Towards Sustainable Mining in the Didactic Process—MEITIM Project as an Opportunity to Increase the Attractiveness of Mining Courses (A Case Study of Poland)

Karolina Adach-Pawelus,Barbara Kiełczawa,Juan Herrera Herbert,Matti Lampinen,Anna Gogolewska,Arturo Hidalgo,Joanna Krupa-Kurzynowska,Danuta Szyszka,Gabriela Paszkowska,Magdalena Worsa-Kozak,Justyna Woźniak,Justyna Górniak-Zimroz,Maria A Mamelkina,Ritva Tuunila

doi:10.3390/su122310138

Abstract

Mining has been embedded in the public consciousness as a dirty, non-innovative, outdated and environmentally harmful industry. Proper education, especially the academic one, becomes crucial to successfully change this image. This article depicts the initial assumptions of the international project Master in Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Technology Integration in Mining (MEITIM), co-financed by EIT Raw Materials, that aims to diagnose the current state of Polish higher education in the field of mining at, among others, the Wroclaw University of Science and Technology (WUST), concerning the experience of the Technical University of Madrid (UPM) and Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT). The MEITIM project allowed identifying the directions of necessary changes in the didactic process as an indispensable set of skills and knowledge for a future mining graduate. Such activities are dictated by many guidelines and arrangements, among others, at the level of the European Commission or key industry institutions such as the International Council on Mining and Metals. These are key competencies that require significant changes in university curricula supporting sustainable development goals in innovative mining. The authors show that there is a link between the condition of the mining industry in Poland, its reputation, and the number of people who want to study mining.

Highlights

The implementation of the Master in Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Technology Integration in Mining (MEITIM) project is to indicate how to develop a new teaching offer aimed at innovative, sustainable and technologically advanced mining so that it can fulfill market requirements over the 20–30 years
The number of theses done for the mining industry d4u. rPirnogjectthMesEeITfiIvMe—yMeaarins wGoaasls1a4n(d8A.6s%sumofptailoln)swhile the majority was done for the chemical and forest industryF.or many years, the Wroclaw University of Science and Technology (WUST) has been carrying out activities and projects aimed at, firstly, making mining studies more attractive and encouraging
This article discusses several important issues related to the current situation of the mining industry regarding education in Poland

Summary

Introduction

The implementation of the Master in Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Technology Integration in Mining (MEITIM) project is to indicate how to develop a new teaching offer aimed at innovative, sustainable and technologically advanced mining so that it can fulfill market requirements over the 20–30 years. The research results indicated that increasing the knowledge of mining students in this area will be accompanied by increased awareness among (future) industry employees and the public This may mean increasing expectations towards enterprises, in the form of raising standards concerning the natural environment, working conditions, as well as social dialogue. The INTERMIN project results published in the paper by [7], point out that most of the “soft skills” in the business management and social aspects related to raw materials education seem to be under-represented compared to technical skills. The international cooperation in the project will allow adapting the teaching offer aimed at sustainable mining as a process of providing new skills and competencies for graduates adapted to the evolving market requirements

Mining Sector in Poland

Poland

SSppaaiinn

Project MEITIM—Main Goals and Assumptions

Findings

Summary and Conclusions