In this work, we explicitly incorporate the principles espoused by the systems approach as an essential component in the ongoing movement to revamp the undergraduate chemical engineering curricula in response to major transformations that have taken place within the field and the profession. We propose to accomplish this goal by enhancing the use of commercial process simulators in classroom instruction in the form of process simulation computer laboratory exercises, in order to complement the traditional lecture format mode of teaching, by implementing the approach on a separation processes course. This work is significant judging by the value of incorporating such an industrially-relevant tool in the training of tomorrow's chemical engineers, thus providing enough incentive to develop more of such high quality educational materials. © 2008, Inderscience Publishers.