BLUEPRINT BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY:

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

OCTOBER 2017

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY W. DE CROYLAAN 6 BUS 2000

3001 HEVERLEE, BELGIUM

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Blueprint Bachelor of Engineering Technology, specialisation Chemical Engineering

Part 1: The programme’s profile and educational vision

1A Objectives

The Bachelor programme of Engineering Technology (ET) with specialisation in Chemical Engineering is an academic programme which primarily allows students to transfer to the related Master programmes in Chemical Engineering Technology and Biochemical Engineering Technology. It is a multidisciplinary programme which provides the foundations for subsequent master’s programmes in related domains. The bachelor’s programme is characterized by a thorough scientific and technological training. The subsequent master’s programme offers specialisation. This is why the learning objectives of the bachelor’s programme are elaborated with the intended profile of the master degree student in mind: a technically capable and implementation-oriented engineer who may employ the professional title of engineering technologist (Ing., short for ‘industrieel ingenieur’ in Dutch). The programme aims to deliver bachelors with a critical mind, with creative ideas and a taste for innovative development, with attention to sustainability and societal impact. A programme today for engineers for the future.

The learning outcomes of the Bachelor of Engineering Technology with specialisation in Chemical

Engineering are (Figure 1):

Figure 1: Overview of the programme’s learning objectives.

Additional information about the learning outcomes:

https://iiw.kuleuven.be/personeel/ects/handleiding/leerresultaten (in Dutch).

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1B Context

The Faculty of Engineering Technology (FET) is part of the Science, Engineering and Technology Group at KU Leuven and unites multiple campuses throughout Flanders.

The Bachelor of Engineering Technology with specialisation in Chemical Engineering is organized in Dutch at Campus De Nayer, Campus Diepenbeek1, Campus Group T and Technology Campus Ghent (Figure 2). Alternatively, students can follow the full trajectory in English at Campus Group T in Leuven.

Figure 2: Campuses within FET organizing the BA ET with specialisation in Chemical Engineering.

The regional positioning and intensive collaboration within the Faculty of Engineering Technology provide students with the opportunity to pursue quality education in their own region, but also to broaden their horizons and to specialize in a domain that is not present on their starting campus. Within the multicampus model, students can also choose to continue their bachelor’s programme on another campus after completing the first three semesters. Upon obtaining the bachelor’s degree as well, students can opt to follow their master’s programme at a different campus.

The organisation, planning and follow-up of programmes fall under the authority of programme committees:

At each campus, there is a teaching committee (OC) for the common core of the bachelor programme and one for each subsequent specialization. All colleagues involved in teaching the OC’s courses are members of this committee as well as student representatives, and the committee is chaired by the programme coordinator. The OC implements the educational vision; takes care of organizing the programme; provides opportunities to strengthen the programme’s profile through master’s theses and regional networking with the professional

1 The programme at Campus Diepenbeek is a mutual programme of KU Leuven and the university of Hasselt (UHasselt). It is a distinct programme by decree operating under the quality assurance system of UHasselt. Therefore the programme will not be discussed in detail in this blueprint.

Blueprint Bachelor of Engineering Technology, specialisation Chemical Engineering 3

field; takes own initiatives and follows the guidelines of the POC as well as those resulting from the quality assurance system; and reports to and advises the POC.

The overarching programme committee (POC) Chemical/Biochemical/Bioengineering Technology brings together the concerned programme coordinators of all campuses as well as student representatives, and is chaired by the programme director. The POC designs the educational framework, the programme content and the didactical approach based on the advice of the OCs and of the fPOC; follows up on the initiatives of the OCs and fPOC as well as the results of the quality management system; and reports to and advises the fPOC.

1C Educational vision

The programme is designed based on the guiding principles described in KU Leuven’s vision statement on education (http://www.kuleuven.be/english/education/policy/vision-and-policy-plan) and in FET’s mission statement (https://iiw.kuleuven.be/overfiiw/missie-en-onderwijsvisie – in Dutch).

In particular, the programme aims to provide a broad scientific-technological training and specialisation in a chosen domain, combined with attention to communication, management and entrepreneurship. The programme is distinctly application-oriented, which distinguishes the programme from other engineering and science programmes. This is apparent in the blend of learning formats combining lectures, exercises, laboratory practicals and project work. Likewise, reflection on practical applications is stimulated through guest lectures, company visits, project work in collaboration with companies, and in the application-oriented research conducted at each campus.

