Good Learning
Outcomes
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A student who has successfully completed this module will be able to:
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Explain hydraulic behaviour in a packed column (2nd year separation
processes)
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Determine the economic viability of specified process plant (3rd year
Process Economics)
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Devise a flowsheet to separate non-ideal solvent mixtures by distillation
(4th year Separation Processes)
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Conduct an initial evaluation of the potential for cleaner technology options
in a fine chemicals manufacturing process (4th year Waste Minimisation)
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Conduct an initial life cycle assessment of a product (4th year Risk
Assessment & Reliability)
Examples of Poor Learning
Outcomes
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A student who has successfully completed this module will be
able to:
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Solve problems in fluid dynamics (1st year Fluid Dynamics)
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Improve understanding of some of the key aspects of physical
chemistry introduced in the first year chemistry syllabi (2nd year
Chemical Reaction Engineering)
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Understand 2nd year thermodynamics (2nd year Thermodynamics)
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Learn about unit operations (2nd year Separation Processes)
IChemE Learning Outcomes
categories:
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Underpinning Science & Maths;
Core Chemical Engineering;
Advanced Chemical Engineering;
Engineering Practice;
Design Practice
Safety, Health & Environment
Ethics & Sustainability
Transferable skills
More specific information regarding
Learning Outcomes can be found in
IChemE’s published Accreditation
Guidance.
Outline…
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What is IChemE?
Professional Accreditation
The Bologna Process
IChemE Accreditation & Learning Outcomes
The process
Course design (and course advice)
IChemE Accreditation Process
Approach
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IChemE brings academics and industrialists together to understand
and anticipate changing needs and to assess course provision. It
seeks to:
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establish that graduates have acquired appropriate knowledge and practice
to meet the academic requirements for membership grades of the IChemE
(e.g. Chartered Chemical Engineer)
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provide for mutual international recognition of degree programmes at
benchmarked standards
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stimulate improvement in chemical engineering education by encouraging
new and innovative approaches to taught curricula
IChemE routinely works alongside local engineering organisations and
regularly conducts joint visits
Assessment Criteria:
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The IChemE assesses degree programme
content against set published Guidelines
(based upon ‘Learning Outcomes’ criteria)
Ensures that the Chemical Engineering
Department has, and will continue to have,
adequate staff and physical resources to
conduct the degree programme to the
required standard.
Chemical Engineering
Knowledge and Understanding
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Critical Components:
CORE
DEPTH
BREADTH
DESIGN
Accreditation Level
(Learning Outcome)
Quality
Academic
Formation
Accreditation & the
Chartered Chemical Engineer
qualification
Quality
Professional
Formation
* MIChemE- can optionally take professional registration as CEng
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Chartered
Chemical
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Quality
Academic
Formation
Exemplifying
Academic
formation for
MIChemE is
Master Level
IChemE Accreditation Level
Master Level
Recognising degrees of the highest
international standards that provide
advanced chemical engineering
knowledge and skills
Bachelor Level
Recognising mainstream Bachelor
degrees that provide solid academic
foundation in chemical engineering
knowledge and skills
Accredited Routes : Exemplifying Academic Formation for
Chartered Chemical Engineer
1.
FIRST CYCLE DEGREE
SECOND CYCLE DEGREE
Bachelor eg BEng (Hons)
Master eg MSc
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Integrated Master eg MEng, some BE
Bachelor eg BEng (Hons)
Accreditation:
Bachelor Level
Work Based Further Learning
Master Level
General Considerations….
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Are the entry qualifications profiles of students
satisfactory?
Are learning outcomes clearly defined and
appropriate?
Is programme structure and content appropriate ?
Are the resources in place to deliver the learning
outcomes?
Are learning outcomes achieved to appropriate
standards?
Are there significant changes happening that impact
programme delivery?
Teaching Resources
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Need for demonstration of adequate resources including:
Staff
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Laboratories
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teaching and research - range, quality, quantity, modernity of
equipment
Library
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number, quality, professional engagement
technical and administrative support
availability of recommended texts, relevance of texts & periodicals,
search facilities
Computing & information management facilities
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access, availability, quality, support services, range of languages,
software packages and support
Safety/Safety Culture
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IChemE requires students to be instilled with
appropriate attitudes to Safety, Health &
Environment (SHE) and minimum core process
safety knowledge.
Departments must therefore demonstrate
appropriate safety cultures and practice of operation.
Appropriate records/documentation of hazard
assessment and controls on lab equipment and
processes are also expected.
Summary
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Brings together assessment of ALL that has relevant impact on
a Department’s capability to successfully deliver the academic
formation of a chemical engineering student
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Qualitative, by design, yet takes account of ALL relevant
quantitative information
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Quality Assured (trained Assessors, Committee normalised,
independent, academic & industrial participation)
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Provides thorough & formal feedback to the Department with
suggestions for programme improvement where appropriate
Outline…
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What is IChemE?
