To further develop students’ engineering competencies, during 23-24 and 27-28, June, 2020, the TPA (Total Professeurs Associés) online international course was given in the School of Materials Science and Engineering(SMSE), South China University of Technology(SCUT),  co-organized by the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering with more than 700 attendees. Miaoxian Wu (Standing Deputy Secretary of CPC SCUT SMSE Committee) invited Professor Pol Hoorelbeke (Vice President of Safety Division for Total, Professor of KU Leuven and Guest Professor of SCUT), Professor Bassam Burgan (President of the Fire And Blast Information Group (FABIG) and Guest Professor of SCUT), and Michael Johnson (VP Senior Principal Consultant of DNV GL) to give a four-day session of the course. Jing Miao and Chaohui Zhang, the guest lecturers of SMSE served as teaching assistants.

Prof. Pol Hoorelbeke introduced challenges that are faced by the oil industry currently, from the aspects of population, energy, renewable energy and sustainable development, and explained the management of significant risks as well as measures of reducing the risks. Michael Johnson used three explosion accidents in the UK as examples to help students understand the causes and the lessons learned from them. Prof. Bassam Burgan used physics knowledge and chart analysis to explain the fire prevention and load design of steel structure. He also analyzed some safety cases like toxic substance release, vapor explosion and others, hoping to improve safety awareness of the students.

Prof.Pol Hoorelbeke gives an online lecture.

Michael Johnson gives an online lecture.

Prof. Bassam Burgan gives an online lecture

Since 2008, Total TPA International Course has been successfully held at SCUT for 12 consecutive years. A group of senior professionals make up a teaching team, bridging the gap between energy industry and academic institutions. From this course, students can improve their English skills, engineering capability, sustainability consciousness and broaden their international perspectives, and get to know the actual engineering world. Meanwhile, they get inspired from real-life examples and learn the latest development of top-notch international companies.

This year’s course has also gained a lot of positive feedbacks from over 300 participants. One of the feedbacks was: From this course, I learned that engineers and companies should not only seek profits for development, but also be responsible for the well-being of future generations.