In addition, students develop research skills through application-oriented project work with authentic research questions and business cases. These formats train students to explore and design applications and at the same time help them to develop professional competencies (e.g. critical reflection, working in a team, communicating). This way students also gain a better understanding of their own strengths, weaknesses and ambitions.

1D Student profile

The Bachelor of ET with specialisation in Chemical Engineering is aimed at students from both general secondary education and technical secondary education, with an interest in science and technology and a sound prior knowledge of mathematics (at least four hours of mathematics a week in secondary education), who want to approach engineering disciplines from an application-oriented and problem-solving perspective.

1E Career perspectives

The bachelor programme primarily allows students to transfer to related master programmes. Students can choose to follow the one-year Master’s programme of Chemical Engineering Technology or the one-year Master’s programme of Biochemical Engineering Technology upon obtaining the

Positioning test

The positioning test allows potential students to get a better understanding of their own strengths and weaknesses related to prior knowledge. This way, they can prepare in the best possible way for the programme, e.g. by following a summer course or through self-study.

Blueprint Bachelor of Engineering Technology, specialisation Chemical Engineering 4

bachelor’s degree. The career perspectives below apply to students who completed the master’s programme and graduated as engineering technologists.

Most engineering technologists opt for a career in the private sector, ranging from small not-for-profit associations and medium businesses to multinationals, in (non) profit organisations or in governmental institutions. Alumni end up in a wide variety of sectors, such as the nutritional, farmaceutical, biotechnological, chemical, environmental or agricultural industry.

The positions they fulfil are equally diverse. Examples include typical technical functions2 such as process or quality engineer, consultant, or product developer or researcher in the chemical process industry or biotechnology. But engineering technologists are also active in management positions, as supervisor in analytical laboratories, as CEO, in policy preparation and boards of directors, in customer relationship management, and in research and education institutions.

Some alumni also opt for further specialisation by means of an advanced programme or a PhD.

Part 2: Implementation

2A Structure of the programme

The model route leading to a degree in engineering technology encompasses a three-year bachelor’s programme followed by a one-year master’s programme.

The Bachelor’s programme of Engineering Technology corresponds to 180 ECTS credits. The first phase starts with a common core consisting of broad technical-scientific training, and is identical for all students registered at the same campus. Halfway through the bachelor’s trajectory, students select a major subject: civil engineering, chemical engineering, electromechanical engineering, electronics-ICT engineering or polymer processing. The third phase deepens students’ knowledge of the chosen discipline and strengthens their engineering and research skills. Students can further specialize in a specific domain by choosing an option (Chemical or Biochemical ET) in the third phase. This option also prepares the students for the related Master's degree programmes in Chemical Engineering Technology or Biochemical Engineering Technology (Figure 3).

2 These technical functions correspond to what is denoted in scientific literature with ‘operational excellence’, ‘customer intimacy’ and ‘product leadership’.

Blueprint Bachelor of Engineering Technology, specialisation Chemical Engineering 5

Figure 3: Structure of the programme.

The Bachelor’s programme of Engineering Technology with specialisation in Chemical Engineering is structured according to five disciplinary learning tracks:

1. ‘Elementary sciences’ pays attention to organic chemistry, biochemistry, cellular biology and microbiology, building on the introductory courses from the common core.

2. ‘Analysis and monitoring’ addresses (chemical-)analytical elementary concepts and skills, acid-base-balances, solubility, redox, and spectrometrical and chromatografical techniques.

3. ‘Process Design & Engineering’ deals with fysicochemistry, mass and heat transmission, reactor technology, unit operations and process control. The courses build on the knowledge acquired during the common core with regard to chemistry, thermodynamics, physics, mechanics, electricity and electronics.

4. In ‘Industrial (bio)chemical processes’ students get acquainted with various (bio)chemical industrial processes and learn more about different process steps. This learning track also treats aspects of environmental technology and polymer technology.

5. ‘Biotechnological processes’ (only for option biochemical ET) discusses various aspects related to the broad domain of biotechnology such as red, green, gray and white biotechnology.

The last building block of the programme yet equally important are the general learning tracks. The courses making up these tracks provide students with the necessary generic skills to be able to function in a variety of roles and contexts, with broad responsibilities. Within the program we distinguish three tracks: the engineer in the society, the engineer as a researcher/developer, and the engineer as an entrepreneur. In addition to broadening topics such as economics, business policy, presentation and communication techniques, philosophy and research methodology, they include courses with interdisciplinary assignments or project work.

