“chemical engineering”

Engineer’s project (engineering design project)
In order to get engineer’s qualification in chemical technology (title of qualification according RTU Senate decision, 25.04.2000.) studies program of specialty has to be fulfilled and engineer’s project has to be presented on public defense. Reviewer for assessment of project is appointed, who has at least Master’s degree in corresponding branch. Content of project, procedure of defense and evaluation criteria are predicted by “Regulations of Engineer’s project – qualification work” established by Faculty of Chemical Technology (appendix 12.5). Decision on awarding engineer’s qualification can be taken by professional qualification commission (appendix 12.6), appointed by order of university Rector (at least half of commission’s members have to be high qualified specialists from branch, who are not employed at university (work at university may not be the main job)). List of defended engineer’s projects and graduates of the last years is attached in appendix 10.

1.3. Comparing of program with others programs of universities

in European Union countries

As already mentioned, during last years improvements of professional studies program “Chemical Engineering” have been done in order to fulfill recommendations of EFCE (see, V.Kampars, M.Jure. Studies program of RTU “Chemical Engineering” and recommendations of EFCE to higher education in chemical engineering. Thesis of Academic conference of Riga Technical University. 1997, April 16 and 17, P. 13-15. (in Latvian)).

Studies programs of chemical engineering are launched in the most of European universities (for example, TU Delft, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, TU Denmark, Royal Institute of Technology (Stockholm), University College London), graduates of which after 3-6 years of studies are awarded degrees: B.Sc., B.Eng., M.Sc. or M.Eng. in Chemical Engineering. Total duration of engineer’s studies at RTU - 3 years for bachelor’s degree + 2 years of professional studies – gives approximately the same number of years. Professional studies program “Chemical engineering” at RTU by content, volume and duration is close to those graduate studies programs. Similar subjects (by titles and volumes) are provided at RTU (figure 2). Nevertheless much more attention in studies programs of mentioned universities is devoted to practice – for example, program of University College London envisages 1 year of placement in industry after 2 or 3 studies year. For workout of engineer’s project students of these universities usually have about the same time as at RTU – half of year.

We could not find engineer’s studies programs at European Union universities, which award professional engineer’s qualification after graduation – these are usually so called academic graduate studies, graduation from which provides academic degree in chemical engineering.

General information about graduate studies in chemical engineering in Europe is available on Internet: http://www.gradschools.com/listings/europe/chem_eng_europe.html.

Figure 2. Engineer’s studies plan of program “Chemical engineering”

	Subject	Subject	CP (lectures-seminars-laboratories) ^1				Control
	code		1sem.	2sem.	3 sem.	4 sem.	form ^2
COMPULSORY SUBJECTS OF PROFILE
	ĶPI 419	Chemistry and technology of polymer materials	3(2-0-1)				E
	ĶST 551	Chemistry and technology of silicate materials	3(2-0-1)				E
	IDA 117	Basics of labor protection	1(1-0-0)				T
	ĶPI 420	Material aging and protection		2(2-0-0)			E
	ĶVT 408	Design and interpretation of experiments		2(1-0-1)			T
	ĶOĶ427	Physical methods of the investigation of chemical compounds			2(1-1-0)		E
COMPULSORY SUBJECTS OF PROGRAMM AND SPECIALTY
	ĶOS 484	Chemistry and technology of medicinal compounds	3(2-0-1)				E
	MKI 335	Analysis and management of processes	2(2-0-0)				E
	ĶVT 407	Chemical process control and automation		3(2-0-1)			E
	ĶVT 419	Plant design		2(2-0-0)	2(0-0-2)		T, W
	ĶVT 414	Computer aided design			2(0-2-0)		T
		Compulsory subjects of specialty^3	0-3	0-5	0-8	0-2
ELECTIVE SUBJECTS OF PROGRAMM AND SPECIALTY
		Subjects of economics and management^4		2	2
		Humanities / social subjects^4	2		2
	Ķ…004	PRACTISE / PRACTICAL WORK	4	4			PW
	Ķ…005	Engineer’s project				16	EP
		Elective subjects of specialty^3	0-3	0-5	0-8	0-2
SUBJECTS OF FREE CHOISE					2	2
Total RTU CP			21	20	20	20	81