The DEMI (Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering) is part of the Faculty of Sciences and Technology in the New University of Lisbon (FCT/UNL) in Portugal. It provides OSH teaching programmes on engineering courses in other engineering disciplines as well as providing a standalone post graduate OSH course for engineers. Their approach to the development of OSH knowledge and skills includes students performing an analysis of OSH interventions in real work environment and discussing the adopted methods and the expected results. The targets of the DEMI’s OSH educational programme at undergraduate level are, among others, the students of chemical, industrial, materials, mechanical and mining/geology engineering courses. OSH is a mandatory topic in industrial and mining/geology engineering and optional in the other engineering courses. For the post graduate level OSH course the target population is engineers, but the degree is also open to other professionals aiming to work as ‘competent persons’ on OSH and carry out OSH responsibilities within companies. In Portugal, the OSH competence in terms of level of study required and qualification is specified in law (Decreto-Lei nº 110/2000, June 30). In the course on Occupational safety and health for engineering undergraduates, besides the traditional classes, students are encouraged to do research in the field of OSH and to apply their knowledge to the analysis of real work situations. In an initial phase of the course, groups of students have to deliver scientific revision papers which are presented to entire class and discussed. These papers must reflect different OSH issues.
Level of Education: Continuing vocational education and training
Lead Organisation: Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (DEMI)/, Faculty of Sciences and Technology/The New University of Lisbon (FCT/UNL)