Blueprint Bachelor of Engineering Technology, specialisation Chemical Engineering 6

2B Teaching formats

The application-oriented focus of the Bachelor’s programme ET is also reflected in its teaching formats. The programme has fine-tuned the standard learning formats defined within the university to create the best possible fit with its learning objectives:

Lecture: lectures (including activating and interactive formats), guest lectures

Practical: laboratory sessions, exercise sessions, computer exercises

Assignment: individual assignments, group assignments, project work

Field trip: company visits

Bachelor paper: integrated assignment

Learning formats are often combined within one and the same course, for example to illustrate theoretical concepts with potential applications or to gather new insights based on authentic cases.

The integrated assignment (referred to with the teaching format ‘bachelor paper’) at the end of the bachelor's programme can be considered as a small research project, starting with a problem statement, where students perform application-oriented research and/or optimize (bio)chemical processes. Topics are provided by the research groups or from the professional field and always depart from an authentic research question or a workfield-related case study. Both processes related to chemical process technology as well as biotechnology can be the subject of the assignment, depending on the chosen minor in the bachelor’s programme.

English programmes

Campus Group T provides two types of programmes in English:

The regular programme of Engineering Technology (with a major in Chemical ET, and

subsequent options Chemical and Biochemical ET), open to Belgian students as well as

international students;

And an abbreviated programme specifically for students from certain international

partner universities. Students in this programme follow the first two years at their home

university before entering, upon selection, an adapted second phase of the KU Leuven

bachelor’s programme. After successful completion of the remaining two bachelor

phases, these students receive both the bachelor degree from KU Leuven and the

bachelor degree from their home university.

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2C Assessment and feedback

The programme uses several assessment formats to achieve the best possible fit with each course’s learning objectives.

Continuous assessment during the academic year can take various forms. On one hand, students are assessed on their approach for assignments (process evaluation), for example based on a logbook, portfolio, pilot run, research methodology, collaboration during contact moments, or participation in group work. On the other hand, assessments look at the output (product evaluation), for example based on a report, paper, presentation or poster. Some courses also use formative or summative peer assessment by fellow students.

Feedback is considered an essential part of the learning process. Students are split up into smaller groups for lab sessions, exercises and projects, making it possible for lecturers to assist them more closely in their learning process. The feedback given on lab reports, exercises, project work, tests, designs or presentations helps students to gain insight in their strengths and weaknesses. At some campuses, students also present their project work to a broad external audience and in this way gain feedback from third parties. In addition, lecturers encourage questions from students. The open interaction between students and lecturers is a strong asset to the programme.

During the exam periods, assessments are done by means of a written and / or oral exam. Most examinations consist of open questions, sometimes combined with closed or multiple choice questions.

Furthermore, first-year students receive feedback on their learning process through interim tests, which also serve as a trial run for the real examinations. The graded copies are passed back to the students and lecturers organize collective or individual discussions of the examination results. In later phases as well, students have the opportunity to look into the exam after it has been graded and can discuss their results with the lecturer.

2D Student support

FET opts for a structured offer of study and student guidance at each campus, supplemented with student support on demand. Students are encouraged to make use of these services, but the responsibility to do so is their own.

Research day

Each year, the programme committee Chemical/Biochemical/Bioengineering Technology organizes a research day in collaboration with the technology clusters. Students from the third bachelor phase as well as from the bridging trajectories at different campuses take part in this event, where they are immersed in a wide array of research topics. First, students are presented with a general overview of the research groups active in the domains of chemistry and biotechnology within the faculty. Next, a number of researchers present their (PhD) projects. This allows students to find out more about the research at other campuses and offers inspiration for their Master’s theses in the subsequent year.

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During each phase of the program, students are free to ask lecturers and assistants questions about subject matter. Personal assistance by the lecturer is also possible during contact hours thanks to the small group sizes for practical sessions.

The campuses further provide student support on topics such as failure anxiety and study planning, in collaboration with the student support and social services on campus. Students with a disability can contact the campus care coordinator. Academic advisers counsel students with regard to questions about their ISP (Individual Study Program), applying tolerances, recognition of prior learning and prior qualifications, learning account, switching between campuses, etc.

Finally, for issues relating to teaching or examinations, students can seek help from an ombudsperson.