Host: The Society of Chemical Engineers, Japan
Despite of serious problems and challenges like overcapacities, reduced profitability, cost pressure, increased competition, and globalization, chemical industry is still quite healthy characterised by higher growth rates and productivity increases than the total industry. In the past the chemial industry could generate its economic prosperity by selling commodities and chemicals produced via process routes which were developed decades ago. This is no longer possible. Globalization and worldwide competition make the commodity market no longer sufficient enough to sustain economic prosperity. The employment rate is decrasing very rapidly due to the cost pressure which results form increased competition. Is the chemical industry following the other traditional industries like steel and coal on their way down?.
The one and only mean to guarantee economic success in the future is to develop innovations which open new fields and markets. Chemical Engineers will play a central role in this process because they are interdisciplinary educated which is essential to create these new innovations. But are the graduates well prepared to fulfil the requirements of the changing enviroment in the chemical industry? Innovation and education are strongly linked together. Only well educated people can turn their ideas into new technologies and products.
This paper describes the current situation and tries to give some answers to the questions metioned above.
