Advancing the Imperative for Process Safety Education in Engineering Curricula

Beginning with the entry class of 2015, the University of Alberta Engineering Safety and Risk Management Course will become mandatory for all engineering students in their final year of their degree program. The program will grow from its current demand of 200 students per year to over 1,000 students per year, anticipated in 2018-2019.

This is a break-through in engineering education as the University of Alberta is the first university in Canada to provide comprehensive studies in risk management; a program that is applicable to all engineering disciplines, and in all aspects of engineering such as research, design, construction, operation and maintenance of facilities. This educational component will position students to become successful in their future careers whether in industry, government, business, consulting, or education, by equipping them with safety and risk management as a core competency for sustainable business operation.

These fine students will become our future leaders in industrial design and management, and will set the "tone at the top" within their respective organizations where process safety and risk management knowledge will act to protect people, facilities, and the environment.

This benchmark program at the University of Alberta is not the end - it’s just the beginning.  It will serve as a template for other universities in Alberta and across Canada for integrating safety and risk management into the core engineering curriculum.