Asean Journal of Chemical Engineering

About Asean Journal of Chemical Engineering

The ASEAN Chemical Engineers as well as some Japanese Chemical Engineers organized a symposium for the ASEAN chemical engineers since 1994. This is called "Regional Symposium of Chemical Engineering - RSCE". The primary objectives of this symposium is to serve as venue for the dissemination of the research output done by chemical engineers, to establish linkages among the chemical engineers in the ASEAN region, and lastly, the need for Japan to strengthen ties with ASEAN countries.

This is being done every year with the following countries organising the said symposium: Philippines - 1994, Thailand - 1995, Indonesia - 1996, Malaysia - 1997, Philippines - 1998, Thailand - 1999, Singapore - 2000 and Indonesia - 2001. The organizing committee included International Advisory Committee in the different ASEAN countries to coordinate with the local chemical engineers. This activity is supported by the universities, government agencies and professional organization of the chemical engineers in their respective countries. There are about 150 - 250 participants every year and about 150 research outputs are being presented during the symposium.

Chemical engineers envisioned the need to publish their research outputs periodically in a referred journal. Even with the presence of many journals in the field of Chemical Engineering, these are mainly publications from the Western World primarily managed by experts from the West and whose perspective are globally influenced. Such journals, therefore, are not able to manifest an understanding of the ASIAN environment and the needs of the countries in that region. In this manner, the needs of the local industries in the region do not appear to have addressed by the academe because of the lack of venue for the dissemination of research outputs.

Some of the advantages of having a referred journal for chemical engineers are the following:

ASEAN countries signified their intention to contribute
One issue will be selected from the RSCE proceedings
Focusing on one the Chemical Engineering field but widening circulation
Strengthen ties among ASEAN researchers
Higher standard level as compared to the RSCE Proceedings
Venue for Ch. E. researchers to publish because there is difficulty to get paper accepted in a well-known journals
Industry can be tapped to publish and subscribe because it will feature balance publications

Strengths

Sources of papers from the RSCE Proceedings
Big community as subscribers
Support from academe and from Industry-Academe linkage
Synergy of existing local journal into one bigger international journal

Weaknesses

Difficult of managing international journal
Management of subscription fees in different currencies
Cultural differences among ASEAN countries
Discrepancy in research culture in industry and academe

Opportunities

Networking with other Chemical Engineers from other countries
Advancement and promotion of profession
Ownership of the journal by the ASEAN countries
Serves as an eye opener for other fields of engineering
Encourage the young scientist to publish
Tailored to ASEAN countries

Threats

Threat to other local/international journals
Continuing to sustain financial support
Non-support from other organizations
Sustainability of financial support from funding agencies

Objectives:

The Objectives of the journal were as follows:

To raise the standard of research in Chemical Engineering in ASEAN countries.
To publish a refereed journal for Chemical Engineers.
To provide a venue for dissemination of research outputs and activities in Chemical Engineering and other related fields.
To foster closer ties among chemical engineers in the ASEAN countries.

Developments:

The maiden issue of the AJChE was launched last October 29, 2001 during the RSCE 2001 in Bandung, Indonesia. The articles in this first issue are related to the development in the chemical industries in different ASEAN countries. Prominent Chemical Engineers from their respective ASEAN countries were invited to write in our maiden issue. There will be two issues for this year 2001 (May and October). The research papers will come from the RSCE Proceedings and will invite well-known chemical engineers to publish their research papers. Four issues per year for the second year and onwards.