Professional Accreditation
The Bologna Process
IChemE Accreditation & Learning Outcomes
The process
Course design (and course advice)
Learning Outcomes Required from a
Chemical Engineering Degree Programme
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Underpinning Mathematics and Science
Core Chemical Engineering
Engineering Practice
Design Practice
Embedded Learning (SHE, Sustainability)
Embedded Learning (Transferable Skills)
Advanced Chemical Engineering - Depth
Advanced Chemical Engineering - Breadth
Advanced Chemical Engineering Practice
Advanced Chemical Engineering Design Practice
Bachelor
Integrated
Master
Master
Underpinning Mathematics &
Science(s)
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Students’ knowledge and understanding of mathematics
and science should be of sufficient depth and breadth to
underpin their chemical engineering education, to enable
appreciation of its scientific and engineering context, and
to support their understanding of future developments. It
is expected that this underpinning material should be
taught in an engineering context and, where appropriate,
a chemical engineering context
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Should lay the foundations for understanding more
applied fundamental courses when studied.
Core Chemical Engineering
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The main principles and applications of chemical engineering.
Students must be able to handle problems in fluids and solids
formation and processing. They must be able to apply chemical
engineering methods to the analysis of complex systems within
a structured approach to Safety, Health and Sustainability.
e.g.:
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thermodynamics & process analysis
chemical, physical and biochemical conversion and
transformation processes
transfer and separation processes
process systems engineering and control
Core safety
Engineering Practice
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The practical application of engineering
skills, combining theory and experience,
together with the use of other relevant
knowledge and skills.
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Must include practical exercises and
laboratory sessions
Design Practice (Portfolio)
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The creation of a process, product or plant to meet a defined
need.
The application of engineering principles to the solution of a
practical process engineering problem:
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requires conceptual exploration
develops an integrated systems approach
encourages the application of chemical engineering principles to
solve problems
encourages students to demonstrate creative & critical powers by
making choices in areas of uncertainty
encourages the development of communication and other
transferable skills
Embedded Learning
(Sustainability & SHE)
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Knowledge and ability to handle a variety of
societal, ethical and commercial aspects of
chemical engineering:
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include health and process safety;
sustainable development; commercial planning;
process plant economics; ethics; standards
Material is built upon and reinforced
throughout the degree
Embedded Learning
(General Transferable skills)
The curriculum must ensure that students develop a range of
transferable skills that will be valuable in a wide range of
situations to the conduct of their chemical engineering practice
Skills are developed, built upon and practised throughout the
degree
e.g: Skills in communications
time management
team working
inter-personal
presentations
Minimum Credit Allocation Guidance
Credit Basis:
European Credit Transfer System
(ECTS)
Further
Master Bachelor Learning
to
Level
Level
Master
Level
Underpinning Mathematics and Science
20
20
Core Chemical Engineering
85
85
Engineering Practice
10
10
Design Practice
10
10
Embedded Learning (SHE, Sustainability)
Sufficient, clear demonstration
Embedded Learning (Transferable Skills)
Sufficient, clear demonstration
Advanced Chemical Engineering - Depth
Advanced Chemical Engineering - Breadth
Advanced Chemical Engineering Practice
30
15
10
5
185
Advanced Chemical Engineering Design Practice
Total IChemE Minimum Specified Content
125
30
15
10
5
60
Advanced Chemical Engineering
Content & Outcomes
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Master level (Advanced) courses are characterised
by learning outcomes that represent knowledge and
understanding beyond that which would normally be
associated with Bachelor (Basic) programmes.
Advanced material can only be taught after Basic
material. Therefore it is very unlikely that there will
be ‘Advanced’ material in 1st or 2nd year.
Advanced (depth) material in subject X should have
a pre-requisite of Basic material in subject X
If a subject can be taught directly from a textbook it
is probably NOT Advanced.
Categories of Advanced Chemical
Engineering
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Advanced – Depth is more likely to be associated with
concepts and phenomena (e.g. advanced mass transfer,
advanced process control)
Advanced – Breadth is more likely to be associated
with applications (e.g. polymer technology, nuclear
technology).
Research projects provide Advanced – Engineering
Practice rather than Advanced – Depth.
Advanced – Design involves the innovative, creative
aspects of design synthesis.
Guidance on Curriculum
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IChemE encourages diversity of chemical engineering
education and welcomes innovation:
Provided the Learning Outcomes are met for a
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‘Minimally Constraining Core’ in Chemical Engineering
Departments are encouraged to develop their own
specialisms and emphasis.
IChemE recognises the value of study of subjects
such as languages, law, management studies etc and
allows such content to be included within the
curriculum.
SUMMING UP
Neil Atkinson
Accreditation as a Partnership
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Provides international benchmarking
Sharing best practice in chemical engineering education and
teaching
Peer Recognition
IChemE accreditation is of value to Departments (qualification
& ongoing contribution within an international community of
practice).
IChemE accreditation is of value to their Students (exempting
qualifications & access to IChemEonCampus etc).
In return IChemE derives value from access to academic
communities and students as members and as contributors to
the chemical engineering profession.
Thank you
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IChemE is strongly appreciative of this unique
opportunity:
to explore how we might make a positive contribution
to the quality and development of the chemical
engineering profession in Russia.
and share how educators here might also enrich
IChemE’s contribution to the international chemical
engineering community as a whole.