Abstract
This study focuses on the “Process and Plant Design” or integrated design project, a mandatory course in most chemical engineering degree programmes. Educators face constant challenges in keeping up with the technological advancements and ensuring students are exposed to current industry practices. In this case study, the Department of Chemical Engineering at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) collaborated with its industry partner Techkem Group through a corporate social responsibility initiative. The goal is to enhance the final year students’ exposure to current industry practices. During the global COVID-19 pandemic since 2020, most lectures in UTAR have been conducted virtually or online. This has limited physical experimental and practical sessions for all the students. In order to provide a more comprehensive learning experience to the affected students, various software demonstrations related to industrial 3D modelling and printing topics have been integrated into the online lectures. Feedback from 81 final year students in regard to their level of acceptance in these new topics were encouraging and scored more than 3.0 out of 4.0 points. These initiatives aim to prepare students for employment opportunities in the era of Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR 4.0).
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to express their sincere appreciation to Techkem Group and the Department of Chemical Engineering, Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, UTAR for all the assistance and support to complete this Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project.
Funding
This study was supported by the Techkem Group Corporate Affairs and Responsibility (TechCARE) fund (Project No.:CSR21-WES2535).
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Chew, C.M., Teoh, H.C., Ng, L.Y. et al. Fostering integration of current industry application practices in the final year integrated design project. J. Comput. Educ. (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40692-023-00294-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40692-023-00294-8