Chemical Process Safety Education at the University Level

Chemical process safety is a crucial course of chemical engineering education, providing students with the fundamental concepts and tools needed to design, manage, and operate industrial processes safely. A key challenge lies in ensuring that this course effectively prepares students for real-world scenarios, where safety operations are influenced by complex, multifactorial conditions, and emerging technologies. This study examines strategies for enhancing the teaching and learning of chemical process safety, with a stronger emphasis on applicable knowledge that prepares students to handle practical problem challenges. This study focuses on the university-level chemical process safety course at King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT). The course is designed into five modules, each integrating theoretical concepts, exercises, practical guidelines, and case studies. Learning outcomes are designed to ensure that graduates possess both technical competence and the ability to navigate the complexities of industrial safety environments. Data is collected through questionnaires and interviews to assess how these course elements support knowledge acquisition and real-world application, including feedback from alumni working in the chemical industry. The evaluation focuses on experiential learning activities such as case study and safety review project, which are designed to simulate industry-relevant challenges and encourage practical problem-solving skills.