University of Oviedo achieves IChemE accreditation

The University of Oviedo has received international accreditation from the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE). Accredited for its chemical engineering undergraduate degree course, Oviedo is now the second IChemE accredited University in Spain.

The University of Oviedo is the only University in the Asturias region of Spain and home to over 25,000 students. Its chemical engineering degree course was established in 1992 as a combined Bachelor and Masters, with a single Bachelor degree introduced in 2010. The course welcomes an intake of over 50 students each year.

Following in the footsteps of Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, which received accreditation in 2010 from IChemE, the University of Oviedo achieved accreditation for its Bachelors degree in chemical engineering on 7 June - following an IChemE accreditation visit and approval by IChemE’s Education and Accreditation Forum (EAF).

The news comes almost a year after IChemE signed the Official College of Chemical Engineers of the Valencian Community (COIQCV) as an Affiliate Society. The agreement signified a commitment from IChemE to work more closely with the chemical engineering community in Spain.

One of these commitments is to promote Chartered Chemical Engineer status in the country, and advise Spanish chemical engineers on how to achieve this. The most straight-forward way to achieve Chartered status is by graduating from an IChemE accredited degree course.

IChemE’s Director of Qualifications and International Development, Neil Atkinson, said:

“The University of Oviedo has an excellent chemical engineering course and I am really pleased that they have received accreditation from us. Moreover, this is a step in the right direction for developing an active professional community in Spain and providing chemical engineers with direct routes to getting Chartered.”

University of Oviedo’s Head of the Department of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, Jose Mario Diaz Fernandez said:

“I am delighted that the course has received accreditation from IChemE. Chemical engineering is applicable to many industries, and we have worked hard to ensure our students are provided with an interesting course overview, relevant assignments, and an excellent standard of teaching. Accreditation from a global Institution validates this hard work and will attract more new talent to the course, and to the University.”

Those interested in finding out more about degree course accreditation from IChemE should visit: http://www.icheme.org/membership/accreditation.aspx for more detail and accreditation guidelines.