Reengineering Chemical Engineering Education for the Future

The recent reformulation of the Chemical Engineering curriculum at the Faculty of Science a nd Technology of the University of Coimbra, according to the paradigms of the Bologna process, created an unique opportunity to implement substantial changes, in li ne with the new emerging paradigms of Chemical Engineering. The curriculum reformulation process involved a broad discussion among the faculty members over the new avenues of Chemical Engineering Education. The new curriculum was outlined in line with the future directions of chemical engineering educa tion reported by recent literature in the field of chemi cal engineering. It integrates subjects in the line of the new organizing principles for chemical engineering educ ation: molecular transformations, multi-scale analysis, an d a systems approach. The importance of subjects in the domain of life sciences is also emphasized. These curriculum changes aim for a new breed of chemical engineers, with an education and skills to succed i n increasingly competitive and global markets, with highly integrated and complex technological, economical, environmental, and social challenges.