Integrating ethics into the chemical engineering curriculum: The Qatar University experience

Abstract

Qatar is growing at an unprecedented rate due to the utilization of its vast gas reserves. The country's wealth stems from oil, gas and petrochemical industries. Engineers are in high demand in all specializations and Qatar University (QU), Qatar's only national university, provides the country with the highest number of engineering graduates. For engineers, whose occupation allows them potential for positive or negative societal impacts, it is critical that their decisions involve sound ethical judgment, hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public, and perform services only in areas of their competence. This ethical responsibility is considered and enhanced in the teaching of ethics in their engineering curriculum. In this paper, a review of current practices in teaching ethics in engineering at QU is given. Chemical engineering selected as a case study. The aim of the study is to review current practices, identify gaps and make recommendations to the college to enhance the ethics education in the engineering curriculum at QU.