Chemical engineering competencies for digital skills

The rapid digitalisation of chemical engineering practice has created an urgent need for educational frameworks that ensure graduates are equipped with the digital skills required by industry. This paper presents the development of a new set of Competencies for Digital Skills (CDSs) for chemical engineering, designed to integrate seamlessly into undergraduate, master’s, and continuing professional development programmes. Drawing from a review of accreditation learning outcomes, professional standards, international accreditation guidance, sector reports, literature, and programme specifications, over 40 digital-related Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) were identified and thematically grouped into four key competency areas: Data-Driven Engineering and Digital Solutions; Systems Thinking and Process Optimisation; Professional Ethics, Risk, and Compliance; and Communication and Engineering Project Delivery. These were synthesised into a structured set of sixteen practical CDSs, each supported by example progressive proficiency descriptors aligned with European Qualifications Framework (EQF) levels 6–7 and beyond. Rather than treating emerging technologies such as machine learning and AI as isolated competencies, the framework embeds them as tools that enhance capability across the digital skillset. This work provides a practical and forward-looking foundation for embedding digital capability across chemical engineering education.