The objective of ESCAPE-12 is to highlight advances made in the development and use of computing methodologies and information technology in the area of Computer Aided Process Engineering and Process Systems Engineering.

The Symposium addressed six themes: (1) Integrated Product&Process Design; (2) Process Synthesis & Plant Design; (3) Process Dynamics & Control; (4) Manufacturing & Process Operations; (5) Computational Technologies; (6) Sustainable CAPE Education and Careers for Chemical Engineers. These themes cover the traditional core activities of CAPE, and also some wider conceptual perspectives, such as the increasing interplay between product and process design arising from the often complex internal structures of modern products; the integration of production chains creating the network structure of the process industry and optimization over life span dimensions, taking sustainability as the ultimate driver.