To ensure that it maintains the quality of its research, universities periodically have their departmental research programs reviewed through research audits. The three Dutch TU’s recently had their chemical engineering research evaluated by a committee of professors from highly-renowned institutes like MIT and École Polytechnique Fédérale of Lausanne. Their report was published last week.

The report gives the research of the department of Chemical Engineering & Chemistry the highest possible score for two of the three criteria, namely the quality of the research and its relevance for society. The scientific work in Eindhoven is ‘world class quality’, and in this respect the two arms of the department (molecular systems & materials chemistry and chemical & process technology) contribute in equal share, according to the audit report. The committee was impressed by several aspects, such as the ‘exceptionally high number’ of national and international subsidies, the number of top scientific publications, the number of start-ups and spin-offs as well as the intensive collaboration with industry.

The committee was fulsome in its praise of the chemical engineering research being undertaken at the three TU’s. The committee wrote that the breadth of the research is ‘highly competitive’ on the world stage. “The institutes are successful in combining chemical engineering and chemistry and biology, which is in line with – and sometimes leading – the current developments in chemical engineering.”

In a reaction, the TU/e Executive Board expressed immense satisfaction with the outcome of the audit committee, and indicated that the committee's recommendations - mainly concerning the university's money distribution scheme, which could endanger the department's viability - will be addressed.

Source: TU/e Press Team