Process engineering bucks university trend

London –The number of prospective university students applying for chemical, process and energy engineering courses has jumped by 8.6% to 6,317, by mid-January, according to new UCAS figures.

The increase is despite a marked drop in applications for many other science and engineering disciplines as ‘A’ level students made their degree course choices for this years’ autumn intake

Compared to the same stage last year, UCAS reported applications for electronic & electrical engineering at -18.6%; molecular biology/biophysics/biochemistry -8.4%; mechanical engineering -7.3% ;and biology -6.3%.

Last year, UK chemical engineering departments admitted 1,203 undergraduates, the highest figure since 1998 and further progress is likely in 2006, said IChemE (Institution of Chemical Engineers) president professor John Archer, who links the trend to the institution’s whynotchemeng careers campaign.

“Since its launch in 2001 whynotchemeng, which presents chemical engineering to school pupils and teachers in an entirely new light, has contributed to a marked turnaround in Chemical Engineering first degree applications”, said Archer.

“This success story owes much to IChemE’s whynotchemeng campaign and the hard work put in by university departments throughout the UK. I would like to thank the industrial sponsors who made whynotchemeng possible,” he added.