Overview of SoCB
School of Chemical and Bio Engineering
Overview
The first courses in chemical engineering at Addis Ababa University were offered as part of a minor program within the Department of Mechanical Engineering from 1981-1986. After five years of intensive preparation, the present full-fledged Chemical Engineering education leading to B.Sc. degree was launched in 1986 with the following major objectives: teaching, research, consultancy and technical services.
After fifteen years of experience of running a full-fledged undergraduate program in Chemical Engineering, the Department launched a postgraduate program in 2002. The first phase of theGraduate program was commenced with a curriculum leading to Master of Science in ChemicalEngineering with emphasis on Process Engineering. After three years of graduate program experience, the second phase was activated in 2005 with two new emphasis areas – Food Engineering and Environmental Engineering. Then, in 2008, PhD programs in Process, Food and EnvironmentalEngineering were started. Based on the formal and informal inputs gathered from stakeholders and professionals of the leather industry, the Department launched undergraduate program in leather technology more recently in 2009 in co-operation with Leather Industry Development Institute(LIDI).
Graduate Profile
Chemical Engineers are involved in all kinds of industries, namely food and drink, pharmaceuticals, energy, oil and gas, water, chemicals, materials such as plastics, metals and ceramics as well as products such as toiletries, fertilizers and detergents. Chemical Engineers are also involved in assessing health, safety and environmental issues including the growing field of recycling and cleaner production, manufacture of life-saving vaccines and managing projects for the treatment of wastewater. Chemical engineers use modern information technology extensively for process development, design and to solve industrial problems using sophisticated simulation software to simulate the processes.
B.Sc. Graduate Profile
A B.Sc. Chemical Engineering graduate should be able to accomplish the following tasks after a brief period of on-job training:
- Conducting economic and technical feasibility studies in different fields of chemical and other process industries;
- Modeling for process selection, design and evaluation, developing appropriate computer programs;
- Designing, testing and commissioning (chemical) process and associated equipment and plants;
- Managing trouble-shoots and solving problems to optimize the production processes;
- Overseeing the construction, modification, operation and maintenance of pilot plants, processing units or processing plants;
- Advising management regarding the layout of industrial plants;
- Acting as liaison between plant engineering personnel and equipment suppliers; preparing quotations and technical documents, coordinating industrial construction projects;
- Ensuring efficient, optimum, safe and environmentally responsible plant operation;
- Establishing and conducting quality control programs; operating and assessing procedures and control strategies to ensure consistency and adherence to standards; and
- Cooperating with control and instrumentation specialists, supervision of and cooperation with other engineering personnel.
M.Sc. Graduate Profile
In general, a graduate in Chemical Engineering is expected to perform a more rigorous assessment of technical issues within the discipline and emphasis areas. It is assumed that any graduate with the title of chemical engineer should be equipped, at least, with all the basics of analytical tools, chemistry, unit operations, unit processes and chemical process designs. The profile for the three emphasis areas can be summarized as follows:
Process Engineering
Process and allied industries in:
- Production management;
- Process and product quality assurance management;
- Process and product development;
Teaching institutions:
- Handling chemical engineering courses at tertiary level;
- Teaching general chemical engineering courses in vocational schools;
Research institutions:
- Conducting research and development works in process industries;
- Conducting basic research in product and process development;
Consultancy work:
- Offering solutions to industrial problems;
- Assisting in process and product development activities for various process industries; and
Assisting other sectors like insurance, banks, etc. that need input from qualified chemical Engineers.
Food Engineering
- Managing food production systems and food processing industries;
- Food product design and development;
- Food process development;
- Designing, erecting and commissioning food and beverage processing plants, and agro-processing industries;
- Providing services and consultancy to the Government and NGO’S with regard to engineering problems of food industries;
- Working in research and development fields in food engineering, and related institutions and industries;
- Teaching in education institutes in food engineering and related disciplines; and
- Food product quality assurance and safety management.
Environmental Engineering
- Conduct environmental impact assessment and environmental system analysis;
- Design air pollution and air quality control processes and equipment;
- Design chemical, physical and biological water and wastewater treatment processes;
- Design solid and hazardous wastes management processes and equipment;
- Develop sustainable engineering systems;
- Ensure efficient, safe and environment friendly plant operations;
- Establish quality and environmental control systems;
- Provide consultancy services and training to industrial personnel as required.
Graduate Profile:M.Sc. in Leather Technology
This program requires a three-semester course work and an additional semester of a rigorous scientific thesis work and an additional one course possibly relevant to the thesis work. It is assumed that any graduate with the title of Leather Technologist should be equipped, at least, with all the basics of analytical tools, leather science and technology, and leather chemical process designs. The profile of an M.Sc. graduate in Leather Technology can be summarized, but not limited to, as hereunder:
- Managing of leather production systems and leather processing industries;
- Designing and developing leather products;
- Developing leather processes;
- Designing, erecting and commissioning leather processing plants, and allied industries;
- Providing services and consultancy to Government and NGO’S with regard to technology problems of leather industries;
- Working in research and development fields in leather technology, and related institutions and industries;
- Teaching leather technology and related disciplines in education institutes.
- Leather product quality assurance and safety management.
PhD Graduate Profile
The broad and general PhD graduate profile includes the following:
- Teaching in higher education institutions in the area of specialization of the program;
- Giving consultancy services and advising policy makers and others;
- Undertaking and managing independent research; and
- Imparting leadership in the institutions and the community at large.
VISION
Chemical Engineering will be a home for teaching and research in technology related areas that are focused on educating professionals and creating knowledge to serve Ethiopia’s needs. Chemical engineering will be the first Institute of Technology in Ethiopia to gain international recognition in research and to achieve the highest chances of employability for its graduates.
MISSION
The mission of the School of Chemical Engineering is to:
- To educate prospective graduates, provide and create knowledge and develop skills in technology related disciplines most needed by the Ethiopian industry;
- To establish close collaboration between industry, the Government, and the community; and
- To create an environment that is conducive to the cultivation of social skills and entrepreneurship among students and staff.
Number of Students
a) Undergraduate Programs
| No | Program | No of student |
| 1 | Processes | 71 |
| 2 | Environmental | 13 |
| 3 | Food | – |
| 4 | Leather technology | 40 |
| 5 | Other chemical | 380 |
| 6 | Total | 504 |
b) PhD Programs
| No | program | No of student |
| 1 | process | 2 |
| 2 | Environmental | 6 |
| 3 | Food | 4 |
| 4 | Total | 12 |
