UW Agreement with Southern Alberta Institute of Technology Aims to Meet Demand for Petroleum Engineers

Representatives of the University of Wyoming College of Engineering and Physical Sciences and Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) have signed an articulation agreement to facilitate the transfer of SAIT students to UW to complete their bachelor's degrees in either petroleum or mechanical engineering.

The signing ceremony took place Thursday, May 7, on SAIT's campus in Calgary, Alberta, between UW College of Engineering and Physical Sciences Interim Dean Danny Dale and SAIT Vice President of Academic Affairs Janet Welch.

Also present for the signing were Werner Beylefeld, associate vice president of the SAIT International Centre; Uwe Brandt, academic chair of SAIT's MacPhail School of Energy; Alina Hetman, SAIT international relations and partnerships lead; and Rysen Jordan, acting dean of SAIT's MacPhail School of Energy.

Also present from UW were: Douglas Cuthbertson, external relations for the UW College of Engineering and Physical Sciences; Craig Russow, associate vice president of development for the UW Foundation; and Soheil Saraji, head of UW's Department of Energy and Petroleum Engineering.

The new agreement constitutes a "2+2" arrangement between UW and SAIT, facilitating the transfer of SAIT students to UW after two years of study at their home institution in Calgary, Alberta, to complete their Bachelor of Science degrees within another two to three years of study. While SAIT students have long been coming to UW for this purpose, the new agreement outlines specific course equivalencies and transfer protocols to ease students' paths to obtaining their bachelor's degrees.

While many jobs are available to graduates of two-year institutions in engineering, obtaining a bachelor's degree in the field provides much greater opportunity for advancement and substantial increases in pay, making this new pathway highly attractive to potential students.

"This agreement strengthens an important educational partnership between the University of Wyoming Department of Energy and Petroleum Engineering and SAIT, while creating new opportunities for students to develop the technical and practical skills needed to support the evolving energy sector across North America," says Saraji, speaking of the impact on his department, in particular.

This arrangement stands to prove mutually beneficial to both institutions, cementing a long-standing partnership in the energy sector across borders throughout the Rocky Mountain region. Alberta's commitment to international relations in the energy sector is such that Premier of Alberta Daniel Smith was invited to join the Governors Coalition for Energy Security last year.

"The articulation agreement between SAIT and the University of Wyoming strengthens cross-border collaboration and advances SAIT's international engagement in North America," the institution says in a statement. "It provides SAIT diploma graduates with clear transfer pathways into degree programs, expanding opportunities for academic progression while enhancing SAIT's visibility in the U.S. and supporting a strategically aligned, student-focused partnership portfolio."

The agreement follows closely on the heels of a complementary agreement between UW and the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology in Edmonton, which was ratified in November.

These agreements are well-timed to take advantage of a national prioritization of oil and gas development, as President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order to approve the transport of crude oil across the border between Canada and the United States. The proposed pipeline project would carry oil from southern Alberta to Guernsey in eastern Wyoming, increasing the supply entering Wyoming while furthering international collaboration in the petroleum industry.

Dale notes that the new partnership between UW and SAIT comes at an ideal time to meet increased demand for petroleum engineers in the Rocky Mountain region.

"Several geopolitical and economic factors have led to renewed efforts to increase energy production across North America," Dale says. "This agreement between SAIT and UW will serve as a cornerstone for providing a capable and innovative workforce in the energy field."