World Congresses
WCEC plays a central role in supporting the World Congresses of Chemical Engineering, which are key milestones in the history of the profession. These congresses bring together the global chemical engineering community to exchange knowledge, strengthen international cooperation and address the challenges facing society, industry and the planet.
Each edition reflects the priorities of its time and the contribution of chemical engineering to science, innovation and sustainable development.
WCCE1 Amsterdam 1976
1st World Congress of Chemical Engineering
Amsterdam, Netherlands | 28 June – 1 July 1976
“Chemical Engineering in a Changing World”
WCCE1 Amsterdam 1976 marked the beginning of the World Congresses of Chemical Engineering, establishing a global meeting point for the profession. Organised in Amsterdam by Dutch EFCE member societies the first congress reflected the growing need for international cooperation in chemical engineering and set the foundations for future world congresses.
WCCE2 Montreal 1981
2nd World Congress of Chemical Engineering
Montreal, Canada | 4–9 October 1981
“Chemical Engineering for World Development”
WCCE2 Montreal 1981 continued the World Congress as a global meeting point for chemical engineering, with a strong focus on the profession’s contribution to world development. Held together with the IX Interamerican Congress of Chemical Engineering and the 31st Canadian Chemical Engineering Conference, it strengthened cooperation between regional federations, national societies and the international chemical engineering community.
WCCE3 Tokyo 1986
3rd World Congress of Chemical Engineering
Tokyo, Japan | 21–25 September 1986
WCCE3 Tokyo 1986 continued the international expansion of the World Congresses of Chemical Engineering, bringing the global profession to Asia and strengthening cooperation between the Asian Pacific, European and Inter-American chemical engineering communities. Held at the Keio Plaza Hotel in Tokyo, the congress reflected the growing role of chemical engineering in industrial development, process innovation and international scientific exchange.
WCCE4 Karlsruhe 1991
4th World Congress of Chemical Engineering
Karlsruhe, Germany | 16–21 June 1991
“Strategies 2000”
WCCE4 Karlsruhe 1991, held under the theme “Strategies 2000”, brought the World Congress of Chemical Engineering to Germany at a moment of industrial and technological transition. The congress reflected the profession’s forward-looking agenda at the beginning of the 1990s, with proceedings published by DECHEMA and contributions addressing the scientific and industrial development of chemical engineering towards the new millennium.
WCCE5 San Diego 1996
5th World Congress of Chemical Engineering
San Diego, California, USA | 14–18 July 1996
“Technologies Critical to a Changing World”
WCCE5 San Diego 1996 brought the World Congress of Chemical Engineering to the United States under the theme “Technologies Critical to a Changing World.” Published proceedings from the congress show a broad technical programme addressing chemical engineering technologies for a rapidly changing industrial and societal context, including advanced materials, agriculture and food, particle technology and other specialised fields.
WCCE6 Melbourne 2001
6th World Congress of Chemical Engineering
Melbourne, Australia | 23–27 September 2001
“A New Century of Chemical Engineering”
WCCE6 Melbourne 2001 was a landmark edition in the history of the World Congresses of Chemical Engineering. It brought together more than 1,400 delegates from around the world and provided the setting for the establishment of the World Chemical Engineering Council. The congress also saw the signing of the Melbourne Communiqué / Melbourne Declaration on Sustainable Development, a call for the chemical engineering profession to work towards a shared global vision based on sustainable development.
Historical significance: WCCE6 is not only remembered as a World Congress, but as the congress where WCEC was established.
WCCE7 Glasgow 2005
7th World Congress of Chemical Engineering
Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom | 10–14 July 2005
WCCE7 Glasgow 2005 brought the World Congress of Chemical Engineering to the United Kingdom and was hosted by IChemE on behalf of the European Federation of Chemical Engineering. Held together with the 5th European Congress of Chemical Engineering. The congress focused on the evolving role of chemical engineering in the 21st century, with a technical programme organised around themes including managing complexity, engineering for life, science into engineering, molecules into money and advancing the fundamentals.
WCCE8 Montréal 2009
8th World Congress of Chemical Engineering
Montréal, Canada | 23–27 August 2009
“Challenges for a Changing World”
WCCE8 Montréal 2009 brought the World Congress of Chemical Engineering back to Canada under the theme “Challenges for a Changing World.” Organised by the Canadian Society of Chemical Engineers and hosted by École Polytechnique and McGill University, the congress emphasised the role of chemical engineers in developing processes and products for a more sustainable world, with major themes including energy, green processing and process intensification, new materials and processes, and biotechnology.
WCCE9 Seoul 2013
9th World Congress of Chemical Engineering
Seoul, Korea | 18–23 August 2013
“Chemical Engineering: Key to the Future”
WCCE9 Seoul 2013 brought the World Congress of Chemical Engineering to South Korea and was held together with the 15th Asian Pacific Confederation of Chemical Engineering Congress, APCChE 2013. Under the theme “Chemical Engineering: Key to the Future,” the congress focused on the role of chemical engineering in shaping future society, with topics including fundamentals, sustainable development, emerging technologies, current chemical technologies, university–industry cooperation and chemical engineering education.
WCCE10 Barcelona 2017
10th World Congress of Chemical Engineering
Barcelona, Spain | 1–5 October 2017
“Solutions 4 Global Challenges”
WCCE10 Barcelona 2017 brought together the global chemical engineering community to demonstrate the profession’s contribution to major societal challenges. Held together with ECCE11 and ECAB4, it became the largest World Congress of Chemical Engineering at that time, with 3,000+ delegates from 80+ countries, 8 plenary lectures, 95 keynotes, 1,500+ oral communications and 2,000 poster communications, connecting academia, industry, students and professional societies around energy, water, food & nutrition, and health & wellness.
Links:
Watch the video | Read the Barcelona Declaration | Read the EFCE Newsletter Report.
WCCE11 Buenos Aires 2023
11th World Congress on Chemical Engineering
Buenos Aires, Argentina | 4-8 June 2023
“The global chemical engineering working for a better future world”
WCCE11 was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from 4–8 June 2023 and was the first World Congress of Chemical Engineering held in Latin America. The congress was organized together with the XXX Inter-American Congress of Chemical Engineering, the XI Argentinian Congress of Chemical Engineering and the II Ibero-American Congress of Chemical Engineering. Under the theme “The global chemical engineering working for a better future world,” WCCE11 highlighted a systemic approach to chemical engineering, connecting energy, water, environment, people, food and health
WCCE12 Beijing 2025
12th World Congress of Chemical Engineering
Beijing, China | 14–18 July 2025
“Paradigm Shifting in Chemical Engineering for Global Challenges”
WCCE12 Beijing 2025 marked a major milestone for the global chemical engineering community. Held jointly with APCChE 2025 for the first time in China, the congress brought together nearly 5,000 participants from 66 countries to foster exchange between academia, technology and industry. The edition also strengthened WCEC’s global visibility through the launch of the WCEC Awards, recognising excellence across career stages, and the release of the Beijing Initiative: “Embracing Paradigm Shifts, Creating a Greener Future through Intelligent Manufacturing.”
Links:
Watch the video
WCCE13 Prague 2029
13th World Congress of Chemical Engineering
Prague, Czech Republic | 26–31 August 2029
“Chemical Engineering in a Changing World”
WCCE13 Prague 2029 will be the next World Congress of Chemical Engineering, held jointly with ECCE 2029 and ECAB 2029. Hosted in Prague, the World Congress tradition will continue as a global meeting point for chemical and process engineering, bringing together science, industry, biotechnology, digitalisation, circularity and sustainable innovation in response to a changing world.
Links:
Visit the WCCE13 website